Who would’ve thought that the neon-drenched thriller described as ‘Point Break… with cars‘ would spawn a juggernaut franchise spanning nine movies and a spinoff? But the Fast & Furious series endures. Hell, at this rate, it may well outlive us all.
On a more serious note, lead star Vin Diesel has revealed the ways in which Furious 10 – or whatever it winds up being called – is an opportunity to honor a promise he made to Paul Walker back in 2013.
Currently in the midst of press duties for his Sony blockbuster Bloodshot, Diesel recalled that poignant interview, in which he mapped out his vision of extending the Fast and Furious franchise all the way to number 10. And sure enough, it’s a dream that we’ve watched play out before our very eyes, something that Diesel believes Paul Walker would be proud of.
Via USA Today:
He was always tickled by the fact that we were continuing. He was always so excited and so proud that his brother was thinking of these films before the studio, before anyone knew that there was another one coming and another one coming and that the stories had been worked out for him. He took great pride in that. And I remember this giant smile on his face like, ‘What?! That’s impossible!’ But later that night we were talking, and I promised him that we would get to that point. It may not mean anything to anyone else, but to me on a personal level, that’s the promise that I made to my brother. So I’d like to hopefully, if it’s meant to be, honor that.
Paul Walker’s death proved to be a tragic loss for Vin Diesel, not to mention the cast and crew behind Universal’s Fast and Furious franchise. It’s a series of films built on the values of family and friendship, and in many ways, it’s ensured that the memory of Paul Walker is kept alive, even as the Fast and the Furious prepare for the ninth installment.
Speaking of which, Fast & Furious 9 has been penciled in for April 2021 – 12 months after it was initially expected – with the tenth (and presumably final) installment in the core Toretto saga tentatively scheduled for 2022. Whether it’ll be the one to bring Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs back into the fold remains to be seen, given the tension that so often bubbles between The Rock and Tyrese Gibson, both of whom had some choice words surrounding the release of Hobbs & Shaw.
Published: Mar 16, 2020 05:25 pm