Universal Pictures has pushed the release of Fast & Furious 9 back to May 2021. The Fast & Furious franchise has become one of the biggest movie franchises over the last several years and a tentpole IP for Universal. They've started adding spinoffs and animated shows to the content library, but the main series is still where Fast & Furious is the most popular. At the start of 2020, it was widely expected that F9 would be one of the highest-grossing movies of the year due to the continued interest.
The ninth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise started generating interest at the start of the year after dropping its first trailer, but the world quickly changed not too long after. The coronavirus pandemic shut down theaters and made F9's planned April release date impossible. Universal moved swiftly to delay the movie to April 2021, which should've ensured that they won't need to change the date again. However, recent events have forced their hand and pushed F9 again.
Universal Pictures has delayed F9 for the second time, according to a press release. The movie's new release date, May 28, 2021, will see it debut in theaters over Memorial Day weekend. This marks a nearly two-month delay from F9's most recent release date. The reason for the delay is MGM, Eon, and Universal's decision to delay No Time To Die and take F9's April 2, 2021 release date.
Following No Time To Die's delay to April 2021, it is hardly a surprise that Universal moved quickly to adjust F9's release. It wasn't a surprise for them either, as they are the international distributors of No Time To Die and knew that F9 would be in need of a new date. Now, F9's move could cause a chain reaction of other movie release date changes. Paramount has the Mark Wahlberg action film Infinite set to be released on May 28, 2021, but it would not be wise to go head-to-head with a proven box office draw like Fast & Furious. Disney also has its live-action Cruella starring Emma Stone set for the same date. While that could serve as good counter-programming, it could be better served moving back a week potentially.
All things considered, F9's latest delay isn't that bad. Fans already had to come to terms with a year-long delay, so an extra eight weeks is much easier to accept. When F9 does hit theaters in 2021, it should still be among the biggest movies of the year and is poised to shake up the franchise. Han is returning for the newest installment, but F9 will also feature Dom's brother Jakob, played by John Cena. Plus, with the apparent confirmation that F9 is going to space, the potentially insane story and action could make up for the extended wait.
Source: Universal
