‘Fast & Furious 6’ drives Universal past $1 billion internationally

With a turbo boost from “Fast & Furious 6,” Universal Pictures has zoomed past the $1-billion mark for the year at the international box office earlier than ever before.

Universal crossed the mark Friday, its international marketing and distribution arm announced. This is the seventh year in a row that the company has achieved the $1-billion international feat.

In addition to the “Fast” film, which has taken in $259.4 million overseas in a little more than a week, the company was aided by the strong performance of “Les Miserables,” “Mama,” “Identity Thief” and “Oblivion.”

“Les Miserables,” which was nominated for eight Academy Awards and opened in some territories in 2012, grossed $238.9 million internationally this year. That’s second only to “Fast & Furious 6’s” tally.

Universal, whose parent, NBCUniversal, is owned by cable giant Comcast Corp., bested a record set last year, when the company passed the $1-billion threshold July 17.

In 2012, the studio had total international box-office receipts of $1.794 billion.

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