Universal Hits $2 Billion

Universal has come a long way from the days of Uncle Carl Laemmle and The Brid of Frankenstein, wouldn't you say?

Universal Pictures has passed $2 billion at the international box office for the first time in history, the studio announced Wednesday.

International hits “Fast & Furious 6″ ($549.3 million), “Despicable Me 2″ ($485.4 million) and “Les Misérables” ($293 million) led the charge. The studio crossed the milestone after Tuesday box-office totals were tallied.

Universal hit $1 billion international earlier this year in record time, and kept its momentum long enough to shatter its previous record of $1.794 billion. ...

Unlike the olden days, when Universal's animation consisted of Walter Lantz churning out shorts, the powers that be now have Illumination Entertainment and the Despicable Moi franchise.

As they say about DM2: "It's the most profitable movie in Universal's history."