Box Office: Summer kicks off early as 'Fast Five' fuels $33 million Friday

Franchise sequel headed for year's biggest opening, while 'Prom' opens soft

By HitFix Staff Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 1:14 PM

'Fast Five'

Credit: Universal

After a disappointing first four months of 2011, the box office has finally shifted into fifth gear. The highly anticipated "Fast Five" had a mammoth opening Friday grossing $33.2 million. The fifth installment of the "Fast and Furious" franchise is looking at a series record $78-80 million weekend. That would be the biggest debut of the year and break "Fast and Furious'" $71 million mark just two years ago. Considering the huge numbers "Fast Five" has already posted overseas, it's no surprise a sixth "Furious" film is already in the works.

The weekend's other new releases were not so lucky. "Prom," the first film greenlit by Disney chairman Rich Ross found only $1.9 million on Friday and will be lucky to find $7 million by Sunday. The teen flick, which was intended to kick off a "High School Musical"-esque franchise, only cost $8 million, but sources tell HitFix the marketing budget was $32 million which will likely end any talk of a second installment.

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Also disappointing was "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs Evil." The animated family film grossed just $1.1 million on Friday for what could be a $7-8 million weekend after a Saturday matinee bump. The Weinstein Company sequel came out over 5 1/2 years after the original and faced too much competition from "Rio" which should place no. 2 for the weekend behind "Fast Five." "Rio" should cross the $100 million mark this weekend.

Tyler Perry's "Madea's Big Happy Family" came in third, nabbing $3.1 million, bringing its gross to $26 million.

Fox 2000's "Water For Elephants," starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon, picked up $2.9 million, for a cume of $26 million.

Look for final box office estimates tomorrow on HitFix.