The “Fast and Furious” franchise is back again — again — with “F9,” the ninth film in the street-racing saga. That is, it’s the ninth film if you’re not counting the summer 2019 spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw.” The ninth film is a sequel to 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious,” and it’s the shortest title yet in the series, as the “Fast & Furious” brand is evidently now synonymous with simply the letter “F.” And why not? Worldwide, the “Fast” films have grossed more than $5.8 billion dollars since the franchise launched in 2001. IndieWire has the first trailer for “F9,” following a short teaser earlier this week, below.

Set to be released in the United States on May 22, 2020, from Universal Pictures, “F9” stars “Fast and Furious” mainstays and newcomers alike: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, and Michael Rooker all lead the new movie. Cena makes his “Fast” franchise debut here in a yet-to-be-disclosed role, as does Michael Rooker (“Guardians of the Galaxy”). “F9” is directed by Justin Lin, who previously helmed 2006’s “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” 2009’s “Fast & Furious,” 2011’s “Fast Five,” and 2013’s “Fast & Furious 6.” He’s also already on board to direct “Fast & Furious 10,” set for 2021. The “F9” screenplay comes from Daniel Casey, making his “Fast” debut here.

Principal photography on “F9” wrapped in November 2019, and during filming, stuntman Joe Watts, who doubled for Diesel, reportedly sustained a serious head injury while shooting at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, England. The stuntman, however, was able to recover. (The issue raised an inquiry into the film’s challenging choreography, revealing that Vin Diesel has special arrangements to limit how much he’s beaten up in these movies.)

It’s rumored that late actor Paul Walker’s longtime “Fast & Furious” character Brian O’Conner will be making an appearance in “F9.” He previously made a posthumous appearance, after his death in 2013, in “Furious 7,” with the help of his brothers as on-set stand-ins, and with animation work from WETA Digital. The exact nature of Walker’s alleged appearance in “F9” is unclear, but We Got This Covered reported that the production sought a new body double to play Walker’s character.

Check out the full new trailer for Universal Pictures’ “F9” below.

Popular on IndieWire

Source: Read Full Article