Box Office: ‘Fast and Furious 6′ Speeding Toward $120 Million Debut

The film’s content notwithstanding, “Fast and Furious 6″ is part of a rather uneventful race this weekend as it coasts into first without a bump.

The racing actioner earned $38.2 million Friday and is headed to a four-day haul of nearly $120 million, easily lapping its closest competitor “The Hangover Part III.”

“Fast and Furious” is the sixth installment in a franchise that has proven its legs — or wheels, rather — for Universal over the years. Its prequels have earned a combined $1.5 billion for the studio globally.

And “Fast and Furious 6″ is gearing up to be the strongest entry, its first three days projected at 11% above those of “Fast Five,” which bowed to $86.2 million and went on to earn $209.8 million domestically.

Warner Bros. bowed its “Hangover” finale a couple days early to get the edge on tracking that is not in its favor. The laffer has earned $26.3 million since its Wednesday bow, and is expected to reach $60 million in five days, a bow higher than “The Hangover’s” $45 million but lower than “The Hangover Part II’s” $85.9 million. Both went on to make more than $250 million Stateside.

Overseas, “Fast and Furious 6″ opened day-and-date in 59 markets, where it took first place in every one. Its int’l sum, $36 million, rivals its domestic haul and reps U’s biggest overseas Friday on record.

Counterprogramming fare for male young adults, Fox-Blue Sky Animation bowed “Epic” Friday to $9.4 million. The 3D toon is likely to make about $40 million this holiday weekend, just behind “Star Trek Into Darkness” for fourth place.

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