While being fun films that are growing in popularity, if you think the record-breaking opening of Furious 7 had nothing to do with Paul Walker's death, you're either lying to yourself or you're a bit naive. Why did The Dark Knight do so well, while its predecessor (Batman Begins) only did "okay" in comparison? For numerous reasons (better film, better story, better and more familiar villains, mostly involving the Joker, etc.), but most importantly of all was the fact that Heath Ledger died before its release and that fueled the box-office buzz. Had he not passed away when he did, The Dark Knight would have pushed him to the absolute top of the super-stardom stratosphere. Yes, I realize that The Dark Knight Rises actually surpassed TDK in earnings (though not by much in total worldwide grosses), it had an aggressive marketing campaign, 2 more solid villains, the buzz of The Dark Knight to run on and the well-known fact that this was the last Nolan Batman.
It will be interesting to see where F&F 8 sits in the earnings lineup when it hits in 2 years.
Universal is terribly overdue for a F&F ride. Why they've waited this long to build one is beyond me. I'm hoping for a fast-moving ride that's not a simulator (roller coaster, Test Track-type ride system, etc.) like others have mentioned on here, however, I'll be grateful for whatever new hotness they end up building. I'm eager to hear about and eventually experience the new F&F experience in Hollywood once it opens!