Friday 3rd April 2009

“Fast & Furious” – the fourth film in an action-movie franchise centred around the world of illegal street racing debuted, kicking off a record-breaking $72.5 million opening weekend at the box office in the US. “Fast & Furious,” starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez, recorded the all-time highest-grossing opening of any car-themed film, besting the 2006 animated feature “Cars,” which raked in more than $60 million in its opening weekend and went on to earn more than $244 million at the box office. The road leading to “Fast & Furious” began with the sleeper hit “The Fast and the Furious,” which opened in theatres across America on June 18, 2001, and was followed by 2003’s “2 Fast 2 Furious” and 2006’s “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” The “Fast and the Furious” films, which feature dramatic car scenes, pulsating music and good-looking actors and actresses, received mixed reviews from critics but were popular with audiences and spawned a line of video games. So far six films in this franchise have been released, and “Fast & Furious 7″ has resumed shooting in Abu Dhabi after halting production in December following star Paul Walker’s tragic death.