F9

[GeneChing]

Time to start that next thread? Eh, maybe not just yet. I'll wait for the starting gun. And when we do, this will be the starting line.


Michelle Rodriguez Downplays 'Fast and Furious' Departure Talk (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michelle-rodriguez-downplays-fast-furious-departure-talk-1037087)
7:43 AM PDT 9/9/2017 by Rhonda Richford

http://cdn3.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2016/05/michelle_rodriguez_h_2016.jpg
Donato Sardella/Getty Images for U.S. Fund for UNICEF
Michelle Rodriguez

“I’m sure he’ll convince me,” she said of co-star and producer Vin Diesel after an Instagram post in which she said her character needed more development.

After an impassioned Instagram post that was widely interpreted as a goodbye to the Fast and Furious franchise, Michelle Rodriguez said it was less a threat than an encouragement for the writers to explore the female characters more.

While the series of films has cast strong female characters with Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron starring in recent outings, the movies don’t pass the first step of the famed Bechdel test where women interact as individuals and not as accessories of men.

“We always see the guys talking, we know what they’re thinking and we know their relationships, but I can count with one hand in eight movies how many times the women talk to each other,” said Rodriguez. “So it’s, ‘Who are they, what are they about, and do you care?’ I just brought up a question, and if that doesn’t get answered and as I start on this path [of more dramatic roles], I just wonder if our paths meet at all.”

However, the actress emphasized her strong relationship with franchise co-star and producer Vin Diesel. “I’m sure he’ll convince me,” she said of coming back for the next installment. Rodriguez said Diesel is aware of her concerns, and while both see it as a platform to promote multiculturalism within Hollywood, she also wants the films to evolve and address global violence against women and other cultural issues. “Yes, you’re there to entertain people, but when you’re on that scale you also have a responsibility. I won’t accept anything else, and Vin won’t accept anything else. He knows, he gets it.”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the Deauville Film Festival, where she was set to receive a career honor, Rodriguez also called out Hollywood for its lack of diversity. “You know you penetrate 80 percent of the [global] market, but you don’t want to take on the responsibility of representing those markets you are penetrating,” she said. “Represent the grand majority of the cultures and involve them in your storytelling — don’t just feed us your whiteness.”

The actress also cast doubt on her returning for the next installment of James Cameron’s Avatar. Her character died at the end of the last film, and it seems it will stay that way. “They’re bringing a lot of people back from the dead, but I don’t think I’m one of them,” she said.

After forging a career with a series of tough-chick roles, Rodriguez said she felt she was hitting a career ceiling and is refocusing on the craft of acting. First up is portraying a housewife in Steve McQueen’s upcoming heist film Widows, which she found more challenging than some of her more physical roles.

Taking on the role of an unambitious wife who hasn’t ventured far from the neighborhood she grew up in was “one of my greatest fears,” said Rodriguez. McQueen took her to a lot of uncomfortable places which forced her to grow as an actress, she explained.

Rodriguez is now focused on finding more of these roles — save perhaps for the lead in an action film down the line — and producing her own material.

“There aren’t enough women out there doing it, and I don’t want to be an example of somebody who sucks. I feel like I have a weight to carry,” she said of the two-year development of her first project, a CIA drama for television that she is set to pitch to networks soon.

“I’m sure he’ll convince me" - I'm sure the ridiculous payout will convince Michelle. That would convince anyone.

[GeneChing]

Time to split this thread.


OCTOBER 04, 2017 10:23am PT by Pamela McClintock
'Fast and Furious 9' Pushed Back a Year to Spring 2020 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fast-furious-9-pushed-back-a-year-spring-2020-1045689)

http://cdn3.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/scale_crop_768_433/2017/04/2473_tpt_00173arv2_-_h_2017.jpg
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
'Fate of the Furious'

Universal also announced that Walt Dohrn is returning to direct 'Trolls 2.'

The ninth installment in Universal's high-octane Fast and the Furious franchise is being pushed back a year, the studio said Wednesday.

The movie, which doesn't yet have a director, was to have raced into theaters on April 19, 2019. It will now open April 10, 2020, which is Easter weekend. Many of the franchise stars are returning, led by Vin Diesel. It is unclear whether Dwayne Johnson will return.

Earlier this year, Fate of the Furious, the eighth installment, boasted the biggest global launch of all time on its way to earning $1.238 billion worldwide. The main franchise continues with Furious 9 and Furious 10, which has a release date of April 2, 2021. It's unclear whether Furious 10 will reschedule.

Following the release of Fate of the Furious, Universal began plotting a Fast and Furious spinoff with Johnson and Jason Statham. It's possible the spinoff could be released in 2019.

In addition to the Fast 9 news, Universal and DreamWorks Animation announced that Trolls 2 will move up from April 10, 2020, to Feb. 14, 2020, and that Walt Dohrn is returning to direct the film, while Gina Shay will once again produce. (Dohrn co-directed Trolls with Mike Mitchell.)

For reference:
Fast and Furious 7 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66507-Fast-and-Furious-7)
Fast and Furious 6 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1097)
The Fate of the Furious (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68605-The-Fate-of-the-Furious)
Fast and Furious 9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-and-Furious-9)

[GeneChing]

This will have to be split off at some future date too.


OCTOBER 05, 2017 4:07pm PT by Borys Kit
Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham 'Fast and Furious' Spinoff Gets 2019 Release (Exclusive)

http://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/scale_crop_768_433/2017/04/fate_of_the_furious_still_dwayne_johnson_and_jason _statham_-_split_-_publicity_-_h_2017.jpg
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Dwayne Johnson (left), Jason Statham

The film is being written by Chris Morgan.

Just because Universal pushed its next Fast and the Furious chapter back a year doesn’t mean the studio is sitting idle.

In fact, it’s just switching gears to focus on the much-buzzed-about Fast & Furious spinoff that is intended to be a starring vehicle for Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.

With Fast 9 moved back to 2020, Universal is now officially putting the project on the calendar, dating it for a July 26, 2019, opening.

Chris Morgan, who has shepherded the script chores since 2006's Toyko Drift, is now writing the spinoff that will focus on Luke Hobbs, the Diplomatic Security Service agent played by Johnson, and Deckard Shaw, an assassin character who was one of the primary bad guys in the franchise before being redeemed and joining the motley crew of antiheroes that make up the roll call.

Meanwhile, sources say that one reason for Fast 9's push was to accommodate potential director scheduling. Sources also say Justin Lin may be lining up to return to the franchise and is the top man to helm the core entry of Fast 9.

Johnson first appeared in 2011’s Fast Five and has become a major factor in the franchise's rejuvenation and growth. He has starred in four of the eight films. Statham cameoed in Fast & Furious 6 and co-starred in the last two films. It was during the making of the last installment, The Fate of the Furious, that Universal began mulling a spinoff with the two actors after seeing their chemistry spark in the dailies.

No deals have been made with the actors.

“Fast & Furious is one of Universal’s most beloved properties, and we handle every decision we make surrounding this franchise with great care,” Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley told The Hollywood Reporter. “The global brand of Fast & Furious is strong and full of iconic characters, and we look forward to continuing to build on the film that started it all, as well as expanding into different narratives beginning with our first spinoff.”

The Fast & Furious saga began as a 2001 mid-budget thriller that was trying to catch the fumes of the street racing culture in the San Fernando Valley around the turn of the century. But, along the way, the movie series reinvented itself into a heist and action franchise that has seen the last two chapters — 2015’s Furious 8 and 2016’s Fate of the Furious — gross $1.5 billion and $1.$1.2 billion, respectively.

Universal has also turned the films into a brand that encompasses consumer products, a theme park ride and, starting next year, a live arena show.

My head reels at spin off puns, plus there's Donnie/Rogue One title plays - oh please, PLEASE, make that the spin off.

