Fast X, the tenth film in Universal’s hit Fast and Furious franchise, has hit quite the speed hump.
In what is quite a shocking development, director Justin Lin has walked away from the film just days after it entered production. Deadline broke the news, reporting that Lin’s decision to step away from the film comes down to “creative differences”. The split is said to be amicable.
“With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of Fast X, while remaining with the project as a producer,” Lin said in a statement. “Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases. On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family.”
No details regarding what those possible creative differences are have been shared. It’s certainly surprising news, considering Lin has long been a major part of the series, playing a big role in steering the franchise by being at the helm of five chapters: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Fast & Furious (2009), Fast & Furious 5 (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), and last year’s Fast & Furious 9. Lin was also attached to direct the 11th film, which is to serve as the final film in the series.
The search is now on for a new director. While some second unit footage will be shot in the meantime, production will be on a brief hold until a new director is chosen. Word is that a number of candidates are already in talks to ensure things get moving again as soon as possible. The film, which will bring back the lead cast including Vin Diesel in the lead, with Jason Momoa and Brie Larson among the new faces, is expected to keep its release date of May 19th, 2023.
Combined, the nine films in the Fast and Furious franchise have earned over $US6 billion worldwide. Last year’s F9 grossed over $US725 million worldwide – a big hit for a pandemic-era release.
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