‘F9: The Fast Saga’ postponed to 2021 because of coronavirus

The ninth movie in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, “F9: The Fast Saga,” has been postponed, according to Variety. It was scheduled to release on May 22, but the new release date is April 2, 2021 to be clear of the continuing spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Basically, if you’re being encouraged not to be in crowds, you’ll probably avoid the movie theater, which further means possibly smaller box office openings.

The “Fast and Furious” films are cash cows, too. The seventh and eighth films made more than $1 billion worldwide. Even the “Hobbs and Shaw” spin-off made more than $700 million. Also worth noting is that the eighth movie, “The Fate of the Furious” and “Hobbs and Shaw” each made more money overseas than in the United States, so Universal may have selected such a late date to allow plenty of time for the pandemic to wind down worldwide, not just in the U.S. While holding the movie might mean a solid opening weekend for “Fast 9,” it also means you’ll be waiting another year before seeing how Han is still alive, and what happens when you swing a Charger across a canyon like Tarzan.

This isn’t the first film to be delayed because of the coronavirus. Just last week, we found out that the next James Bond film, “No Time to Die,” was also postponed to avoid the worst of the pandemic. It wasn’t delayed as severely as “Fast 9,” though, and it will open on November 25, right in time for Thanksgiving.

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