The Fate of the Furiousis set to race its way into theaters next month and, to get some early buzz going,Vin Dieseljust surprised a bunch of critics with a screening of the movie. The surprise screening took place during CinemaCon, which is currently going on in Las Vegas, and the initial reactions are pouring in on social media. The reactions have been incredibly positive, teasing another action-packed, emotional and insane entry in the franchise.
There have been a few surprise screenings atCinemaConso far this year, butThe Fate of the Furiousseems to be the buzziest and most satisfying movie so far. That largely seems to be becausedirector F. Gary Grayand the cast delivered exactly what everyone is expecting. This is a franchise that seems to understand what it is and Universal has really been able to capitalize on that. Here is what /Film’sPeter Scirettahad to say about it, which seems to be representative of what most of the critics and industry professionals in attendance felt about it.
“The Fate of the Furious takes the ridiculousness of the franchise to a whole new level, yet feels very different. Should be a gigantic hit.”
Even if these reactions had been less positive, it still seemed very likely that the eighth entry inThe Fast and the Furious franchisewould be a big hit.Furious 7made a staggering $1.51 billion worldwide, with the seven movies in the series bringing in a grand total of $3.89 billion to date. Early tracking hasThe Fate of the Furiouspegged between $110-$120 million opening weekend, but this positive buzz could push that number up a bit. Here is the official synopsis forThe Fate of the Furious.
“Now thatDomand Letty are on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia have retired from the game and the rest of the crew has been exonerated the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman (Charlize Theron) seduces Dom into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape and a betrayal of those closest to him, they will face trials that will test them as never before. From the shores of Cuba and the streets of New York City to the icy plains off the arctic Barents Sea, our elite force will crisscross the globe to stop an anarchist from unleashing chaos on the world’s stage…and to bring home the man who made them a family.”
One interesting thing to note is that Collider’sSteve Weintraubsaid that he didn’t recall seeing any scenes withVin DieselandDwayne “The Rock” Johnsontogether in the movie. As you may recall, the two stars reportedly had some beef while making the movie, and it looks like they haven’t really settled it. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two are having to avoid one another on the press tour forThe Fate of the Furious. So, don’t expect to see another epic fight scene between Dom and Hobbs in this movie.
“not sure I saw even one shot in Fate of the Furious with @TheRock & Vin Diesel together. Take that how you will.”
The cast forThe Fate of the Furiousincludes returning starsVin Diesel,Dwayne Johnson,Jason Statham,Michelle Rodriguez,Tyrese Gibson,Chris “Ludacris” Bridges,Nathalie Emmanuel,Elsa PatakyandKurt Russell. In addition to winnerCharlize Theron, the movie will introduce series newcomersScott Eastwoodand Oscar winnerHelen Mirren. The movie is directed byF. Gary Gray, who most recently directedStraight Outta Compton. You can check out all of the early reactions to the movie for yourself below including one from our own reporter on the scene.
