© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

'F9' Success Might Indicate Audiences Are Ready To Return To Theaters

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

The latest "Fast And Furious" sequel, "F9" has just had the best weekend box office of any film since 2019. Does that mean audiences are ready to go back to movie theaters? Well, NPR's Bob Mondello says it's certainly encouraging.

BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: The last film to make more than $70 million in North America in a single weekend with "Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker"

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER")

OSCAR ISAAC: (As Poe Dameron) What are you doing there, 3PO?

ANTHONY DANIELS: (As C-3PO) Taking one last look, sir, at my friends.

MONDELLO: That was two Christmases ago. Vin Diesel's "F9" has now raced, not just to the biggest opening of the pandemic, but to numbers that would have been respectable pre-pandemic. It's also playing to extremely diverse audiences, and it's not even running at full throttle.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "F9")

VIN DIESEL: (As Dominic Toretto) Crank it all the way up.

MONDELLO: They can't. Theaters in six states are required to operate at reduced capacity, and many Canadian cinemas are still closed. That said, audiences definitely came out to see "F9" this weekend, just as they have overseas since it opened in China a month ago. "F9's" worldwide total is now over $400 million. And happily for the film industry, the "Fast And Furious" ninth-quel (ph) isn't alone. Also doing substantial business are three other sequels.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "A QUIET PLACE PART II")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) There are people out there, people worth saving.

MONDELLO: "A Quiet Place Part II," also Disney's "Cruella"...

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "CRUELLA")

EMMA STONE: (As Cruella) I'm just getting started, darling.

MONDELLO: ...And the latest in the "Conjuring" series.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) I think I hurt someone.

MONDELLO: Together, those four films have taken in just shy of a billion dollars worldwide in one month. Great news until you consider that during summer blockbuster season in a normal year, the numbers would be roughly twice that. If the film industry isn't operating on all cylinders just yet, COVID-related skittishness is only one reason. For the last 16 months, film studios have been encouraging patrons to look for even their biggest blockbusters on streaming services. Breaking audiences of that habit may prove tricky. So far, films that have opened only in theaters have tended to do best. Will that last? Well, we should get an indication soon. The top four films this week opened exclusively in theaters. Next week, though, "Black Widow" is arriving simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BLACK WIDOW")

SCARLETT JOHANSSON: (As Black Widow) Here's what's going to happen.

MONDELLO: It's a Marvel first that has industry-watchers intrigued.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BLACK WIDOW")

RACHEL WEISZ: (As Melina) Natasha, don't slouch.

JOHANSSON: (As Black Widow) I'm not slouching.

MONDELLO: Will the film slump at the box office if it's available at home?

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BLACK WIDOW")

DAVID HARBOUR: (As Red Guardian) Listen to your mother.

JOHANSSON: (As Black Widow) Oh, my God. This...

MONDELLO: Most films that have gone that route have more than just slouched.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BLACK WIDOW")

JOHANSSON: (As Black Widow) All right. Enough, all of you.

MONDELLO: Stay tuned. I'm Bob Mondello.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Bob Mondello, who jokes that he was a jinx at the beginning of his critical career — hired to write for every small paper that ever folded in Washington, just as it was about to collapse — saw that jinx broken in 1984 when he came to NPR.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.