‘Fast & Furious’ Races Over ‘Hangover III’

The action-packed sixth installment of the “Fast & Furious” film franchise claimed victory at the North American box office for the three-day U.S. Memorial Day weekend on Monday, and became the biggest opening film in Universal Pictures’ history.

“Fast & Furious 6,” starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, grossed an estimated $120 million from Friday till Monday, making it the second-biggest film opening of the year behind Disney’s “Iron Man 3’s” $175.3 million earlier this month.

The film also rang up an estimated $300 million at the global box office.

Universal Pictures said “Fast & Furious 6” bested its predecessor in the series, “Fast Five,” which previously held the title of best opening for the studio with $83.6 million at domestic theaters.

“Fast & Furious 6” also raced ahead of raunchy comedy “The Hangover Part III,” the third and final installment of the comedy about four men trying to piece together the events of a wild night.

“Hangover,” starring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms as friends unwittingly drawn back to Las Vegas, made an estimated $51.2 million at the U.S. and Canada box office over the long weekend, keeping in line with studio projections.

Read more about this at NBC.com