This year saw the Jurassic World trilogy reach its end, leaving Universal Pictures with one less profitable franchise to fall back on. The Fast & Furious series is also nearing its end, and The Wrap has shared some details on the upcoming tenth instalment, Fast X, that could spell trouble for the studio.
According to insiders, the budget of that upcoming movie has now ballooned to a massive $340 million. That's 70% more than last year's F9: The Fast Saga, and by far the most expensive instalment of the franchise to date. It's also a figure that puts Fast X in the same territory as Avengers: Endgame, though we don't see this movie grossing over $2 billion.
The trade notes that the cost of assembling the A-List cast is a big part of that massive budget, not to mention increased production costs caused by the pandemic.
However, we can't imagine director Justin Lin's decision to leave the movie after clashing with star and producer Vin Diesel has helped matters. Now, The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier is at the helm.
With a budget this big, Universal is unlikely to turn as large a profit as normal, a problem for a studio that has little in the way of big franchises to draw moviegoers into theaters. However, they're hoping Jason Blum and James Wan's new partnership will give them a slate of horror projects, while Illumination (the animation studio behind Minions and Super Mario) remains key.
Fast X has attracted some big names, including Oscar-winner and Captain Marvel star Brie Larson. Other additions to the movie include Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Daniela Melchoir (The Suicide Squad), and Alan Ritchson.
Returning stars include Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Charlize Theron, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Michael Rooker, and Scott Eastwood.
In terms of plot details, very little has been revealed about Fast X. However, all you probably need to know is that there will be a lot of cars, a lot of crazy stunts, and probably quite a few explosions too. Will it get crazier than heading into outer space? That obviously remains to be seen for now!
Fast & Furious 10, a.k.a. Fast X, is set to race into theaters on May 19, 2023.