While vaccines are rolling out, the threat of COVID-19 is still out there and theaters aren’t close to back at full strength. We’ve already seen a number of films pushed towards the back end of 2021 as a result, and now Universal is delaying a few of their most anticipated films, as well. And if you’re worried that means you’ll be waiting a bit longer for F9, well, that’s correct, but on the plus side it’s only by a month.
F9 has been delayed once more, moving from its May 28th date to June 25th. You’ll recall it was originally due to open in April 2019, but that date was set aside in favor of Hobbs & Shaw. Further dates were disrupted by a combination of COVID-19 and to avoid the release of No Time to Die.
So why is F9 only dropping a few weeks? It’s because international markets are a major component for this franchise and they’re closer to opening than domestic theaters. Universal is going to strike while the iron is hot, and with Chinese theatres basically operating at max capacity it makes sense to move quickly.
The June 25th date puts F9 head-to-head against Venom: Let There Be Carnage. It’s the Vin Diesel vs. Tom Hardy matchup we’ve always wanted. Sorta.
Meanwhile, Universal has also delayed Minions: The Rise of Gru an entire year to July 1st 2022. If you’re wondering why one blockbuster franchise moves a month and the other a year, it’s because Minions/Despicable Me is the studio’s most profitable brand by far, with tons of promotional tie-ins that need to be maintained. They want to make sure when that film drops, families have no concerns whatsoever about spending all the coin they have on those little yellow buggers. [Deadline]
It's 'F9' vs. 'Venom 2' — Which one are you watching June 25? pic.twitter.com/rtoKMumqrs
— Fandom (@getFANDOM) March 4, 2021
