Universal’s “Fast & Furious” spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw” looks to rev up the box office when it arrives the big-screen next month. According to early tracking, the tentpole should earn between $55 million and $65 million over the Aug. 2 weekend.
“Hobbs & Shaw” could have heavy competition from Disney’s “The Lion King,” launching July 19, as well as Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” hitting theaters a week later. However, the popularity of the action could drive opening weekend ticket sales even higher. The film will be the lone nationwide release that weekend.
That kind of start would rank on the lower end for a “Fast & Furious” installment. But “Hobbs & Shaw” marks the first spinoff of the franchise, making it tougher for comparisons. “Furious 7” holds the biggest opening weekend with a massive $147 million, while the smallest belongs to 2006’s “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” with $23 million.
The eight films in the “Fast & Furious” series have collected almost $5 billion worldwide. “Furious 7” is highest-grossing entry to date with $1.5 billion, followed closely by 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious” with $1.2 billion.
In “Hobbs & Shaw,” Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, reprising their roles as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw, team up to take down a cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist, played by Idris Elba. The cast also includes Helen Mirren and Vanessa Kirby.