Dodge, one of the industry’s horsepower ambassadors, is helping Universal Pictures launch the next installment in The Fast and the Furious film series. The automaker is preparing to launch a co-branded promotional campaign that includes television ads, licensed products, and a mobile game.
The campaign is a way to tell speed enthusiasts about the next Fast & Furious movie, but the deal goes both ways. Called Fate of the Furious, the movie will prominently feature the SRT-badged variants of the Challenger and the Charger, as well as the 707-horsepower Hellcat models that have been tearing up race tracks and drag strips since they debuted.
A 30-second television ad called Muscle Heaven that promotes both Dodge’s muscle cars and the Fate of the Furious confirms the upcoming Challenger Demon will also play a starring role in the movie. The Demon is still under wraps, but it’s shaping up to be the ultimate muscle car in Dodge’s storied history. Vin Diesel will surely be pleased.
The idea behind the campaign, of course, is to sell cars. But it’s not limited to life-size, gasoline-slurping machines that require insurance and registration. Dodge has teamed up with toy manufacturers Mattel and Jada Toys to create die-cast and remote-controlled versions of the Fate of the Furious’ four-wheeled cast. The cars will also be showcased in the Racing Rivals game that’s available on Apple and Android devices.
“Time and again, Dodge has proven its commitment to ensuring that the cars are just as beloved characters as the family members who form the heart of the series,” said Universal Pictures in a statement.
Filmed in a wide range of places including Cuba and New York City, Fate of the Furious will be released in theaters nationwide on April 14, just two days after hotly anticipated Challenger Demon makes its official debut at the New York Auto Show. It has a big shoes to fill, because the last installment in the series — called Furious 7 — was one of the fastest movies to reach $1 billion worldwide.
