One of Universal Pictures‘ biggest franchises is “Fast & Furious,” once focused on a ragtag group of street racers dealing in stolen DVD players. However, the films have evolved into a slightly more digestible for parents. Vin Diesel‘s Dom and the gang have moved on to thwarting various criminals and terrorists with their super-human driving skills.
A while back, it was announced that a mystery “planetary blockbuster” would be screened during the Cannes Film Festival and it’s been officially revealed via Variety that the movie will actually be “F9.” Many had assumed it might have been Denis Villeneuve‘s “Dune” remake, but the sci-fi epic is instead making its world debut at the Venice Film Festival ahead of the October theatrical/HBO Max release.
This news comes off the heels that “F9” has crossed $200 million at the Chinese box office as mentioned by The Hollywood Reporter and has earned an impressive $255.9 million globally, even before it has reached screens in the United States. So as the domestic box office slowly goes back to normal, there is a chance that Universal won’t see too much damage to their bottom line.
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The latest addition from franchise director Justin Lin features John Cena as the never-mentioned brother of Dom, Jakob Toretto. There have are teases in the trailer that space will have a role to play, and with “Fast & Furious 10” still to be shot, it could become a huge selling point for the next installment. Additionally, there had been plans behind the scenes to make more spinoffs, including a female-centric film and a sequel to “Hobbs & Shaw.”
“F9” is hurdling towards domestic theaters on June 25.