Louis Leterrier is set to direct Fast X, and fans are already speculating whether or not he’ll clash with Vin Diesel. Fast and Furious staple Justin Lin was supposed to direct the film, but he exited a week into production, with sources alleging that Diesel was the cause. Regardless of the sources’ veracity, the seed of rumor has germinated on Twitter with the following results:
Officially, Lin left on good terms due to creative differences, but the New York Daily News reported that those differences revolved around Diesel. The Fast and Furious star allegedly showed up to the set of the newest instalment late, out of shape, and without his lines memorized, resulting in Lin’s exit. This sent the production into a tailspin, with losses of $600,000 to $1 million per day, as a new director was sought.
Former Fast and Furious directors F. Gary Gray, David Leitch, and James Wan were all considered, but they had other obligations. In May 2022, Leterrier was announced as a frontrunner for the job, with outlets like Variety reporting that his succession is all but official.
Immediately after the announcement, film blogger Scott Wampler joked: “BREAKING: Louis Leterrier has dropped out of directing FAST X after spending 8 minutes on set.” So far so good for the French director of movies like The Incredible Hulk and Clash of the Titans, but Wampler and other fans aren’t optimistic.
Lin is still credited as a writer and producer of Fast X, which is scheduled for release in May 2023 (barring additional setbacks).
