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"I realized later the audience didn't give a shit about what
I thought about the script. They wanted Dom Toretto," Diesel
said of his character, the leader of a team of street racers.
It may seem like Diesel and his diverse crew drive Universal
Pictures' longest-running and most lucrative franchise, now with
its seventh film, but the action star chalks up its longevity to
"the audience claiming it as its own."
As "Furious 7" opens Friday, its weekend haul could hit $122
million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, predicted Phil
Contrino, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com.
That would set three box office records: biggest debut for the
franchise; for the month of April, and any movie so far in 2015.
The first six movies earned $2.4 billion combined.
The cast of the family friendly PG-13 franchise stoked interest
on social media, posting photos from the set and taking fan
feedback, Contrino said. The movie's Facebook page has 54
million likes, higher than any other active film franchise.
"It just listens to its fans and incorporates what they say into
the movies," said Contrino. "In that sense, it is a very smart
franchise."
"Furious 7" features the final performance of franchise star
Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in November 2013 at age 40
before filming finished. The cast said the movie sends off
Walker with a touching tribute.
At a time when Hollywood is under fire for lack of diversity,
the franchise boasts one of the most diverse casts of any
production - with blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians and women
all breaking stereotypes.
"It is such a multicultural cast that I think our fans and
audience globally see themselves in us," said Jordana Brewster,
who has played Dom's sister Mia since the first film.
There is also the thread of family and brotherhood among the
street racers who fight evil in far corners of the world.
"Not just in the movies, but off camera, we are a real family
and I think ... the whole world knows it to be true," said
Tyrese Gibson, who plays Roman.
Fans may love the over-the-top, car-heavy action, but "Furious
7" director James Wan said "it is the characters you keep coming
back for."
(Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Gunna Dickson)
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