From my review - xXx: Return of Xander Cage: Donnie, Tony, Bisping and Deepika (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1336):

It remains true to the previous two films, and if successful, could easily perpetuate the franchise with a wider, more diverse cast. In fact, if the Chinese and/or Indian box offices are profitable, it’s easy to envision the next installment pulling another Darius Stone move, with either Xiang or Serena stepping into the xXx lead role.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lxu75r3-kI

For reference:
Fast and Furious 7 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66507-Fast-and-Furious-7)
Fast and Furious 6 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1097)
The Fate of the Furious (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68605-The-Fate-of-the-Furious)

THREADS
Fast and Furious 9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-and-Furious-9)
Hobbs & Shaw (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71193)

[GeneChing]

I hope he has a fight scene with the Rock. Like an old skool pro-wrasslin fight scene. :D


John Cena Officially Joins ‘Fast & Furious 9’ (https://deadline.com/2019/06/john-cena-officially-joins-fast-furious-9-1202629115/?fbclid=IwAR2p-xtbhHeAWUYOaRmsGtL3gJe2q5kFYXOOZDo_KTbF025IwEG2ICJ 89Y4)
By Anthony D'Alessandro
June 7, 2019 2:06pm

https://deadline.com/2019/06/john-cena-officially-joins-fast-furious-9-1202629115/?fbclid=IwAR2p-xtbhHeAWUYOaRmsGtL3gJe2q5kFYXOOZDo_KTbF025IwEG2ICJ 89Y4
REX/Shutterstock

Vin Diesel teased about John Cena’s casting in the ninth installment of Fast & Furious back in April on Instagram, and Universal officially confirmed Friday that the Blockers actor is a lock.

Cena’s character is under wraps, the only word coming to us is that he plays “a badass.” Dwayne Johnson, we hear, will not be in Fast & Furious 9.

Dan Casey is writing the screenplay from a story by Justin Lin. Production starts later this month for a May 22, 2020 release.

Diesel is producing through his One Race Films and Lin for Perfect Storm Entertainment.

Cena is repped by ICM Partners.

[GeneChing]

Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez celebrate first day of filming Fast & Furious 9 (https://ew.com/movies/2019/06/24/fast-and-furious-9-vin-diesel-michelle-rodriguez-celebrate-first-day-filming/?utm_term=B9ECF6AC-9742-11E9-978A-09CE39982C1E&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweek ly&utm_source=facebook.com&fbclid=IwAR2-vEKsxHTAzUoOJ7H0CR738vPkiA15PnC-K8CdEM9HvXFsoI74jO-6S68)
By Devan Coggan June 24, 2019 at 07:50 PM EDT

https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/mcdfaan_ec195.jpg
EVERETT COLLECTION

05/22/20

Fast & Furious 9 is hitting the road.

The first day of shooting has wrapped on the as-yet-untitled Fast sequel, the ninth — ninth! — film in the long-running franchise. Vin Diesel shared a video from the set on Instagram, in which he (wearing what looks like a Toretto mechanic’s shirt) and Michelle Rodriguez thanked the series’ fans for their support over the years.

“We just completed our first day,” Diesel says. “It feels like a miracle — one hard-earned, but we’re just so grateful.”



vindiesel (https://www.instagram.com/p/BzGh3YqlddW/?utm_source=ig_embed)
Verified
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Click video for sound

6,305,310 views
vindiesel's profile picture
vindiesel
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First day completed!
Blessed beyond words.
#Fast9 2020
1d


Nathalie Emmanuel, who joined the franchise with 2015’s Furious 7, also celebrated the start of filming on Twitter, using emojis to hint at which other cast members might be returning: In addition to Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and Rodriguez’s Letty, the remaining four likely represent Tyrese Gibson’s Roman Pearce, Jordana Brewster’s Mia, Ludacris’ Tej Parker, and Emmanuel’s hacker Ramsey. (Diesel has previously confirmed Brewster’s return to the franchise, even though her character is married to the late Paul Walker‘s character Brian.)


Nathalie Emmanuel
✔
@missnemmanuel
Day one of shooting Fast and Furious 9 today... The team is back together 👨🏼*🦲👩🏻👨🏿*🦲🙋🏻*♀️👨🏾*💻👩🏽*💻

21.4K
1:01 AM - Jun 24, 2019
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2,435 people are talking about this
Justin Lin is also returning to direct the latest Fast, after previously helming four other installments, while wrestler John Cena is joining the Fast family in a new role.

Fast 9 will hit theaters May 20, 2020, with a planned 10th installment set for April 2021.

For #10, they should go all xX (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/index.php?p=article&article=1336)x.

[GeneChing]

Always sorry to hear this. And I thought F&F9 was mostly CGI. I suppose there's danger in any stunt.


GLOBAL JULY 22, 2019 9:51AM PT
‘Fast & Furious 9’ Production Halted After Stuntman Injured in Fall on Set (https://variety.com/2019/film/global/fast-and-furious-9-production-halted-stuntman-injury-1203275299/)
By STEWART CLARKE
International Correspondent
@varietystewart

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/the-fast-and-the-furious.jpg?w=1000&h=562&crop=1
CREDIT: MOVIESTORE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

An accident on the set of Universal’s “Fast & Furious 9” in the United Kingdom has left a stuntman in the hospital with a serious head injury. Production on the movie has halted at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, near London.

“We had an injury on the set of ‘FAST 9’ today in Leavesden with one of our stuntmen,” a Universal spokesperson confirmed to Variety on Monday. “We have halted production for the day to focus on this situation.”

Police said they were called to an incident shortly before noon U.K. time and an air ambulance was duly called out.

“An ambulance, three ambulance officer vehicles and Essex and Herts [Hertfordshire] Air Ambulance were called to Leavesden Studios shortly before midday today (July 22), following reports of a man injured in a fall. One patient with a serious head injury was transported to the Royal London Hospital by air ambulance,” authorities said in a statement.

“Fast & Furious 9” is scheduled to open in May 2020. It will star Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, Helen Mirren, and Charlize Theron. Whether any of the stars were on set when the accident took place is not yet known.

The accident is the latest in a series of recent incidents at the studio. In June a man sustained a neck injury and was hospitalized after an altercation with another crew member on the set of Anne Hathaway’s “The Witches.” A huge fire damaged one of the sets of HBO series “Avenue 5” earlier this month. Since then, unspecified “foreign bodies” have been discovered in food at a restaurant at the studio and police are investigating.

Leavesden was the base for the Harry Potter movies. It is now home to the popular Harry Potter studio tour. With studio space in demand in the U.K., an expansion program is underway.

THREADS
Stunts - injuries & deaths (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70743-Stunts-injuries-amp-deaths)
Fast and Furious 9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-amp-Furious-9)

[GeneChing]

Charlize Theron ditches the dreads for Cipher's return in Fast & Furious 9 (https://ew.com/movies/2019/09/02/charlize-theron-fast-furious-9-first-look/)
By Marcus Jones September 02, 2019 at 11:55 AM EDT

https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/2473_d010_00198r.jpg
MATT KENNEDY/UNIVERSAL
Fast and Furious 9

“She’s baaaaack,” reads an Instagram from Charlize Theron, showing off two photos from the set of Fast & Furious 9.

After offing one of the Toretto family’s loved ones and parachuting away from her airbase in The Fate of the Furious, Cipher will be back to again face off against Dom (Vin Diesel) and company in Fast & Furious 9. This time though, as Theron’s post shows, the cyberterrorist has traded in her questionable dreads for a badass bowl cut.

Not many plot details have been given about the ninth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, but returning along with Theron and the usual suspects is Dame Helen Mirren (her third franchise appearance, after a cameo in the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw this summer). Justin Lin will also be directing the film after passing his duties to James Wan and F. Gary Gray for Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious, respectively.


charlizeafrica (https://www.instagram.com/p/B16RfSgBKTo/?utm_source=ig_embed)
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charlizeafrica
Verified
She’s baaaaack #Fast9
3d

The film will also feature Fast & Furious newcomers like John Cena (Blockers) and Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy).

