F9 Sees Nearly One-Year Delay Due to Coronavirus Concerns

F9, Universal Pictures, Fast and Furious 10, A Quiet Place Part II, Coronavirus

Film in 2020 just took another hit thanks to the coronavirus, as Universal Pictures has announced a one-year delay for F9. Originally scheduled to premiere on May 22, 2020 in North America, Universal and the rest of the F9 crew have announced that the film has been pushed to release in North America next year, April 2, 2021. The official F9 Twitter account posted a statement explaining the reasoning for the delay:

Recommended Videos

Universal also issued a press release further detailing the thought process behind the setback: “While we know there is disappointment in having to wait a little while longer, this move is made with the safety of everyone as our foremost consideration. Moving will allow our global family to experience our new chapter together.”

Fast and Furious 10 had first been locked down to premiere on April 2, 2021 – today’s delay suggests that this has changed. Universal has yet to provide an update on when Fast and Furious 10 will now release.

F9 is only the latest in a soon-to-be long line of movie delays following fears of the coronavirus pandemic. Just a few hours ago, Paramount Pictures announced that A Quiet Place Part II has been delayed indefinitely, and the next James Bond film, No Time to Die, was also pushed back to November earlier in March. The chances of delay for other highly anticipated films, such as Black Widow or Mulan, grow even more as time passes. A Quiet Place Part II was set to release worldwide next week, so it seems there is no telling how long studios are willing to wait to issue delays if it means subverting the impact that the coronavirus will have on movie-goers.

The Escapist’s Darren Mooney recently wrote about how the coronavirus’s impact shows us how globalized the film market has become.

Stay tuned for more updates on what films will — or will not — be releasing in the near future.


The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Is Apple TV’s Constellation Getting a Season 2? Answered
Jo in the series Constellation, a woman peering through a glass window on the International Space Station
Read Article Every Season of Love Is Blind, Ranked from Worst to Best
Love is Blind Pods
Read Article Will Netflix’s 3 Body Problem Get a Season 2?
A still from Netflix's 3 Body Problem showcasing some of its ensemble cast
Related Content
Read Article Is Apple TV’s Constellation Getting a Season 2? Answered
Jo in the series Constellation, a woman peering through a glass window on the International Space Station
Read Article Every Season of Love Is Blind, Ranked from Worst to Best
Love is Blind Pods
Read Article Will Netflix’s 3 Body Problem Get a Season 2?
A still from Netflix's 3 Body Problem showcasing some of its ensemble cast
Author
Michael Cripe
Michael joined The Escapist team in 2019 but has been covering games, movies, TV, and music since 2015. When he’s not writing, Michael is probably playing Super Mario Sunshine, Dead Space, The Binding of Isaac, or Doom Eternal. You can follow his news coverage and reviews at The Escapist, but his work has appeared on other sites like OnlySP, Gameranx, and Kansas City’s The Pitch, too. If you’d like to connect and talk about the latest pop-culture news, you can follow Michael on Twitter (@MikeCripe), Instagram (mike_cripe), or LinkedIn if that’s your thing.