So, with “Fast & Furious 8,” the eighth instalment in the vehicular action franchise that’s known by the silly title “The Fate of the Furious” in the US, opening to the highest-grossing opening weekend of all-time with over $500 million worldwide, nitro-boosting it past “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Jurassic World,” helped in part by its international appeal and the emerging Film market of China that Hollywood is becoming so eager to tap, future “Fast & Furious” sequels were inevitable, and franchise star Vin Diesel has confirmed at least two of them.
Diesel is happy to continue making “Fast & Furious” films as long as he’s coming to terms with the fact that he’s not a bankable movie star. While these car films are bringing in ridiculous amounts of dollars, that’s not because Diesel’s in them. His last attempt at a franchise, “The Last Witch Hunter,” failed cataclysmically as expected, and “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” his attempt at Oscar bait, couldn’t even recoup its modest $40 million budget. But he wants to stay famous, relevant, and rich, so he’s pushing two more films in the franchise at least.
We’ll see ‘F&F9’ in 2019 and ‘F&F10’ in 2021
Universal has yet to confirm it officially (although let’s face it, they will eventually, because they’d be stupid not to because the franchise is showing no signs at all of slowing down, no car/speed/fast/furious pun intended), but according to Diesel, “Fast & Furious 9” will be released on 19 April 2019, exactly two years and five days after “The Fate of the Furious,” and “Fast & Furious 10” will be released on 2 April 2021, another two years later in the same month-frame.
The people making these decisions must think there’s some kind of correlation between the month of April and the success of “Fast & Furious” films. Diesel already said that “Fast 8” was supposed to be the first part of a new trilogy, with the tenth film bringing the series (we’ll see about that). He claims this is to honour Paul Walker’s memory, which is nice and all, but we all know it’s really for money.
“Fast 8” is in cinemas now, busting records, and was directed by F. Gary Gray of “Straight Outta Compton” fame. It stars Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson (who recently came under fire for a horrible sexist rant), and franchise newcomer Charlize Theron. It’s set in New York City and revolves around Diesel’s family-obsessed Dom character turning against his ‘family’ (no way!) in order to work with Theron’s cyberterrorist Cipher.
