Fast and Furious 9 is no longer fast approaching theaters and there's a chance fans will be
furious about it.
"You think this is a joke?
Huh?"
As confirmed by Variety, Universal Pictures has delayed the ninth Fast film by almost
a year amid concerns over the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.
It's the kind of thing that can make you want to lean back, crack open a cold one, and wait
for it all to blow over.
“You can have any brew you want -- as long as it’s Corona.”
The studio's decision arose after consideration about the consequences COVID-19 a new strain
of the coronavirus family of viruses that originated in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019
has already had on the global economy and what the continual spread of the disease will
do to the film industry at large.
"One thing I can guarantee you, Dom — no one's ready for this."
COVID-19 is, as of the making of this video, most prominent in China, South Korea, and
Italy countries that have taken serious precautions to keep their citizens safe.
Such preventative measures include cancelling public gatherings, issuing quarantine orders,
and, of course, shutting down movie theaters.
Many outlets are reporting that the United States may follow the example of these overseas
territories with regard to theater closures.
Noted Bloodsport fan President Trump even evoked the action franchise, perhaps inadvertently,
while hosting the Irish Prime Minister on March 12th ...
“When you think of what happened to Europe, because it was very fast and very furious
Fast and Furious 9 was scheduled to open in theaters on May 22, 2020.
Now, it will arrive on cinema screens on April 2, 2021.
International release dates are apparently being ironed out, but the intention is to
launch the ninth Fast film worldwide in April of next year.
The cast and crew of F9 released a statement on Twitter addressing the delay which read,
in part,
"We feel all the love and the anticipation you have for the next chapter in our saga.
That's why it's especially tough to let you know that we have to move the release date
of the film.
It's become clear that it won't be possible for all of our fans around the world to see
the film this May.
While we know there is disappointment in having to wait a little while longer, this move is
made with the safety of everyone as our foremost consideration.
Moving will allow our global family to experience our new chapter together.
We'll see you next spring."
Though it's completely understandable why Universal Pictures has delayed F9, what feels
particularly disappointing about this development is that Vin Diesel, who leads the franchise
as the racing aficionado Dom Toretto, recently assured fans that the film's release date
wouldn't be changed.
Diesel promised that F9 was sticking to its planned May 22 release date.
In an interview published March 7th, Diesel said,
"[I] won't fault anyone in the world for saying, 'You guys are stupid for releasing this movie
right now,' [but] we need movies now more than ever.
We're already in a very interesting time where cinema and the cinematic experience is so
threatened.
So, yes, put it on record we're going to show up."
What's a double bummer about this situation is that this isn't the first time F9 has suffered
a lengthy delay.
the film was slated to hit theaters on April 19, 2019.
However, when Universal prioritized the Fast and Furious spin-off film Hobbs & Shaw starring
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham over the main franchise entry, F9 was pushed to April
10, 2020 before later settling into its May 22, 2020 slot.
What's interesting about F9 being pushed back almost an entire year from not its first or
second but third established release date is that its new one is the exact date Universal
previously intended to release Fast and Furious 10, the installment meant to mark the end
of the core film franchise.
With F9 now occupying that slot, what does it mean for Fast 10?
“If we do this, we risk everything.”
The simple and sad answer is that the film will undoubtedly be delayed as well, and probably
substantially at that.
Production on the film has, of course, not started yet, and it isn't as if it can begin
in the middle of a global health crisis.The best case scenario is that filming on that
flick will probably begin sometime next year which means that, accounting for the time
it takes to complete a movie in post-production, the 10th Fast and Furious film will most likely
receive a spring 2022 release date.
F9 getting hit with a delay of this caliber is a bummer all around, but better safe than
sorry.
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