This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Fast & Furious franchise, so it’s only fitting that fans of the saga are being treated to a new movie. However, originally Fast & Furious 9, a.k.a F9, was supposed to be released in April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic squashed those plans. Assuming no more delays are forthcoming, F9 is primed to finally arrive in theaters this June, and Vin Diesel’s latest promo for the movie is encouraging fans to check it out on the big screen.
Although the theatrical industry is still a long way off from operating like it did in the Before Times, movie theaters have been slowly reopening to the public with new health and safety protocols in effect. Watch the below F9 video shared to hear Vin Diesel talk about how it’s time to “come back together” to watch movies in these communal settings.
Naturally this promo’s chief purpose is to advertise F9, showing footage we’ve seen in past trailers. Additionally though, we hear Vin Diesel generally speaking about how rough things have been over the last year, but we’re “starting to see the promise of a new day.” That new day includes being able to enjoy movies in theaters again, as these are venues that allow for people to “come together” and “escape” for a little bit. Yes, you can easily watch movies in the comfort of your own home, but there’s nothing like viewing features in a theater, especially if it’s a blockbuster spectacle like F9.
Although we revisited the Fast & Furious world just two years ago in the Hobbs & Shaw spinoff, it’s now been four years since we last spent time with Dominic Toretto and his crew. So F9 finally coming to theaters is well overdue, and considering how commercially successful this franchise is, it’s not shocking that Universal Pictures kept delaying the newest Fast & Furious movie rather than send it straight to streaming or VOD. This is one of Universal’s biggest properties, with the franchise having also spawned an Netflix animated series and an attraction at Universal Studios’ Hollywood and Florida locations.
As far as what we can expect from F9, the story will following Dom and the gang colliding with John Cena’s Jakob Toretto, Dom and Mia’s estranger brother. Jakob has allied himself with Charlize Theron’s Cipher, the main villain from The Fate of the Furious, although the specifics of what they hope to accomplish beyond simply making Dom’s life hell remains to be seen. F9 will also bring Sung Kang’s Han Lue back into play, while the other newcomers joining Cena include Cardi B, Anna Sawai and Michael Rooker.
F9 races into theaters on June 25, and after that, there are two more installments left to look forward to in the main Fast & Furious film series. Browse through our upcoming 2021 movies schedule to learn what else is coming out later this year.
