(MENAFN- Arab Times) LOS ANGELES April 3 (RTRS): Universal's 'Furious 7' jumped out with $16.9 million in 34 markets on Wednesday signaling a massive first weekend. The film starring Dwayne Johnson Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker is running 60% ahead of predecessor 'Fast and Furious 6' in 12 markets. 'Furious 7' premiere offers heartfelt tributes to Paul Walker. Universal said the film took in $10.2 million in 2183 theaters in 12 international territories on its opening day and also grossed $6.7 million from previews in 22 additional markets. It was first in every territory and scored the highest opening day for the franchise internationally. Germany led the way with $2.6 million nearly double the $1.4 million for 'Fast 6.' France scored $2.5 million up from $1.9 million; Thailand took in $1.3 million compared with $816000; and South Korea scored $972000 up 50 percent.
Bolivia Indonesia Peru Thailand and Trinidad posted opening-day records on Wednesday and the movie set the record for the biggest all-time opening in Austria Egypt and Trinidad. 'Furious 7' will open in 33 more markets Thursday and be in 63 markets by the weekend. Its opening weekend in the US is expected to set an April record at $115 million. Meanwhile actor Vin Diesel admits he made a mistake turning down the second film in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise because he didn't like the script. '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' opened Friday its weekend haul could hit $122 million in US 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.' Tribute '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 productionwith 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.' Wednesday night's world premiere of Universal's 'Furious 7' at the TCL Chinese offered a mix of lingering sadness over the death of beloved star Paul Walker combined with anticipation of a near-certain blockbuster. The red carpet festivities remained light and bright. 'You won't be able to doze off because they made a great movie' noted a beaming Ron Meyer vice chairman of NBC Universal. Studio chair Donna Langley allowed that she's not fazed by predictions of a record-setting opening for April. 'If that bothers you you're in the wrong line of work' she added. In the minutes before the screening Neal Moritz noted that he's had the good fortune to be a producer on all seven films. 'As you all know we lost someone very dear to us during the filming' he said. 'Paul was the most decent thoughtful caring human being I have ever met. Losing him was a blow to all of us.' Moritz then said be believed that Walker was taking in the scene with a smile. 'We love you forever Paul and you will always be a part of all of us.' A deeply moved Vin Diesel followed and advised the audience to appreciate friends and family 'because you just don't know if it's the last time you're going to see them.' See More:Vin Diesel: 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Helped Me Mourn for Paul Walker He also praised the studio saying 'Thank you for making us feel loved.' The post-screening bash at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel was going strong past midnight. Director James Wan admitted he was relieved after seeing a strong reaction in one of the city's largest venues. 'I was used to doing little horror films like 'The Conjuring'' he admitted.'This took two and a half years.' From 'Harry Potter' to 'Fifty Shades of Grey' there's few things more valuable to the entertainment industry than a fiercely beloved book series. There's also few things more daunting for a producer than the prospect of letting down the protective fans of a fiercely beloved book series and 'Outlander' fans have been obsessing about Claire Randall for more than two decades now. Ronald D. Moore is no stranger to fan expectations. As a writer and producer for 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' (among other 'Star Trek' titles) and the executive producer and showrunner of the 'Battlestar Galactica' reboot he learned that it's impossible to please everyone with every creative decision. At Wednesday night's New York screening of the mid-season premiere of 'Outlander' an adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's popular historical romance series which began airing its first half of season one on Starz in August the show's producer and showrunner Moore told Variety that it helps to remember that impassioned fans always mean well. 'I started my career in 'Star Trek' then 'Battlestar' and now this and you have to understand it's all coming from a place of love' he said. 'They are fans because they love this material and all they want is for you to not screw it up and they have lots of opinions about what equals screwing it up but they all come from this extraordinarily positive place.' 'So I always take it in that vein and say 'I'm trying to give you something you're going to like'' Moore continued. 'It's not a democracy. You can't vote on what scenes we're going to do but our intention is to deliver to fans of these books a story they love in a way they can enjoy it so they can say 'yeah that's the 'Outlander' that I know.'' Moore told Variety he was inspired to adapt Gabaldon's series because 'it just kept changing and evolving and that was really appealing to me' and that the second part of the first season which returns to Starz this Saturday will start to gather momentum after picking up on plot points set up in the first half. Fans of the book he said should be pleased with how the first season wraps up as he and his team endeavored to be true to what was on the page. 'The (first) book ends in a very dark disturbing harrowing place and we went for that' he said. 'I think we pulled it off and I'm very curious to see how people react.' At the end of last night's screening which took place at New York's Ziegfeld Theatre E!'s Alicia Quarles held a brief question and answer with Moore about 'Outlander' in which Graham McTavish who plays Dougal MacKenzie said that his most interesting encounter with a dedicated fan was when one 'had a bit of a lie down' in front of him in an effort to look under his kilt. 'It could have happened to anyone' he said with a laugh. Though 'Outlander' is ultimately a fantasy show that features time travel and no shortage of bodice ripping Moore strives to be as historically accurate as possible from the material of the costumes to speech patterns. Unlike some of the actors Lotte Verbeek who plays Geillis Duncan didn't have to learn Gaelic for the role but she did have to develop a Scottish accent. 'And I'm Dutch' she said 'so there was a bit of a double translation for me.' Verbeek wasn't familiar with the book or its fans or how divisive her character is to the 'Outlander' fanbase before she auditioned for the role but has grown to appreciate their support. 'There's a lot of female fans. They really like the boys' she said after a quick smile. 'They really like the details of everything. They ask you about the sets the costumes even the Gaelic. They're so interested in everything.' 'I try to take the support of the fans but don't take that as a pressure on my shoulder' she went on. 'And it's amazing that way you can just go with a lot of love of the fans and their anticipation.'
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