Fast & Furious 9 is set to hit theaters May 22, 2020.

But I liked Charlize in dreads (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58144-Shaolin-Rasta-the-37th-Chamber)...:(

[GeneChing]

I'm not sure how to pronounce 'Similce'. :confused: Anyone?


DECEMBER 9, 2019 4:02PM PT
Vin Diesel Teases ‘Fast & Furious 9,’ Celebrates Daughter Similce’s Acting Debut in Netflix Spinoff ‘Spy Racers’ (https://variety.com/2019/scene/news/vin-diesel-daughter-similce-fast-and-furious-9-spy-racers-1203429944/)
By NICHOLAS WHITE

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/shutterstock_editorial_10494414y.gif?w=1000&h=551&crop=1
CREDIT: MEDIAPUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK

A family-friendly version of the “Fast & Furious” world revved up at Universal City’s AMC Theatre on Saturday, with Vin Diesel bringing 11-year-old daughter Similce to the premiere of the Netflix and DreamWorks animated series, “Fast & Furious: Spy Racers,” which features both of their voices and Diesel as an executive producer.

The streaming show is the first TV spinoff of the 18-year-old film franchise and will tide fans over before “Fast & Furious 9” hits theaters next May. “Fast & Furious: Spy Racers” focuses on Dominic Toretto’s cousin Tony (voiced by “Teen Wolf’s” Tyler Posey) and his group of young, spy-race recruit friends. Similce lends her voice to the newly created character of Sissy Benson, the sister of one of Tony’s crew members, Frostee (voiced by Luke Youngblood). “Fast & Furious: Spy Racers” marks her acting debut.

Giving Similce a huge and introducing her to the crowd before the premiere screening, Diesel reflected on the day Similce was born, while 2009’s “Fast & Furious” was filming. Diesel revealed he had been keeping her birth date a secret, even from his co-stars, including from the late Paul Walker, whom Diesel calls “Pablo.”

“[Similce] was born while we were shooting ‘Fast 4,’” Diesel said. “It was a long day, where Pablo and I were fighting each other in this scene. He came to my trailer at the end of the day and said, ‘Something is on your mind.’ I had a secret. I wasn’t telling anyone in the world that my daughter was about to be born. I’ll never forget what he said to me. He said, ‘Vin, you go into that hospital room, and you cut the umbilical cord. It will be the best day of your life.’ That’s the day that she was born. I say that because that’s how real the themes of familyhood run in the ‘Fast & Furious’ saga, and why I am so proud.”

Walker’s 21-year-old daughter, Meadow Walker, also attended Saturday’s event, in addition to “Fast & Furious: Spy Racers” cast members Camille Ramsey, Charlet Chung, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jorge Diaz and Manish Dayal.

Diesel also gave a brief preview of the upcoming “Fast & Furious 9,” which wrapped filming in November. “We know that ‘Fast 9’ is all fatherhood,” he told the crowd.

[Spoiler alert: Dom’s son, Baby Brian (named after Walker’s character Brian O’Conner) was introduced in 2017’s “Fate of the Furious,” and looks to play into next year’s film, as well. His mom is Elena Neves, played by Elsa Pataky. In June, Diesel and his movie sister Jordana Brewster (who plays Mia Toretto) introduced Isaac — the child actor who plays Baby Brian — via Instagram video.]

“Fast & Furious: Spy Racers” begins streaming on Dec. 26 on Netflix.

THREADS
F&F9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-amp-Furious-9)
Fast & Furious: Spy Racers (Netflix animated series) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71330-Fast-amp-Furious-Spy-Racers-(Netflix-animated-series))

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er23oAtFHTU

[GeneChing]

Mulan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68640-Mulan-(2020)) is still on at this point. I'm scheduled to go to the screener soon.


Hollywood Coronavirus Cancellations: A List of Film, TV, and Entertainment Events Impacted By Pandemic (https://www.slashfilm.com/hollywood-coronavirus-cancellations/)
Posted on Thursday, March 12th, 2020 by Ethan Anderton

https://d13ezvd6yrslxm.cloudfront.net/wp/wp-content/images/hollywood-coronavirus-combo.jpg

The coronavirus strain known as COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon, and the spread of the infection has already been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This has resulted in the cancellation and postponing of many major film, TV and entertainment events around the world, as well as shutting down certain film and TV productions, or at the very least changing how they operate. Because the updates are coming so fast and fierce, we’ll be keeping an updated list as new coronavirus cancellations and interruptions are announced each day.

Coronavirus Cancellations (Constantly Updated)
We will update this list as required. The dates signify when the cancellation took place with information gathered from various sources, including and especially USA Today and IndieWire, who have been keeping track of the ongoing cancellations and delays.


March 12
Fast and Furious 9 (F9) Release Delayed to 2021 – Universal Pictures has decided to delay the global release of Fast and Furious 9 by an entire year. It is now slated to open in April 2, 2021 in North America, but specific international dates were not revealed at this time.

The Lovebirds Release Delayed – Variety reports Paramount Pictures has delayed the romantic comedy The Lovebirds starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. Originally slated for release on April 3, the movie now has new release date.

A Quiet Place Part II Release Delayed – The worldwide release of A Quiet Place II was reported by Deadline. Originally intended for release overseas starting on March 18 and in the US on March 20, but the movie has yet to be given a new release date. Get more in our full story.

Scott C’s Great Showdowns Gallery Events Canceled – Scott C’s latest art show at Gallery 1988 is canceling all in-gallery events, as well as a planned global scavenger hunt for prints, but will still have scheduled print releases and livestreams.

Universal Television Delays Production on Shows – Deadline reports the second seasons of Netflix’s Russian Doll and AppleTV+’s Little America, as well as the first season of Rutherford Falls for Peacock, have all been delayed due to coronavirus concerns. Most of the shows require international travel, which is largely why the decision was made to delay production start.

Broadway Usher Tests Positive for Coronavirus – A part-time Broadway usher who worked at the productions of Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf? at the Booth Theatre between March 3 and March 7 and Six at the Brooks Atkinson on the evening of February 25 and the afternoon of March 1 has tested positive for coronavirus.

Both of the productions will continue, according to Deadline, and the two theater owners, Shubert Organization, owner of the Booth, and the Nederlander Organization, owner of the Brooks Atkinson, said the venues will have a deep cleaning performed. However, if any ticket holders wish to exchange for a future performance instead, they may do so.

continued next post

[GeneChing]

March 11
California Governor Urges Cancellation of Large Gatherings – The Los Angeles Times reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom and state health official are recommending and urging the cancellation of upcoming gatherings of 250 or more people across the entire state in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. This recommendation does not come with the force of law to stop these events, but that could change if the coronavirus situation continues to get worse.

Hollywood Agencies and Companies Starting to Work Remotely – Deadline reports Hollywood talent agencies like CAA, UTA, ICM Partners and Paradigm are making adjustments to have their employees work from home in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Viacom, who owns Paramount Pictures, MTV, Comedy Central and more, said they will start testing whether or not they can have their employees also working from home instead of going into offices at this time.

Cinema Con 2020 Canceled – Variety reported the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020, the annual trade show for theater owners from around the world where the latest developments and advances in exhibition, distribution, marketing, publicity, advertising, social media, theater equipment and concessions are showcased. The event was slated to take place from March 30 through April 2.

Here’s the official statement from John Fithian and Mitch Newhauser from the National Association of Theater Owners:

“It is with great regret we are announcing the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020. Each spring, motion picture exhibitors, distributors and industry partners from around the world meet in Las Vegas to share information and celebrate the moviegoing experience. This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel difficulties in many other areas of the world and other challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, a significant portion of the worldwide motion picture community is not able to attend CinemaCon. While local outbreaks vary widely in severity, the global circumstances make it impossible for us to mount the show that our attendees have come to expect. After consultation with our attendees, trade show exhibitors, sponsors, and studio presenters, NATO has decided therefore to cancel CinemaCon 2020. We look forward to continuing the 10-year tradition of presenting the largest movie theater convention in the world and joining our attendees in future celebrations of the moviegoing experience.”

