Justin Lin on Tuesday announced that he was stepping out of his role as director for the upcoming Fast X of the Fast & Furious franchise days into production.
The sudden, shocking announcement did not give a reason. Production, so far, has been second unit filming, which will remain the focus as an immediate director search is undertaken.
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“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, who co-wrote the film with Dan Mazeau, said in a statement posted to the franchise’s official Twitter account. “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.”
Fast X will see longtime stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Sung Kang returning. Franchise newcomers are Jason Momoa, who is set to play the villain in the movie, as well as Brie Larson.
Lin, who returned to the franchise with 2021’s F9: The Fast Saga, was set to direct both the 10th and 11th movie in the franchise, with the 11th film set to be the final Fast installment.
The Fast films have proved to be some of the most lucrative IP in contemporary studio filmmaking and stand as the biggest franchise for Universal. The films have a combined box office gross of over $6 billion, with the last installment, F9, considered a hit by pandemic box office standards, grossing over $700 million.
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