Hobbs and Shaw is expected to win the box office this weekend, but it’s poised to have the franchise’s lowest opening since 2009. Beginning in 2001 the Fast and Furious series is now firmly established as one of Hollywood’s top properties. It gained a new lease on life at the start of the decade when Fast Five changed up the formula, received positive reviews, and earned $626.1 million worldwide. Since then, the franchise has continuously been raking in cash, with the last two installments hitting the $1 billion mark. There’s no denying this is Universal’s biggest cash cow.
There are two more entries in the mainline Fast and Furious series before that comes to a formal close, but Universal is looking for ways to keep the money train going. This summer, the first Fast and Furious spinoff, Hobbs and Shaw, hits theaters. Starring the dynamic duo of Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, it’s hoping to prove Fast and Furious can exist beyond the Dominic Toretto story and launch more spinoffs. Unfortunately, Hobbs and Shaw isn’t expected to be nearly as big a hit.
According to Box Office Pro, Hobbs and Shaw is projected to earn approximately $66 million domestically during its first three days. If that holds true, it’ll be the lowest opening for a Fast and Furious film since 2009’s Fast and Furious, which grossed $70.9 million at the start.
On one hand, this isn’t entirely surprising. Franchise spinoffs are rarely, if ever, bigger than the mainline series. For example, Rogue One’s opening weekend was not as large as The Force Awakens or The Last Jedi. It would have been unwise to expect Hobbs and Shaw to match or surpass Furious 7’s $147.1 million or even The Fate of the Furious’ $98.7 million simply because it’s not a continuation of the primary narrative audiences have been following and lacks some key characters. On the other hand, Johnson is a bona fide box office star with a number of hits to his name and there frankly isn’t much direct competition for a PG-13 action blockbuster. Spider-Man: Far From Home is still playing, but is no longer a massive draw. Plus, Hobbs and Shaw reviews have been generally positive, which should help its prospects.
For Hobbs and Shaw to go down as a success, it’s going to need a massive boost from international markets. This hasn’t been an issue for recent Fast and Furious films, but it remains to be seen how audiences respond to the spinoff. The film’s production budget is $200 million, meaning Universal envisioned this being one of the biggest box office hits of the year. Right now, it looks like it’ll be another 2019 franchise entry to disappoint commercially, but it’s far too early to write it off.
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Source: Box Office Pro
