HOLLYWOOD - Universal’s “Fate of the Furious” has achieved the $1 billion milestone. $867.6 million of the film’s earnings have come from the international box office, while domestically the high-octane actioner has made $192.7 million. “Fate” shot out the gate last month to the largest global opening of all time with $542 million.

Directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Chris Morgan, the film’s insane stunts and diverse ensemble cast — including Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Scott Eastwood and Charlize Theron — has proven big box office success for the studio.

“Fate of the Furious” is the first in the franchise since the tragic death of Paul Walker, who was involved in a single-vehicle crash in 2013. The seventh movie functioned as a sort of tribute to the late actor.

The week's most promising fresh prospect is “Unforgettable,” from Warner Bros., the story of a scorned ex-wife played by Katherine Heigl who pathologically torments her husband’s new mate (Rosario Dawson).

Then there’s “Phoenix Forgotten,” a sci-fi horror film from Cinelou Films, and the directorial debut of Justin Barber. Centered around a real-world claim of a UFO sighting in the ’90s, the movie should earn about $2 million from 1,500 screens.

Expect Disney’s “Born in China” to get off a fine start — about $5 million from 1,508 locations. And finally, Ben Wheatley’s British action-comedy “Free Fire,” distributed in the U.S. by A24, aims to pick up about $3 million. (Source: Variety)

Story Date: May 7, 2017