'F9' postponed for third time, film to hit theatres in June

Tyrese Gibson, Vin Diesel and Ludacris Picture Courtesy: AFP

The next installment in Universal's popular franchise 'Fast and Furious' is shifting gears yet again. 'F9', which was slated to open over Memorial Day weekend, has pushed back its release date once again and will now hit the big screens on June 25 this year.

As per Variety, the latest delay for 'F9' means it will premiere more than 12 months after originally intended. The movie was initially scheduled for last summer, but Universal bumped back the release date -- first to April 2, 2021, and then to May 28 -- due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In 'F9', Vin Diesel returns as Dom Toretto, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz, alongside Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, and Helen Mirren. Michael Rooker joins the cast of the franchise in this installment. The movie also includes John Cena, playing Dom's brother, Cardi B, and 'Peaky Blinders' star Finn Cole.

Veteran filmmaker Justin Lin has directed the ninth installment in the hugely successful film series that launched with the 2001 movie 'The Fast and the Furious'. Justin has also penned the script of the film with Daniel Casey.

Justin is also attached to direct the tenth and 11th installments of the popular franchise.

Apart from 'F9', Universal also announced that 'Minions: The Rise of Gru', the fifth installment in the 'Despicable Me' franchise, has been postponed an entire year. The animated family film was set to open on July 2, 2021, and will now release theatrically on July 1, 2022.

'Minions: The Rise of Gru', whose production was disrupted because of the pandemic, will see Steve Carell in the titular role. Newcomers to the voice cast include Alan Arkin, Taraji P. Henson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, and Danny Trejo. The film also features Russell Brand, Michelle Yeoh, and Julie Andrews.

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