It looks like the latest Fast and Furious movie, Fast and Furious 10, won’t be racing to cinemas as expected. According to Variety, Universal has announced that the next instalment in the hit high-speed action movie franchise has been delayed and is now set to release on May 19, 2023.
Previously, the thriller movie starring Vin Diesel and Sung Kang, was slated to release on April 7, 2023. The new date pushes back Fast and Furious 10 by a whole month. However, Universal isn’t letting that empty space in their 2023 release timetable go to waste. Along with announcing the new Fast and Furious’ date, the studio revealed that a mysterious untitled DreamWorks animated movie will replace the film’s April slot.
Currently, it is unclear why Universal decided to move Fast and Furious 10 to May. It could be that by shifting the date from April, the studio wants the film to fall in line with the summer blockbuster season. Whatever the reason for its choices, Universal is likely trying to be as strategic as possible with the latest instalment of the hit franchise, considering how successful Fast and Furious 9 – titled F9: The Fast Saga – proved to be in 2021.
F9 blew the box office away, earning over $726 million worldwide, and became one of the highest-grossing films of 2021 behind the new James Bond movie No Time to Die – which has earned $771 million so far. Due to the flick’s success, the Fast and Furious franchise has become something of a cash cow for Universal.
Fast and Furious 10 is expected to start filming in January 2022 and will see F9 director Justin Lin returning to helm the production. Dwayne Johnson has confirmed that he will not appear in the upcoming sequel, however long-time star of the franchise Vin Diesel will return to the car filled story once again. Joining Diesel in the cast for the upcoming flick is Sung Kang, Nathalie Emmanuel, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, and Tyrese Gibson.
Fast and Furious 10’s new May 2023 date wedges it between the MCU movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – scheduled to release on May 5, 2023; and Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid – set to splash into cinemas on May 26, 2023.