Top brass at Universal Pictures International (UPI) said the studio was on course to reach the box office milestone in record time on Wednesday (April 8).

This marks the ninth consecutive year UPI has achieved the feat and trumps the previous May 31 speed record.

Fifty Shades Of Grey on $401.2m and Fast & Furious 7 on $316m (and $490m worldwide) have done the heavy lifting.

The other significant international performer for the year-to-date has been The Theory Of Everything on $85m.

“This year we are thrilled to offer audiences some of our biggest and best homegrown franchises with huge prospects in our international markets,” said president of distribution for UPI Duncan Clark.

“The early results have been terrific and today we celebrate a milestone with our film-makers, distribution partners and talent who have worked tirelessly to bring these fantastic films to theaters across the globe.”

The studio’s 2015 slate includes comedy Pitch Perfect 2 directed by Elizabeth Banks; Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt; Seth MacFarlane’s Ted 2; Illumination Entertainment and Universal’s Minions; and Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck.

Fast & Furious 7 arrives this week in China and Russia.

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