Universal delays F9 and the next Minions movie again in a fun callback to the start of the pandemic

By Sam Barsanti | March 4, 2021 | 7:55pm

Film Features Minions

Universal delays F9 and the next Minions movie again in a fun callback to the start of the pandemic

F9 Photo: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Do you remember where you were a year ago? Odds are, it’s the same place where you are right now, given the fact that (depending on where you live) we’re hitting the one-year anniversary of when COVID-19 lockdowns started happening in the United States. Intentionally timed or not, Universal has just announced a delightful new way for us all to remember the fun early days of the pandemic by once again delaying the releases of both F9 and Minions: The Rise Of Gru, two films that were delayed because of the coronavirus just about a year ago. Doesn’t it just remind you of March 2020, when nobody was totally sure how the virus was transmitted and everyone was trying to be optimistic about all the time they’d be able to dedicate to learning new hobbies or reading a bunch of books? Good times. (Or, you know, very bad times.)

Anyway, the F9 delay isn’t quite as dramatic as last year’s, when it was bumped from May of 2020 to April 2, 2021, but it will still be a few months now before we get to see Dom and the family go to space. Variety says F9 has been moved to June 25 (of this year!), which would theoretically be nearly a month after the U.S. has assembled enough COVID-19 vaccines for every adult in the country—meaning you might actually be able to safely see F9 in a theater, if the actual vaccinations go at a good clip, which seems absolutely wild.