Box Office: Fast and Furious Sets Records at $72 million
Fast and Furious, the 4th film in the Universal franchise, claimed the top spot at the box office this weekend with a record-breaking $72.5 million (the biggest domestic opening since “The Dark Knight.”) The previous April record holder was “Anger Management,” which opened to $42.2 million in 2003.
The $30 million dollar take for “Fast and Furious” on Friday, came from 5,200 screens, and easily beat out the previous three installments. It bested “Tokyo Drift’s” entire debut weekend take, and easily trumped the original’s $15 million back in 2001. For the record, “2 Fast 2 Furious” took in just south of $20 million when it opened on Friday in 2003.
Fast and Furious Review
The tagline of “Fast & Furious” promises “New Model. Original Parts.” Well, yes and no. “Parts” is a remarkably apt way to describe the people of the movie, a crew of affectless hard bodies reunited from the 2001 B-movie sensation “The Fast and the Furious.”
Led by Vin Diesel, an inexpressive chunk of man whose actorly range is largely restricted to the occasional furrowing of a brow, the cast is slotted into a narrative involving revenge against a Mexican drug cartel, outlandish vehicular mayhem, flaunting of custom bodywork (both automotive and anatomical) and settings that encourage people to wear tank tops…read more [The New York Times]
Recession has hit the world of B movies: There’s no longer a budget for definite articles in titles. Fast & Furious, about dirtied-up car racing and badass drivers, arrives eight years after The Fast and the Furious revealed the unlikely charms of the sewer-throated, shovel-headed Vin Diesel. Back then, as Diesel’s Dominic Toretto burned through L.A. streets, we gasped, Who is that walking Popeye, and why does he sound like he’s in a Sylvester Stallone tribute band? Back then we also met Dom’s nemesis, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), an equally feisty driver (and, as it happened, an undercover cop) as blond and blue-eyed as Toretto was bald and swarthy…read more[EW]
Fast & Furious 4 To Be First Theatrical D-BOX Release
Heading to the movies just became a more “moving” experience, thanks to new motion-activated theater seats available for theatergoers, D-BOX Technologies announced today. Beginning April 3, audiences will experience the seats with the release of Universal Pictures’ new action-thriller, Fast & Furious.
D-BOX Technologies will debut its Motion Systems for the first time during this theatrical release. The seats are equipped with the company’s Motion technology and powered by D-BOX Motion Effects that corresponds to the action taking place onscreen, causing the seats to tilt and shake in perfect synchronization with the onscreen action.
Audience members will feel all the shifts and rumbles of an opening hijacking sequence, however the seats will remain still during the quieter, dialogue-driven scenes. The seats are in motion for about a third of the film, including intelligent vibrations that move along to the soundtrack and stronger movements for the action scenes.
Fast & Furious Muscle Cars Featurette
New featurette for the upcoming “Fast & Furious” has been released, showing some of the new cars in the movie including 1987 Buick Grand National and a 2009 Subaru WRX STI that are driven by the stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. In addition, the video also has lots of new footage from the film.
2009 Subaru WRX STI -- driven by "Fast & Furious" star, Paul Walker
“Fast & Furious” re-teams Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in the ultimate chapter of the film franchise built on speed. Heading back to the streets where it all began, Diesel and Walker rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.
The film arrives in theatres on April 3, 2009.
Paul Walker Confirms Fast & Furious 5
Paul Walker and Vin Diesel spoke at a “Fast & Furious” press junket, revealing that fifth installment in the franchise is in the works.
When asked about a possible fifth movie in the franchise, Walker said:
“No but I’ve heard it. I’ve heard it in the rumor mill. Like, I’ve spoken with executives at Universal at this point, and they’re pretty serious about it. They know where they want it to take place. They want to do it in Europe.”
On the subject on Vin Diesel reprising his Toretto role for a third time, Walker was pretty candid:
”I know Vin’s in there already”
Walker would also love to see Tyrese Gibson’s character from “2 Fast 2 Furious” return.
”Oh, man, he’s my brother. I love that guy. I had so much fun with him making the second one. He’s just one of those people that’s fun to be around. He’s just a big kid.”
Click here to read full story [Via Screen Junkies]
Click here to see all “Fast & Furious 4” photos.
Fast & Furious Widget - Live From The Red Carpet
Universal Pictures has released a new widget for “Fast & Furious” which you can post on your own website - Facebook, MySpace, LiveJournal, blog…
“Fast & Furious” - out April 3 - reunites Vin Diesel and Paul Walker as reluctant teammates out to bust open a criminal cartel. But the story itself doesn’t matter as much as the street racing, and thankfully this fourth film pushes things to the next level. Stay tuned to FilmoFilia for even more coverage.
Brand New Fast & Furious Clips and TV Spots
Universal Pictures have debuted two brand new TV spots and two clips of “Fast and Furious“. The promo videos provide more never-before-seen footage with glimpses at the street car racing actions.
Heading back to the streets where it all began, two men rejoin two women to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert. When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O’Connor. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what’s possible behind the wheel.
The Justin Lin-directed action-thriller stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz, Laz Alonso, Gal Gadot, Shea Whigham, Tego Calderon and Liza Lapira.
This fourth installment of the street car racing movie franchise will speed up to theaters across the U.S. on April 3.
