TheFast and Furiousdrama came, well, fast and furious over the last couple of days, and a new twist has been added to the mix. To recap: Universalpushed the release dateofFast and Furious 9back a year,Tyrese Gibsontook to Instagramto blameDwayne Johnson, Universal set the Johnson/Jason Stathamspinofffor release onFast 9’s old release date, andShane Blackis now in the mixto possibly direct that film. And this is all just in the last 48 hours.
But while theFast 9release date has been delayed, that doesn’t mean Universal is putting the brakes on the sequel. On the contrary,THRreports thatJustin Linis the top choice to direct what could be the penultimate movie in the franchise, and he’s one of the reasons for the delay. By pushing theFast 9release date back a year, that gives Universal more time to accommodate Lin’s scheduling and ensure he can return to the franchise that he helped grow to the $1 billion grossing juggernaut it is today.
Indeed, Lin made hisFast & Furiousdebut helmingTokyo Drift, the third installment. He then directed each successive installment throughFast & Furious 6, after which he left the franchise to try new things. Those new things included helming the first two episodes ofTrue DetectiveSeason 2 and the blockbuster sequelStar Trek Beyond, and he’s currently developing a couple of high-profile directing projects includingSpace Jam 2and theHot Wheelsmovie.
Universal and self-appointed franchise kingVin Dieselhave long stated that theFast & Furiousfranchise may tap out after 10 movies, so bringing Lin back into the fold onFast 9makes a lot of sense. Moreover, given his history with the franchise, I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns to direct the final film,Fast & Furious 10, as well. That is, assuming Universal doesn’t try and find some way to keep this series going.
The last two films made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, so this is clearly one of Universal’s most important franchises (especially since that whole Dark Universe thing was DOA). But of course they could wrap upFast & Furiouswhile continuing to build out spinoffs, like the Johnson/Statham one hitting theaters in 2019.
We’re still probably a ways off from the close of the mainFast & Furiousfranchise, but if that is where Universal is heading, Lin is a sensible choice to directFast 9.
