2019 was a momentous year for the Fast & Furious franchise, as the first spinoff, Hobbs & Shaw, raced into theaters. This detour from the main film series performed admirably enough that by March 2020, Dwayne Johnson confirmed that a sequel was in development. However, for those of you who were hoping that Hobbs & Shaw 2 would be arriving in the near future, you’ll want to pump the brakes.
While plugging the new Bob Odenkirk-led movie Nobody, producer Kelly McCormick spoke briefly with Collider about Hobbs & Shaw 2, noting how scheduling is proving to be a big obstacle with taking big steps on the sequel. In her words:
Everybody's really busy on that particular franchise. I mean, who's busier than Dwayne Johnson? And, he's critical to the project. We're just waiting to hear, to be honest. I think it's something that would be awesome to continue, but I think everybody's just been so busy working on projects in the COVID of it all, that we're still waiting to hear… There's a lot of excitement to try to make something.
She has a point. Looking at Dwayne Johnson’s professional endeavors, he recently wrapped work on Netflix’s Red Notice and is now gearing up to star in the Black Adam movie, having been officially attached to the eponymous role for over six years now. He’s also still attached to projects like The King, San Andreas 2 and Doc Savage. As for Jason Statham, he wrapped work on Wrath of Man and is currently shooting the Guy Ritchie movie Five Eyes. Oh, and let’s not forget that he’s returning for The Meg 2.
Given the popularity of the Fast & Furious franchise, I suspect that Hobbs & Shaw 2 stands a better chance of getting off the ground sooner than some of these other projects. Nevertheless, as Kelly McCormick laid out, those involved with the sequel are simply too busy right now to take things to the next level, especially Dwayne Johnson. A Hobbs & Shaw 2 script hasn’t even been written yet, so don’t be surprised if the movie doesn’t arrive until around 2023 or 2024, if not later.
Of course, it’s not like we’ll be lacking for Fast & Furious content in the coming years. F9 is still slated for a May 28 release, although don’t be surprised if it’s pushed back again. Following that, the main Fast & Furious film series has two more movies lined up, and there’s a female-centric spinoff in the works. You’re also welcome to delve into a different corner of this car-centric franchise through the animated Netflix series Fast & Furious Spy Racers, which premiered its third season last December.
Still, for those who enjoyed Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw’s last round of cinematic antics, it’s understandable you’d be disappointed that Hobbs & Shaw 2 is still a long ways off. Rest assured, once more concrete details about the sequel are announced, we here at CinemaBlend will let you know.
