Fast and Furious spinoff gets 2019 release date

The Hollywood Reporter is carrying an exclusive story reporting that the Fast & Furious spinoff featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham is set for a June 26, 2019 release. Originally, Fast 9 was set for 2019 but was pushed back to 2020, sparking a feisty response from one of its stars, Tyrese Gibson, blaming The Rock for stalling the release and making the whole franchise “about him.” The still yet to be named spinoff will be written by Chris Morgan, who has written every single Fast movie since Tokyo Drift. “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 spinoff will focus on Luke Hobbs, the Diplomatic Security Service agent played by Johnson, and Deckard Shaw, played by Statham, who once was the movie’s main villain.