PaleyFest 2020 Postponed – The annual television showcase of some of the biggest and best television shows has been postponed with new dates for the festival yet to be announced. Shows like Modern Family, The Mandalorian, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Boys, Star Trek: Picard, Schitt’s Creek, and more were slated to be featured at the festival, but they will have to wait for the event to be rescheduled. Here’s the full statement from the Paley Center for Media:

“As you are aware, the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to remain of the utmost public concern. For several weeks now, the Paley Center, along with our venue host, The Dolby Theatre, has monitored the situation closely, staying in daily contact with local, state, and federal partners, as well as following the recommendations issued by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and following the guidelines of the local health department. Based on the most recent news and out of an abundance of concern, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this year’s PaleyFest. While we were looking forward to presenting another stellar lineup of PaleyFest events, the safety of our event participants, guests, and staff is the highest priority. We are exploring options to reschedule the festival and all ticket purchases will be honored for the new dates.”

NBA Suspended 2019-20 Basketball Season – The NBA announced the suspension of the current season of basketball after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The news came just before the Utah Jazz were set to play an away game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gameplay will be suspended entirely until further notice and will determine when they can resume play as the coronavirus situation develops.

Talk Shows Avoid Having Studio Audiences – Deadline confirmed New York’s late night network talk shows The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will not have studio audiences for their tapings. In addition, cable talk shows Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen will follow suit.

Los Angeles talk shows have not announced any sweeping changes to their recording plans yet with live audiences, but The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View and Live With Kelly And Ryan will not film with audiences either. Conan is currently on a two-week hiatus, but their filming plans could easily change in the future.

Riverdale Production Suspended – Production on The CW series was suspended after a person working on the show was recently in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Warner Bros. TV told Deadline:

“We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member,” the statement continued. “The health and safety of our employees, casts and crews is always our top priority. We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.”

Survivor Production Delayed – CBS has delayed the production of the next two seasons of Survivor. As of now the premiere dates for those seasons in September 2020 and February 2021 have not been delayed, but that could change if the production does not begin with enough time to spare. Read our full story on the matter over here

HBO’s Night of Too Many Stars Postponed – USA Today reported the event hosted by Jon Stewart and presented by HBO in partnership with NEXT for AUTISM has been pushed back. The show was slated to take place on April 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. No new date has been set yet.

Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Postponed – Variety reported annual awards show from Nickelodeon where kids pick their favorite movies, TV shows, movie stars, musicians and more has been postponed until further notice. No new date has been set yet.

E3 (The Electronic Entertainment Expo) Canceled – Kotaku reported the tradeshow for video games slated to take place from June 9 through June 11 has been canceled. In place of the event, there will be “an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020.”

GLAAD Awards Canceled – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation announced the cancellation of their awards intended to take place on March 19. It’s not clear if thy will be rescheduled.

Adam Sandler Postpones March Comedy Tour Dates – In a post to Twitter, the comedian announced that March tour dates would be postponed until a later time. It is not clear when they will be rescheduled and more dates could be canceled.

March 10
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Halted – The Marvel Studios series was slated to shoot an entire week in Prague, but they stopped before finishing due to spreading coronavirus concerns. It is not clear when and where production will finish the scenes meant to be shot there. Get more in our full story.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway Release Delayed – Deadline reported the global release of the children’s movie sequel has been pushed back to August 7 by Sony Pictures.

Game Shows Filming Without Audiences – Deadline reported Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune announced they would be taping episodes without live studio audiences, especially since much of the audiences of those shows consists of older viewers more susceptible to coronavirus.

March 6
SXSW Festival Canceled – The movie, TV, music and tech festival was canceled by the city of Austin one week before the event was slated to begin on March 13. Festival organizers may reschedule the festival, but the cancellation has created severe problems for them, and it might prevent the fest from returning in 2021.

March 4
No Time to Die Global Release Delayed – Sony Pictures made the decision to delay the global release of No Time to Die from April to November. The film will now open in the UK on November 12 and in the US on November 25. Read more in our full story over here.

February 24
Mission: Impossible 7 Production Halted in Italy – After the outbreak worsened significantly in Italy, USA Today reported Paramount Pictures chose to halt production on Mission: Impossible 7. It’s not clear when/if shooting will still take place there in the future.

THREADS
COVID-19 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia)
No Time to Die (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71114-No-Time-to-Die)
Mission Impossible (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68128-Mission-Impossible)
F&F9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-amp-Furious-9)

[GeneChing]

Feb 12, 2021 6:36am PT
‘Black Widow’ vs. ‘F9’: Which Summer Blockbuster Will Blink First? (https://variety.com/2021/film/news/black-widow-f9-release-dates-summer-1234905246/)

By Rebecca Rubin

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/black-widow-scarjo.jpg
Courtesy of Marvel
Disney’s “Black Widow” and Universal’s “F9” are poised to kick off summer moviegoing season. Yet it’s unlikely either blockbuster will actually arrive on schedule.

While neither film has been postponed, industry experts and insiders have been speculating that Hollywood’s next round of release date delays will begin to impact the middle of 2021.

At this point, it’s almost expected that movies due out in the first half of the year will be moved yet again. With coronavirus cases rampant and the vaccine rollout going more slowly than many hoped, studios and by extension, cinema operators, are essentially in the same situation they were 10 months ago: audiences aren’t going to the movies.

Even with President Joe Biden’s recent announcement that the U.S. will be able to vaccinate 300 million people by July, it’s still too soon to tell how quickly Americans will be able to resume everyday activities.

In the interim, however, ticket sales aren’t doing much to encourage studios. With 60% of U.S. theaters closed, the top 10 movies combined have brought in between $7 million to $12 million each weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. Compounding matters, conversations around reopening theaters in major markets like New York and Los Angeles have seemingly come to a standstill, and Hollywood players have been pretty clear that they don’t intend to open a buzzy tentpole without theaters on the coasts welcoming patrons.

After MGM announced in January that “No Time to Die,” Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond, will no longer hit theaters in April (it’s now slated for Oct. 8), it set off a small ripple. Universal pushed the Bob Odenkirk thriller “Nobody” to April, Paramount bounced “A Quiet Place Part II” to September and Sony bumped “Ghostbusters: Afterlife and “Cinderella” to November and July, respectively. (Meanwhile Warner Bros., seemingly operating in another universe due to its hybrid HBO Max agreement, moved “Godzilla vs. Kong” up two months from May to March).

Yet the two biggest movies positioned to open in the next few months, Scarlett Johansson-led Marvel adventure “Black Widow” (set for May 7) and “Fast and Furious” sequel “F9” (set for May 28), have not wavered. And it’s not because their respective studios are optimistic that they’ll be able to open them in theaters as planned. The decision isn’t if these titles should move, it’s more likely a matter of assessing where to move them.

However, it’s an especially significant decision because postponing “Black Widow” and “F9” signals to the rest of the film industry that moviegoing may be absent another summer season.

There have been frequent rumors that “Black Widow” may keep its May release date and take a route similar to “Raya and the Last Dragon,” meaning it would premiere simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus for a premium price. On Disney’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek debunked that theory and stressed that the studio is “still intending [‘Black Widow’] to be a theatrical release.”

According to insiders, that’s partially because Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, the lead architect behind the meticulously constructed Marvel Cinematic Universe, was opposed to a hybrid rollout. Having produced many of the studio’s highest-grossing movies, including “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” Feige’s opinion certainly carries considerable weight at Disney. But that doesn’t mean the powers that be can’t eventually convince Feige to change his mind — or overrule him completely.

