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You Will Have to Wait Another Full Year to See Fast and Furious 9

Loyal fans of the Fast Saga, arguably one of the most successful film franchises in the world right now and a visual treat for all gearheads out there, will have to wait another full year to see the latest installment, Fast 9, in theaters.
Vin Diesel will return for Fast 9, but later in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic 8 photos
Photo: Universal Pictures
FF9: Dom is back at the wheel of his '69 Dodge ChargerFF9: Letty and her enduroFF9: Roman and his lifted Jeep WranglerFF9: Tej and his Acura NSXFF9: Mia and her Chevrolet Chevelle SSFF9: Ramsey and a color-matching Noble M600FF9: John Cena gets a Ford Mustang for his debut
The film was initially scheduled for theatrical release in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2020 and, as of February this year, marketing was already underway. Fast and Furious 9 was supposed to be this year’s biggest Memorial Day weekend release, but Universal Studios was banking on the bulk of revenue coming from international markets, as it happened with previous releases.

As you may have heard, there’s a coronavirus pandemic right now. Theaters in many markets, including China, South Korea and Italy, are still closed and more are expected to follow – including in the U.S., where COVID-19 infections have just recently been reported, as part of containment efforts.

The same containment efforts have prompted studio bosses to make the decision to push back the release date of the film. Surprisingly, they’ve opted to delay the release by almost a year, according to a statement on the Fast Saga Twitter channel.

“We feel all the love and the anticipation you have for the next chapter in our saga,” it says. “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,”
the statement adds.

Instead of coming out in May 2020, the film will now open globally in April 2021, with U.S. audiences getting their premiere on April 2. That’s a long wait, but you can always soldier through it by re-watching the previous installments, now that you’re probably spending more time avoiding social contact as a precaution.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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