How did Fast 8 beat Star Wars 7’s global box office record?

It’s official – ‘Fast and Furious 8’ has broken a box office record.

Accelerating to a phenomenal $532.5 million worldwide opening weekend, it looks as though ‘Fast and Furious 8’ has racked up killer box office figures already. And it’s even managed to top recent record-breaker, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’.

But how did it manage that?

It seems it’s all down to the Asian markets…

– Watch The First Star Wars 8 Trailer
– Star Wars 8 Poster Teases A Balanced Force
– Lando Calrissian Won’t Be In Star Wars 8

‘Fast and Furious 8’ managed a whopping $532.5 million (£425 million) opening weekend despite a significant drop off in domestic ticket sales across North America. But it looks as though foreign markets have kept the film roaring onwards.

Most notably, China.

‘Fast and Furious 8’ took a staggering $423.3 million across 63 territories at the foreign box office… with China contributing a massive $190 million. As you might expect, it’s earned the high-octane action flick some further box office records, and it’s now the biggest three-day opening weekend in the region.

It looks as though ‘Fast and Furious 8’ has dominated the Chinese market.

And this formidable box office total has pushed ‘Fast and Furious 8’ to dizzy heights – its global opening weekend soaring past the likes of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ which previously held the record with an impressive $529 million opening weekend back in 2015.

The only other movie to break $500 million in its opening weekend is ‘Jurassic World’, which managed a respectable $525.5 million in 2015 before it was quickly dethroned by ‘The Force Awakens’.

So why does the Chinese market love ‘Fast 8’ so much?

The movie has so far seen mixed reviews… but critics often praise the film’s enormous spectacle and thrilling special effects – something which Chinese audiences traditionally love. It’s essentially because China’s homegrown films lack the big budget escapades of their Hollywood counterparts.

And let’s face it – nobody does big-budget action like ‘Fast and Furious’.

‘Fast and Furious 8’ stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Scott Eastwood, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Kurt Russell and Helen Mirren.

F. Gary Gray directed the film based on a script by Chris Morgan.

‘Fast and Furious 8’ heads to cinemas on 12 April 2017.

– Carrie Fisher’s Touching Star Wars Tribute
– First Look At Carrie Fisher In Star Wars 8
– Star Wars Celebration’s 40^th Anniversary Panel