Sources suggest Disney has three to four weeks before having to make a decision about “Black Widow” and Universal has slightly more time for “F9” because it’s not expected to debut until three weeks after the Marvel film. “Black Widow,” in particular, represents its own set of complications because of the interconnected nature of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which now spans both feature films meant for theatrical distribution, and limited and ongoing TV series created for Disney Plus. Bumping “Black Widow” means that “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (July 9) and “Eternals” (Nov. 5) would almost certainly be shuffled around as well. It could also throw Marvel’s carefully planned roll-out of its Disney Plus shows into disarray as well — after “The Falcon and the Winter Solider” in March, at least four other titles are set to premiere on the streamer this year.

Meanwhile, Universal plans to keep a traditional theatrical release for “F9” because “Fast & Furious” is among the studio’s most lucrative properties. Prior to the pandemic, the upcoming entry would have easily generated more than $1 billion worldwide. Under the current circumstances, getting ticket sales anywhere near that number would be a feat as unrealistic as any of the gravity-defying stunts performed in a “Fast” movie. Though Universal last year forged an agreement with major theater chains, including AMC and Cinemark, to put its movies on demand sooner than usual, even the most optimistic outcome would result in a money-losing proposition given the impaired theatrical marketplace. Too few countries have reopened movie theaters, and too few people are going in the areas where moviegoing has returned.

For now, Universal is waiting to see how the box office recovers in China, where the “Fast” movies are enormously popular. Hinging upon Asian countries, “F9” could end up opening later in summer, possibly in July or August, or down the line in 2021. There’s even a world in which it is delayed another year.

“Black Widow” and “F9” are no small propositions; they each carry nine-figure marketing campaigns on top of $200 million-plus production budgets. Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” which attempted to restart moviegoing last September and grossed $363 million globally, has fielded the strongest result yet for a coronavirus-era release. Months later, “Wonder Woman 1984” tapped out with a meager $154 million worldwide. If “Black Widow” and “F9” replicated those results, they would stand to lose millions upon millions.

One positive: “Black Widow” and “F9” both benefit from brand awareness, meaning the general public is already familiar with these franchises. Their respective studios don’t need to reintroduce the characters to audiences the same way they would have to with an original property. And, unlike James Bond, who has lucrative partnerships with Heineken and Audi, among others, neither “Fast” nor “Black Widow” have significant consumer product tie-ins, which makes it easier and less costly for them to pick up and move to a new date.

The eventual retreat of “Black Widow” and “F9” may have serious implications for the movie business. Several titles, including Ryan Reynolds’ sci-fi adventure “Free Guy” (May 21), Paramount’s “Infinite” starring Mark Wahlberg (May 28), Sony’s “Venom” sequel (June 25) and “Top Gun: Maverick” (July 2), remain on the calendar. But plans could be amended should “Black Widow” and “F9” wave the white flag on summer.

What’s tricky is the back half of the year has become so stacked, there’s hardly any room to slot in new titles without pushing others back. Starting in fall, blockbuster-hopefuls are scheduled nearly every single week: “A Quiet Place” (Sept. 17), “Many Saints of Newark” (Sept. 24), “Dune” (Oct. 1), “Halloween Kills” (Oct. 15), “Eternals” (Nov. 5), “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (Nov. 11), “Mission: Impossible” (Nov. 19), “West Side Story” (Dec. 10) and “The Matrix 4” (Dec. 22).

At a closer glance, it appears that nobody told the holiday season that there’s still a pandemic raging.

threads
Fast-amp-Furious-9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-amp-Furious-9)
Black-Widow (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70643-Black-Widow)

[GeneChing]

...although I suppose the son playing the father is fair.



NEWS
Vin Diesel’s Son Joins Fast And Furious 9, Proving It Really Is All About Family (https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2564690/vin-diesels-son-joins-fast-and-furious-9-all-about-family)
DIRK LIBBEY
PUBLISHED: MAR. 22. 2021 6:34 AM
https://img.cinemablend.com/filter:scale/quill/d/f/8/c/b/1/df8cb13787c1acab0967f40ff97733f631def77f.jpg?mw=60 0
The Fast & Furious franchise has always been about "family" and it turns out that's not just a catchphrase. When the next movie in the franchise, simply titled, F9 opens in theaters, it will not only include new members of that family, like John Cena, who will play the brother of Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto, but it will reportedly also apparently an actual member of Vin Diesel's family. A new report claims that Diesel's son Vincent Sinclair will appear in the film, as part of a flashback sequence where he will play a young Dom.

The report comes from TMZ who got a hold of the young Vincent Sinclair's contract. He was paid $1,005 for some work on camera back in 2019. It seems that the young kid was brought in to play his dad's character as a child in a flashback sequence. All this lines up with what we know of the film itself, as it will also introduce a previously unknown brother for Diesel's character, so giving the audience a flashback or two that shows us the relationship between the two of them, and probably whatever event split them up, would make a lot of sense.

While the Fast & Furious movies have never needed to be all that serious or realistic, the fact that the main character has a sibling that has never been mentioned in eight previous films, despite the fact that another sibling has been a big part of the films, certainly does feel like a major swerve in the story. According to previous films, Dom raised his sister after their father's death. It's unclear if the John Cena character was already out of the picture at that point, or if Dom tried to raise them both, but ultimately failed in some way.

We'll find out what's really going on when F9 finally opens up. The movie is currently set to open June 25. When F9 originally pulled up stakes on its original 2020 release it pushed itself back a full year, a move that that seemed excessive at the that time, but has appeared to be prophetic as time has gone on. Even that full year delay wasn't quite enough as the movie has since been delayed from April to May, and earlier this month F9 pushed itself back another month from its late May opening to June 25.

One certainly hopes that this last delay will be the last one required. Fans of the franchise have been waiting for more than a year now to learn not only where Dom's brother came from, but also how fan favorite character Han survived his fiery crash all those years ago.One wonders if that little plot twist would have been revealed in the first trailer if there had been any indication the movie wouldn't come out on time.

DIRK LIBBEY
CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian. Armchair Imagineer. Epcot Stan. Future Club 33 Member.

[GeneChing]

*NEWS RELEASE*

TO CELEBRATE THE ARRIVAL OF F9 IN THEATERS JUNE 25


UNIVERSAL PICTURES ANNOUNCES

“FAST FRIDAYS”

EIGHT WEEKS OF FREE NATIONWIDE SCREENINGS OF EVERY PREVIOUS FAST AND FURIOUS FILM TO THANK FAST FANS AND TO WELCOME AUDIENCES BACK TO MOVIES

SELECT THEATERS WILL SCREEN A DIFFERENT FAST FILM EACH FRIDAY BEGINNING APRIL 30, 2021


“Fast Fridays” will launch in more than 500 U.S. theaters and will then expand to more than 900 theaters nationwide.

Each of the eight previous Fast films will screen each Friday in chronological order, beginning with 2001’s The Fast and the Furious on Friday, April 30.

Visit www.FastFridayScreenings.com
for information on participating theaters and for details on how to receive tickets

Universal City, Calif., April 23, 2021 — Universal Pictures announced today that to celebrate the arrival of F9, the newest chapter in the Fast and Furious Saga, in theaters June 25, the studio and its theater partners across the U.S. will launch a free nationwide screening series of all eight previous Fast films, beginning April 30, 2021.

The eight-week program will invite fans to watch all eight previous Fast films in participating theaters, free of charge, with one film screening each Friday. The films will be screened in chronological order, beginning with 2001’s The Fast and the Furious on April 30 and culminating with 2017’s The Fate of the Furious on June 18.

The screening series will launch in more than 500 theaters across the U.S. and will ultimately expand to more than 900 theaters. Theaters that join the screening series after April 30 will begin their screenings with whichever film is already scheduled to screen in that week.

