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 "F9," the ninth installment in
the popular "Fast & Furious" saga, hits U.S. and
Canadian cinemas on Thursday night. The movie is
the first big-budget action spectacle being
released exclusively in theaters this year.
Cinema operators hope "F9" will kick-start
domestic ticket sales to help them recover from
extended closures and restricted reopening with
few new movies to show.
Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures postponed the
May 2020 release to give fans the chance to
safely watch "F9" on a big screen in a crowd,
director Justin Lin said.
"When we make these movies, it's about
connection," Lin said in an interview. "It's
about people going to the cinemas with their
friends and family, to be able to hopefully
cheer together and laugh together with
strangers."
The "Fast" saga started as a story about illegal
street racing and evolved into the tale of a
close-knit team involved in heists and
espionage. It is one of Hollywood's most
successful franchises, collecting more than $5
billion worldwide since the first film in 2001.
In the latest chapter, Dom (Vin Diesel) and
Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are living a quiet
life with a young son when they are asked to
help thwart a dangerous plot. The movie offers
the seat-rattling car chases the franchise is
famous for, and ups the drama when a rocket
propels a car into space.
Along the way, Dom must "come to terms with
whatever acts of the past to have hope for the
future," Lin said, a theme that may resonate
with pandemic-weary audiences.
"I can relate to that," he said. "It's something
that we're all going through."
The film also brings back beloved character Han
(Sung Kang), who was killed off in the third
"Fast" movie, sparking a fan outcry. John Cena
joins the cast as a villain, and rapper Cardi B
makes a cameo appearance. Overseas ticket sales
are nearing $300 million.
U.S. and Canadian cinemas need a lift. Box
office receipts plummeted 81% in 2020 from a
year earlier to $2.1 billion. Sales so far for
2021 stand at about $881 million.
"F9" will be followed this summer by Marvel's
"Black Widow" and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of
the Ten Rings," a "Space Jam" remake starring
LeBron James, G.I. Joe spinoff "Snake Eyes," and
DC Comics movie "The Suicide Squad," among
others.
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 But challenges loom for
independent operators and big chains including
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc , Cineworld Plc's
Regal, and Cinemark Holdings Inc.
About 20% of U.S. theaters remain closed, and
some still limit capacity. It is unclear how
many people feel safe sitting indoors around
others who may not be vaccinated, or whether
some may be happy watching streaming services at
home.
"It comes down to consumer sentiment," said
Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOfficePro.com.
"That is really the unknown factor."
Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic
distribution, said he is optimistic about the
prospects for "F9" as restrictions continue to
relax. At least two-thirds of theaters are open
in every major U.S. market.
"We couldn't be more pleased with the
opportunity in front of us to really just ignite
the domestic box office," Orr said.
"Everything's trending in the right direction."
Robbins predicts "F9" will bring in $50 million
to $70 million domestically in its opening
weekend. That would top the May release of "A
Quiet Place Part II," which set a pandemic
record with $47.5 million over its first three
days.
This week, theaters are offering advance
screenings, discounts and other promotions as
part of an industry-wide Cinema Week.
Advertisements for new movies are helping spread
the word that theaters are open.
In a trailer for "F9," Diesel appealed for
people to return to the places where "for 100
years, we all came together to be entertained."
"Nobody does a comeback like the movies," he
said.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Richard
Chang)
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