Hobbs & Shaw, the latest entry in the long running, billion-dollar grossing Fast & Furious franchise, is racing toward theaters this weekend, but not everyone is happy with the direction it’s heading in. In fact, quite a few longtime fans still take umbrage with Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw, whose effect on the series predates his first appearance by three films, running all the way back to 2006’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and the gruesome murder of one beloved Han Seoul-Oh.
Yet, writer-producer Chris Morgan, who has penned the scripts for Tokyo Drift, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, Furious 7, The Fate of The Furious and Hobbs & Shaw confirms that those behind the scenes haven’t forgot about Han’s death and are waiting to address it with the proper weight.
“I love ‘justice for Han.’ Sung Kang is a great friend, and Han is a character that I adore. I would say that the super-arc for Deckard Shaw is going to be one of the most interesting, cool, rewarding character arcs in the franchise. Justice for Han is owed. It’s something we have discussed for a very long time and want to give the right due to. I think the audience will be satisfied and should know it’s coming.
There’s a line in Hobbs & Shaw that is right before the battle in Samoa where Shaw says to his sister, ‘There’s things I’ve done that I have to make amends for.’ That line was specifically written and put in there just to let everyone know that he is talking about Han — it is on his mind. It tortures him, and he’s going to get to it.”
So, a bit of context: Sung Kang’s Han Lue – also known as Han Seoul-Oh – was a too cool, snack-eating street racer who met a fiery demise halfway through the third F&F film. Despite his limited screen presence, the entire chronology of the series’ future was shifted so the fan-favorite character could become a part of Dom’s team. When his heartbreaking death scene was replayed in the post-credit tease of Fast & Furious 6, audiences were shocked to discover that it wasn’t just an isolated race gone wrong, but a revenge hit by villain Deckard Shaw.
Despite Statham’s antagonist being thrust into a more heroic position in The Fate of the Furious, not everyone was so quick to forgive. Understandably, with the release of the first Hobbs & Shaw trailer, there were quite a few fans vocally upset to see a coldblooded killer yucking it up beside Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs. For many, even if Shaw has turned his back on a life of crime, there still has to be some sort of consequence to his actions.
Those who love the Fast & Furious series can debate his titular placement within a spinoff sub-franchise as much as they want, but Hobbs & Shaw will likely rake in big box office bucks when it hits cinemas this week. Whether you like it or not, it looks like Shaw won’t have to atone for his actions any time soon.