Participating theaters include AMC Theatres, Regal, Cinemark Theatres, Marcus Theatres, Harkins Theatres, Showcase Cinemas, Santikos Entertainment, B&B Theatres, Cinépolis USA, Georgia Theatre Company, Marquee Cinemas, Epic Theatres, EVO Cinemas, Megaplex Theatres, Maya Cinemas, Xscape Theatres, Silverspot Cinema, Golden Star Theaters, MovieScoop Cinemas and Premiere Cinemas.

Over the course of eight films that have stoked passion in an ever-expanding audience and have earned more than $5 billion at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’ record-smashing, homegrown Fast Saga has become the studio’s most-profitable and longest-running franchise. Across social media platforms, the fan following for the movies and cast has grown into the biggest of any active franchise. On the heels of 2017’s The Fate of the Furious, which debuted in theaters as the biggest global opening of all time, the blockbuster franchise has expanded to a multitude of offerings – from toys and video games to an all-new animated series and a successfully launched spin-off franchise.

“The Fast films are all about family, and Universal wanted to find a way to thank our huge family of Fast fans around the country for their passion and loyalty over the past 20 years,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution. “We’re grateful to our theater partners for their help in making this screening series possible and we are delighted to welcome audiences back to theaters to experience the wild Fast ride all over again. And we cannot wait to blow everyone’s minds with the release of F9 on June 25.”

Screening tickets will be distributed by each individual theater and will be available the Friday before each weekly screening, starting on Friday, April 30.

Visit www.FastFridayScreenings.com for further information on how to receive tickets.

The full schedule of screenings is as follows:

Friday, 4/30 – The Fast and the Furious

Friday, 5/7 – 2 Fast 2 Furious

Friday, 5/14 – The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

Friday, 5/21 – Fast & Furious

Friday, 5/28 – Fast Five

Friday, 6/4 – Fast & Furious 6

Friday, 6/11 – Furious 7

Friday, 6/18 – The Fate of the Furious

In addition to the screening series, Entertainment Weekly’s popular BINGE Podcast will take fans through each of the previous Fast films in an eight-week series featuring exclusive conversations with the stars who brought those movies to life. Each episode will focus on one movie in the franchise with a Fast cast member from that particular film. Beginning April 30, a new episode will drop each “Fast Friday,” every week, leading up to the release of F9 on June 25.

Media Contacts:

Universal Pictures: Brad Mendelson, brad.mendelson@nbcuni.com, 818-913-1414

About F9

No matter how fast you are, no one outruns their past.

F9 is the ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious Saga, which has endured for two decades and has earned more than $5 billion around the world.

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, the upcoming The Suicide Squad).

F9 sees the return of Justin Lin as director, who helmed the third, fourth, fifth and sixth chapters of the series when it transformed into a global blockbuster. The action hurtles around the globe—from London to Tokyo, from Central America to Edinburgh, and from a secret bunker in Azerbaijan to the teeming streets of Tbilisi. Along the way, old friends will be resurrected, old foes will return, history will be rewritten, and the true meaning of family will be tested like never before.

The film stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster and Sung Kang, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren, with Kurt Russell and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron. F9 also features Grammy-winning superstar Cardi B as new franchise character Leysa, a woman with a connection to Dom’s past, and a cameo by Reggaeton sensation Ozuna.

F9 is produced by Neal H. Moritz, p.g.a., Vin Diesel, p.g.a., Justin Lin, p.g.a., Jeff Kirschenbaum, p.g.a., Joe Roth, Clayton Townsend, p.g.a., and Samantha Vincent. Universal Pictures presents an Original Film/One Race Films/Perfect Storm production in association with Roth/Kirschenbaum Films, a Justin Lin film. www.thefastsaga.com

About Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Changing the title of this thread from Fast & Furious 9 to F9

[GeneChing]

May 18, 2021 12:09pm PT
Box Office: ‘F9’ Eyes Massive $150 Million-Plus Debut Overseas (https://variety.com/2021/film/news/f9-opening-weekend-international-box-office-1234975770/)

By Rebecca Rubin

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/fast-3.jpg?resize=681,383
Giles Keyte/Universal
“F9” could send the box office into overdrive when it debuts overseas this weekend.

The latest entry in Universal’s high-octane franchise, which opens in Korea, Hong Kong, the Middle East, Russia and China in the coming days, is expected to bring in at least $150 million to $180 million at the international box office. Industry analysts are offering a wide range, which could balloon even higher, because it’s hard to track initial grosses in foreign markets even when the world isn’t rebounding from a pandemic. As different parts of the globe recover from COVID-19 at different paces, it’s especially challenging to forecast box office ticket sales.

Outside of the U.S, where “F9” is scheduled to open on June 25, moviegoing has nearly returned to full strength. Asian markets, particularly China and Japan, have been a source of optimism after recently ushering in several blockbusters including “Hi Mom,” “Detective Chinatown 3” and “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.” Hollywood movies, in post-pandemic times, have seen mixed results internationally.

Among Hollywood films, the Warner Bros. movie “Godzilla vs. Kong” holds the record for the best opening overseas in the pandemic era. It debuted to $121 million from 38 foreign countries. Even if “F9” falls short of expectations, it should easily surpass that benchmark.

“F9” was initially slated for last summer, but its release was delayed numerous times during the pandemic. A movie like “F9,” which cost $200 million to produce, is engineered for global audiences and requires outsize ticket sales to get out of the red. It would have been impossible to turn a profit if it were released any earlier, since the majority of movie theaters weren’t in operation. Globally, the nine “Fast” movies have earned more than $5 billion at the box office.

The film will continue to roll out in 62 markets throughout the summer, including Australia (June 17), Latin America and the U.S. (June 25), and the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany in July.

China will be a key territory for “F9.” That’s not just because the country has recently overtaken the U.S. as the world’s biggest movie market and has been less reliant on Hollywood fare to fuel attendance levels. In prior “Fast and Furious” installments, nearly 30% of global box office totals came from China alone. The most recent chapters in the main “Fast” saga, 2015’s “Furious 7” and 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious,” were enormous hits with each making roughly $390 million in China.

In China, “F9” is currently pacing ahead of competitors in terms of presales and has already sold $10.5 million (RMB66.6 million) worth of tickets for opening day. More than 80.7% of the country’s movie theaters — accounting for roughly 154,000 screens — will be devoted to playing “F9.” Yet it remains to be seen if ticket sales can surpass (or even match) other “Fast” movies in the territory.

Filmmaker Justin Lin, who directed four prior “Fast and Furious” movies,” returned for the series’ latest lap in theaters. “F9” stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, John Cena and Helen Mirren and follows Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and his family as they take on their fiercest foe yet — Dom’s brother. That journey somehow takes them to space.

So far, “F9” has received mixed feedback. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman says the film “gets stuck in franchise overdrive.” That’s saying something, considering the property’s increasingly loony stunts, which don’t even pretend to obey the laws of physics, have become its greatest marketing tool. Yet Gleiberman notes “it goes through the motions with more energy than intoxication.” IndieWire’s critic David Ehrlich gave the film a “C+” grade, but offered that “for the first time in a long time it feels like it’s drifting in the right direction again.”

After more than a year of movie delays, audiences appear to be less bogged down by plot and more hypnotized by onscreen action when it comes to buying movie tickets. “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Mortal Kombat” generated promising sales in the U.S. (while being offered simultaneously on HBO Max), though neither inspired notably strong reviews.

Leading up to the release of “F9” in the States, Hollywood is planning to unveil a range of major titles including “Black Widow,” “A Quiet Place Part II” and “In the Heights.” For theater owners, who have gone months without much to show on the big screen, summer means one thing: it’s finally time to put the pedal to the metal.

