Next 'Fast & Furious' Movie Delayed Until June

Actor Vin Diesel attends the New York premiere of The Fate Of The Furious. Photo: Reuters / Eduardo Munoz
Actor Vin Diesel attends the New York premiere of The Fate Of The Furious. Photo: Reuters / Eduardo Munoz
TT
20

Next 'Fast & Furious' Movie Delayed Until June

Actor Vin Diesel attends the New York premiere of The Fate Of The Furious. Photo: Reuters / Eduardo Munoz
Actor Vin Diesel attends the New York premiere of The Fate Of The Furious. Photo: Reuters / Eduardo Munoz

Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures has delayed the global debut of the "Fast & Furious" movie "F9" by one month until June 25, the company said on Thursday, the latest shift by Hollywood studios trying to gauge when moviegoers will return to theaters.

The move signaled that Universal is confident of a summer rebound as coronavirus vaccines become more widely available in the United States and Canada, the world's largest film market.

Cinemas in New York City, the second-largest moviegoing region in the United States, are scheduled to start reopening on Friday.

Theater operators including AMC Entertainment, Cineworld Plc and Cinemark Holdings Inc are hoping they will have blockbuster movies to show this summer, which is typically their most lucrative season.

The next big-budget action movie on the schedule, Walt Disney Co's Marvel movie "Black Widow," is currently set to hit theaters on May 7.

After moving "F9" to late June, Universal postponed the release of animated movie "Minions: The Rise of Gru" from early July 2021 until July 2022.



Pearl Jam Drummer Matt Cameron Says He’s Leaving the Band After Nearly 30 Years

Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam performs during BottleRock Napa Valley on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Napa, Calif. (AP)
Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam performs during BottleRock Napa Valley on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Napa, Calif. (AP)
TT
20

Pearl Jam Drummer Matt Cameron Says He’s Leaving the Band After Nearly 30 Years

Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam performs during BottleRock Napa Valley on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Napa, Calif. (AP)
Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam performs during BottleRock Napa Valley on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Napa, Calif. (AP)

Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron said Monday that he’s leaving the band after nearly 30 years.

The 62-year-old Cameron announced his departure in a social media post.

“After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser for the mighty Pearl Jam,” Cameron said. “Much love and respect to Jeff, Ed, Mike and Stone for inviting me into the band in 1998 and for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, filled with friendships, artistry, challenges and laughter.”

Cameron didn't give a reason for his departure.

“Matt Cameron has been a singular and true powerhouse of a musician and drummer. He has propelled the last 27 years of Pearl Jam live shows and studio recordings. It was a deeply important chapter for our group and we wish him well always,” Pearl Jam members said in a statement posted to the band's social media accounts.

They made no mention of a replacement.

Cameron, who played drums for Soundgarden for more than a decade before joining Pearl Jam, was not a founding member of the band and didn't play drums for the early albums that made them rock superstars.

But he provided some much-needed stability at the drum kit after the band had gone through four others since its inception. He first joined in 1998 as a temporary replacement for Jack Irons, playing on a long tour before making his studio debut with the group on 2000's “Binaural.”

He just finished a yearlong tour with the band in support of its 12th studio album, “Dark Matter.”

Cameron was born and raised in San Diego before moving to Seattle shortly before its music scene became a global phenomenon. He played in proto-grunge band Skin Yard before joining Soundgarden. He did double duty with Pearl Jam and a reunited Soundgarden from 2010 to 2017.