(Image source:  Universal Studios )     BY JAMAL ANDRESS     For those who aren’t counting, the “Fast & Furious” movie franchise is on No. 6, which is about three movies past the unofficial sequel limit. But “Fast & Furious 6” hit theaters Friday and made $38.1 million to kick off Memorial Day weekend, and before the weekend is over, the film is expected to gross $120 million. (Via  YouTube / VISO Trailers )   I think we all know what this means: The “Fast & Furious” movies are not stopping anytime soon.   The first reason is obvious: money. According to movie data website The Numbers , the “Fast & Furious” franchise has made $1.6 billion at the box office, averaging about $230 million every time it puts out a movie, and remember: It’s on sequel six.     Also, the “Fast & Furious” franchise is making more money now than it ever has before. The original “Fast & Furious” made $206 million worldwide, but “Fast Five” tripled that total by bringing in $628 million and beating out all other movies in the franchise by at least $250 million. (Via  Universal Studios )   Next, consider the “Fast & Furious” formula. Cars plus racing divided by scantily clad women equals lots and lots of explosions. No one’s trying to fool you: With “Fast & Furious,” what you see is what you get, and nobody does pure action like this franchise.   Esquire  writes:  “You remember that other movie in which there were major chase scenes involving military tanks, gunfire, Gina Carano, and Michelle Rodriguez tearing each other apart and cars dangling precariously from airplanes trying to ascend? Of course you don’t.”   And the last reason you can expect a “Fast & Furious” 7, 8 and 9 is because moviegoers and movie critics alike seem to love sequels. In 2011, the top-five grossing films were all sequels, and according to a study by Metacritic , movies based on existing concepts have been reviewed slightly more favorably than films based on original ideas.    “ … Even though they aren't based on any one specific existing film, many of these ‘original’ movies may simply re-hash tired genre tropes that audiences have already seen countless times … ”   And just in case you still don’t believe me ...   “Before this one even joins the race at the box office, part seven is already in the works.” (Via  KRIV )   I rest my case.