Becky Davis contributed to this report.

threads
F9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-F9)
Chollywood-rising (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57225-Chollywood-rising)

[GeneChing]

May 23, 2021 9:45pm PT
China Box Office: ‘F9’ Clocks up $137 Million in its Opening Lap (https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/china-box-office-f9-opening-weekend-1234979977/)

By Patrick Frater

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/fast-1.jpg?resize=681,383
Giles Keyte/Universal
“F9” roared into the lead at the China box office, where the “Fast and Furious” franchise has repeatedly lapped faster than in North America.

On its first weekend in China the film grossed $137 million, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway.

That gave it an 83% share of the China weekend box office, a market share figure that was notably stable from its Friday lights out. Total box office in the country was $165 million between Friday and Sunday.

Some $12.45 million of the “F9” total was earned from Imax screens in China. That was Imax’s third biggest May opening score (behind “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron”) and Universal’s second-best China opening weekend in Imax venues behind “Fate of the Furious.” The giant screen provider calculates that earning 9% of the nationwide box office from just 1% of the screens showing the film, is a franchise-best result.

The runaway win was achieved despite a mediocre critical reception in China. On the fan review site Douban “F9” earned only a 5.6 out of ten critical rating. On the more generous ticketing platforms Mtime and Taopiaopiao it earned only slightly better scores of 6.2 and 7.8, respectively.

Artisan Gateway, nevertheless, calculates that the powerful performance was good for overall health of the theatrical economy. Its data shows that the year-to-date box office cumulative is now $3.86 billion, only 6.5% down on pre-COVID 2019. A week earlier, the gap had been 10%.

Gritty Chinese romance, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” released a day earlier than “F9” on Thursday in order to coincide with (yet another) local Valentine’s Day. It earned $15.6 million on Thursday and a further $15.1 million between Friday and Sunday, good enough for second place in the local chart.

Previous chart-topper, Zhang Yimou’s “Cliff Walkers” was edged into third place by the two new releases and earned $5.1 million over the weekend. That lifted its cumulative to $164 million since its pre-May Day release on April 30.

Japanese film “Love Letter” was re-released on Thursday and managed $4.1 million over the weekend and $7.4 million over four days.


threads
F9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-F9)
Chollywood-rising (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57225-Chollywood-rising)

[GeneChing]

'F9' star John Cena says he loves China after Taiwan remark stokes anger (https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/25/media/john-cena-china-taiwan-f9-intl-hnk/index.html?)

By Jill Disis, CNN Business

Updated 2:05 PM ET, Tue May 25, 2021

Hong Kong (CNN Business)"F9" star John Cena has professed his love for China after calling Taiwan a "country" during an interview that generated a backlash among fans in Hollywood's most important international market.

The controversy unfolded after Cena — who plays the brother of Vin Diesel's Dom Toretto in the ninth installment of the popular "Fast & Furious" franchise — gave an interview to Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS promoting the film.
"Taiwan is the first country that can watch F9," Cena told the broadcaster in Mandarin.
Taiwan is a self-governed democratic island, but China claims it as its sovereign territory despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war over 70 years ago. Beijing considers any suggestion of Taiwan's independence crossing its "red line," and has been increasingly trying to use its economic power to police speech on the topic around the world.
On Tuesday, Cena offered an apology on Weibo, China's popular Twitter-like social media platform. Speaking again in Mandarin, Cena did not refer to Taiwan by name or discuss the incident in detail, but he did say that he "did a lot of interviews" and "made a mistake."
"I'm sorry for my mistake," Cena said. "I must say now, [it's] very, very, very, very important [that] I love, and respect even more, China and the Chinese people."
The episode is a sign of how mindful business in general and Hollywood in particular has become about political sensitivities in China, the world's second biggest economy and the world's biggest box office.
The "Fast & Furious" franchise has traditionally been incredibly well received by Chinese audiences. "F9" took in nearly $136 million in China over the weekend, contributing heavily to what is now the biggest opening for a Hollywood film during the pandemic.
Cena has many fans in China, including more than 600,000 followers on Weibo. He's been studying Chinese for years, and often posts videos on the platform in which he speaks the language while doing movie promos.
Others in the "Fast & Furious" cast have also touted China during promotional tours. During a virtual movie premiere, Diesel reportedly said that part of the franchise's finale would be shot in China, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.
NBCUniversal, which owns Universal Pictures, the distributor of the film, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNN Business.
Cena's apology video has amassed some 7,000 responses on Weibo so far. Some critics are still angry about his remarks, and accused him of not going far enough.
"Please say 'Taiwan is part of China' in Chinese, otherwise we will not accept," one person wrote.
"I don't understand why the Chinese people should be so tolerant to him, who has a vague political stance while profiting from Chinese people," another wrote.
Others were more forgiving. One person pointed out that Cena has been learning Chinese for several years.
"Looking at his previous interviews, I can feel that he really likes China," the person wrote. "He said the wrong thing and paid the price. He is different from other foreign actors who dare not respond or have different political opinions."
Beijing often polices the way global brands talk about China or any of its political interests. In 2018, for example, the Chinese government demanded that American Airlines (AAL), Delta (DAL) and United (UAL) change the way they referred to Taiwan or risk sanctions in China, one of the world's biggest markets for air travel. Also that year, hotel group Marriott's website and app were blocked for a week after it listed Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as separate "countries" in its emails and app.
"F9" is also far from the first Western movie to face political pressures in China. Last year, the fantasy action movie "Monster Hunter," distributed by Sony (SNE), was pulled from theaters in the country days after its release, following uproar on social media about a pun in the script that some viewers said was racist.
And Disney's (DIS) "Mulan" struggled in the country in the wake of numerous controversies involving pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and alleged human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang region. Some within China also criticized the film, with the state-run Global Times writing after the release of the trailer in 2019 that "Mulan" used Japanese "ninja gestures" and Chinese stereotypes.
— Eric Cheung, Laura He and Shanshan Wang contributed to this report.

Oops. Imagine how much that comment might have cost... :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

May 26, 2021
2:58 AM PDT
Media & Telecom
Fast & Furious star John Cena apologises for calling Taiwan a country (https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/fast-furious-star-john-cena-apologises-calling-taiwan-country-2021-05-26/)
Yew Lun Tian

3 minute read
https://www.reuters.com/resizer/2CiAC7IJLLte2VLoOOy9u_kMYc0=/1200x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/VHJX7JYCZ5L7ZHCAAQD4NGKTT4.jpg
Cast member John Cena poses at the premiere for "Ferdinand" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 10, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

U.S. wrestling superstar and actor John Cena apologised to Chinese fans on Tuesday after calling Taiwan a country during an interview to promote his latest movie "Fast & Furious 9".

Speaking to Taiwanese television TVBS earlier this month, 44-year-old Cena said Taiwan would be the first "country" to see the latest Fast and Furious.

China regards Taiwan as its province, an assertion that most on the self-ruled, democratic island rejects.

"I made one mistake. I am very, very sorry for this mistake," Cena said in Mandarin in a video posted on his account on Weibo, a Twitter-like microblog popular in China.

"I love and respect China and the Chinese people," he added.

Cena joins a long list of international celebrities who have incurred the wrath of an increasingly nationalistic Chinese public over their comments about Taiwan, Hong Kong or Xinjiang.

Companies have also come under fire, with several airlines and hotels apologising to China in recent years for listing Taiwan as a country on their booking websites.

Cena's apology was not enough for many mainland Chinese netizens.

"Please use Mandarin to say Taiwan is part of China. Otherwise we won't accept the apology," read a comment left on Cena's apology video that received the most "likes".

Neither did the apology go down well in the United States.

"Can someone please help John Cena locate his spine, please?" wrote Matt Karolian, manager of American news website Boston.com, on Twitter.

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton called the apology "pathetic" in a tweet.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in response that criticism of Cena in the United States did not make sense.

Cotton's remarks were "just like waste paper," he added, speaking at a regular news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

The movie has been a box office hit in mainland China since its open on May 21.

