Today Marks a Significant Milestone in Our History 
 
 Today FURIOUS 7 will reach $1 billion in worldwide box office grosses. This is the first time in Universal’s 103-year history that we have had a film achieve this level of success in its first run. It will certainly exceed this number as well as have the distinction of being the quickest of any film to reach this milestone in just 17 days. 
 
 At Universal we have had franchises with strong results at the box office, including JURASSIC PARK, DESPICABLE ME and the BOURNE series, and although we take great pride in these accomplishments, what distinguishes FAST & FURIOUS is that it is an original live action concept with an entirely diverse cast. It is the only franchise of its kind to reach a total of MORE THAN $3.39 billion and counting. 
 
 On behalf of all of us, I am incredibly proud of the motion picture team at Universal, the cast and filmmakers of the FAST & FURIOUS for all they have done to take our original idea and evolve it into a huge, global, blockbuster franchise. When our friend and colleague Paul Walker tragically passed away in the middle of production, our team, led by Jeff Shell and Donna Langley, and the filmmakers along with the cast and crew did what they do best: They focused on family first; then talked to the fans; then got to work on making a great film that we can all be proud of. We were all saddened and honored to be a part of Paul’s final career performance and to celebrate his defining role in our lives. ||||| Universal’s “Furious 7” will cross $1 billion at the worldwide box office Friday, becoming the studio’s first film to reach that milestone in its initial release. 
 
 “Furious 7” has grossed $735.2 million overseas in 17 days and $273.7 million in North America after 15 days — making it the fastest movie to reach $1 billion. “The Avengers,” “Avatar” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” had all crossed $1 billion in 19 days. Universal said the seven films in the franchise have totaled $3.392 billion in worldwide grosses. 
 
 “Furious 7” is directed by James Wan and stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Jason Statham and Ludacris. 
 
 It is the 20th film to take in $1 billion, with “Avatar” leading the list at $2.79 billion, followed by “Titanic” at $2.19 billion. Paramount’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction” had been most recent addition to the list last year with a $1.09 billion worldwide gross, which leaves it in 10th place. 
 
 “We’re incredibly proud to watch ‘Fast & Furious’ take its place as the only original live-action franchise to reach these kinds of results at the box office,” said Nick Carpou, U’s head of domestic distribution. “Our cast, filmmakers and all of our Universal and ‘Fast’ family deserve credit for working so hard to make ‘Furious 7’ a huge success, and we look forward to continuing to watch the film grow over the next few weeks.” 
 
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 “What started as a small film about the street racing sub-culture of East Los Angeles has become a global phenomenon, with ‘Furious 7’ shattering records in so many territories around the globe,” said Duncan Clark, president of international distribution. 
 
 Universal said “Furious 7” chalked up the record for second-biggest worldwide opening weekend at $397.2 million behind only “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.” It was the studio’s highest-grossing domestic launch at $147.2 million and international opening at $250 million. 
 
 “Furious 7” also set records as the highest opening weekend in 29 territories and has become Universal’s highest-grossing film in 26 territories. Its $63.5 million opening day in China set a record, demolishing the previous record of $36 million for “Transformers 4.” 
 
 Ron Meyer, vice chairman of studio parent NBCUniversal, sent out a congratulatory note to the staff. 
 
 “At Universal we have had franchises with strong results at the box office, including ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Despicable Me’ and the ‘Bourne’ series, and although we take great pride in these accomplishments, what distinguishes ‘Fast and Furious’ is that it is an original live action concept with an entirely diverse cast,” Meyer noted. “It is the only franchise of its kind to reach a total of more than $3.39 billion and counting.” 
 
 Meyer also noted the unique circumstances created by star Paul Walker’s death in late 2013. 
 
 “When our friend and colleague Paul Walker tragically passed away in the middle of production, our team, led by Jeff Shell and Donna Langley, and the filmmakers, along with the cast and crew, did what they do best: They focused on family first; then talked to the fans; then got to work on making a great film that we can all be proud of,” he said. “We were all saddened and honored to be a part of Paul’s final career performance and to celebrate his defining role in our lives.” 
 
 UPDATE, 10:11 p.m. — Variety’s first story said that “Furious 7” is the first Universal film to go past $1 billion. It is actually the first Universal film to do so in its initial release. The studio’s “Jurassic Park” reached $1.044 billion after the 3D re-release in 2013. ||||| Despite being in American theaters for less than a month, Furious 7 just grossed a billion dollars at the box office. For those keeping track at home, that is faster than any movie has ever hit the billion-dollar mark, according to Variety. It’s an impressive feat, but it should come as no surprise that a film all about speed has raced to the top of the box office and into the record books. 
 
 The James Wan-directed film, which stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, and Tyrese Gibson, hit the billion-dollar milestone in just 17 days. That coup let the film just squeak past the previous box office record jointly held by The Avengers, Avatar, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which all crossed the billion-dollar mark in 19 days. 
 
 “At Universal we have had franchises with strong results at the box office, including Jurassic Park, Despicable Me and the Bourne series, and although we take great pride in these accomplishments, what distinguishes Fast and Furious is that it is an original live action concept with an entirely diverse cast,” said Ron Meyer, vice chairman of studio parent NBCUniversal, in a congratulatory note. “It is the only franchise of its kind to reach a total of more than $3.39 billion and counting.” Furious 7 is the first film from Universal Studios to gross $1 billion. (Jurassic Park also crossed the threshold, but only after it was re-released in 3-D in 2013.) Thanks to the success of the “thrilling, ridiculous, and, yes, sad” film, the rumored Furious 8 is probably a go. (Hear that, Helen Mirren?) 
 
 Furious 7 is the 20th film ever to reach the $1 billion benchmark and the first since last year’s Transformers: Age of Extinction. While Furious 7 may be roaring now, it still has a way to go if it wants to challenge Avatar for the title of all-time worldwide box office record holder. James Cameron’s special effects-laden sci-fi spectacular made a whopping $2.79 billion at the box office, which even a Na’vi wouldn’t sneeze at. Cameron also holds the record for second place in box office hauls for Titanic, which took in $2.19 billion (and the hearts of all who watched). 
 
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– The elite club of movies that have grossed at least $1 billion worldwide gained a new member yesterday. Furious 7 became the 20th film to have ever passed the threshold, per BoxOfficeMojo's stats. And as Variety reports, it did so pretty fast and furiously: in a record 17 days. Though Universal has put out such successes as Jurassic Park and the Bourne series, it's the first film in the studio's 103-year history to make the list, notes Ron Meyer, the vice chairman of studio parent NBCUniversal, in a congrats letter. That list is topped by Avatar and its $2.79 billion take. All told, the Furious franchise has raked in $3.39 billion. Vanity Fair's response to the news? "The rumored Furious 8 is probably a go." (Cool side story: Fast & Furious all started thanks to a 1998 magazine article.)