Over the last weekend, China accounted for $135 million of the movie's $162 million in revenue, according to U.S. entertainment publication Variety.


‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ Mocks John Cena’s Apology to China
The movie star and former pro-wrestler started an international controversy for calling Taiwan a country and then walking the comment back.
BY RYAN PARKER
MAY 27, 2021 6:16AM
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GettyImages-1183632150.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
John Cena
John Cena attends 'Playing With Fire' New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on October 26, 2019 in New York City. JOHN LAMPARSKI/FILMMAGIC
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday mocked John Cena’s recent apology to China after he called Taiwan a country.

The movie star and former pro-wrestler started an international controversy after making the statement during a promotional interview for his upcoming film, F9 — then issuing an apology (in Mandarin) to China.

“I made a mistake,” Cena said in his apology video issued Tuesday. “Now I have to say one thing which is very, very, very important: I love and respect China and Chinese people. I’m very sorry for my mistakes. Sorry. Sorry. I’m really sorry. You have to understand that I love and respect China and Chinese people.”

The Late Show on Wednesday released the “full” apology video, mocking Cena’s decision. “Not only is Taiwan not a country, it is also not even a real place,” read the faux interruption of Cena’s words. “It’s like Zootopia, which coincidentally made $220 million in China.”

Continued the faux interruption, “And don’t even get me started on Tibet! Always complaining, complaining, complaining about China. I will give Tibet something to complain about.” The video then cut to Cena bodyslamming a digital 14th Dalai Lama (“I call that a ‘Daili-Slam-A,” read the faux interruption).

The Cena matter highlighted the fraught relationship between Hollywood and China. Entertainment industry figures, including professional sports players, have been criticized for comments perceived as political. And Hollywood studios have been criticized over claims that they shape content to avoid offending Chinese government censors.

Watch the Late Show video below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI2IkPNteO4

F9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-F9)
Chollywood-rising (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57225-Chollywood-rising)

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEE4RO-_jug

[GeneChing]

Chollywood Risen. READ F9: THE FAST SAGA Cruising Back into Theaters (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1598) by Gene Ching

http://www.kungfumagazine.com//admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/images/ezine/7222_F9-Fast-and-Furious_Lead.jpg

threads
F9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-F9)
Chollywood-rising (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57225-Chollywood-rising)

[GeneChing]

Read my additional coverage for Den of Geek: How F9 Brings Back Justice for Han and Asian Inclusion (https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/f9-brings-justice-for-han-asian-inclusion/)

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Han-in-Fast-and-Furious-Movies.jpeg?resize=768%2C432

[GeneChing]

The road to the end: Fast & Furious 10 sets 2023 release date (https://ew.com/movies/fast-and-furious-10-release-date-2023/?utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentwee kly&utm_content=new&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_term=611c386cced6e00001763b14)
By Derek Lawrence August 17, 2021 at 06:26 PM EDT



FasTen your seatbelts — the end of the road is approaching.

Two months after the long-delayed launch of F9, Universal Pictures has set a release date for the 10th — and penultimate — installment of The Fast Saga. The Justin Lin-directed vehicle will arrive April 7, 2023.

Star Vin Diesel previously revealed to EW that filming would commence in January 2022, with there seeming to be a possibility of Fast 10 and 11 being filmed back-to-back to wrap up the billion-dollar series.

"Just wait for 10," Diesel teased on EW's BINGE: The Fast Saga. "Let's just say, the fact that you guys know that the studio is saying we can't cover all this ground that needs to be covered in just one movie, you can only imagine what is to come."

It's expected that the usual suspects, like Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, and Sung Kang, will return, but two of the biggest Fast stars have been either noncommittal or committed to being done. New addition John Cena told EW ahead of F9 that he wasn't allowing himself to think about the future of his character, Jakob Toretto, while Fast favorite Dwayne Johnson is officially out due to his beef with Diesel. Johnson recently declared, "I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me."

But Johnson's Hobbs & Shaw partner Jason Statham isn't following suit, having already appeared in the F9 mid-credits scene, which setup a showdown between his Deckard Shaw and Kang's Han. When asked on BINGE's F9 spoiler extravaganza what audiences should take from that stinger, Kang had a simple yet intriguing tease: "I think there's just one word — Gisele," referencing Gal Gadot's allegedly deceased character. "All roads lead to Gisele."

"I feel like it's making a big promise," Lin added. "It's so funny because I'd called [Statham] and he came and did the tag for 6, and we had talked about all this stuff. Then I called him one day and said, 'Hey Jason, I'm not going to do 7.' He's like, 'What?!' And so then I called him and I say, 'Hey Jason, I'm going to have you do the tag for 9.' And he's like, "But we get to work together after this!'"

For reference:
Fast and Furious 7 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66507-Fast-and-Furious-7)
Fast and Furious 6 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1097)
The Fate of the Furious (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68605-The-Fate-of-the-Furious)
Fast and Furious 9 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-Fast-and-Furious-9)
Fast & Furious 10 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72132-Fast-amp-Furious-10)

[GeneChing]

No Time To Die beats F9 to become most successful Hollywood film of 2021 (https://www.avclub.com/no-time-to-die-beats-f9-to-become-most-successful-holly-1848097339)
Shang-Chi remains the year's top film in the domestic market, but the international box office will determine this year's overall winner
ByWilliam Hughes
Saturday 4:12PM
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_fit,f_auto,g_center,pg_1,q_60,w_965/a05829575f67fcbf46ea2ed398d4d1f8.jpgPhoto: MGM
2021 is going to go down as a very weird year for the Hollywood box office; despite the slow, vaccine-powered recovery of the theater industry, ticket sales for even the biggest movies are still clocking in at a mere fraction of what they would have been in 2019.

Case in point: The fact that the battle for the most successful Hollywood movie of the year—currently being duked out between F9 and long-delayed James Bond installment No Time To Die—is being waged in the $700 millions, rather than the post-billion position the industry has grown accustomed to. (Also weird: The fact that Marvel and Disney, which have dominated these conversations in pre-pandemic years, aren’t even in the race, with the studios’ top performer, Shang-Chi, sitting at a measly $431 million worldwide.)

This week saw an upset in that competition, as Deadline reports that Bond is set to pull ahead of Dom and the Family at last, becoming the most lucrative studio movie of the year to date. (It’s possible No Time To Die might get unseated by West Side Story or No Way Home before year’s end—it rarely pays to bet against either Steven Spielberg or Spider-Man—but those December releases will have a limited window to try to topple Cary Joji Fukunaga’s film.)

In addition to their love of doing very silly spy things with cars, both of these franchises have one major similarity: They do extremely well outside of the domestic box office. If we were only looking at the U.S., the two movies would rank 4th (F9) and 6th (No Time To Die), trailing far behind Shang-Chi.

But No Time To Die spread out its international appeal, pulling in (per Box Office Mojo) $124 million in Bond’s native UK, $69 million in Germany, and $57.9 million in China. F9, unsurprisingly, went all in on the Chinese audience; the film made $203.8 million in the country, beating its U.S. and U.K. box office performance combined.

Which is also probably the point where we should note that neither of these films is going to come even remotely close to being the actual top performer on the planet in 2021; that honor is almost certainly going to go to Chinese nationalistic blockbuster The Battle At Lake Changjin, which has brought in $882 million since opening in the first week of October. Battle’s numbers have slowed significantly in recent weeks, but it’s still the only movie worldwide that might break the billion-dollar mark this year—despite, or maybe because of, accusations that its action sequences of Chinese soldiers fighting Americans during a battle during the Korean War amount to little more than explosive political propaganda.

threads
No-Time-to-Die/ (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71114-No-Time-to-Die/)
F9 (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70501-F9)
The-Battle-at-Lake-Changjin (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72154-The-Battle-at-Lake-Changjin)