Something strange is going on with Fast X, the tenth film in the epic street racing franchise. Just days into production, director Justin Lin, one of the architects of the series, has exited the film. He’ll stick around as a producer, but this is a massive shift.
Here is Lin’s statement on his departure:
“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. 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.”
Lin co-wrote the screenplay with Dan Mazeau, and it’s unclear if that’s where the problems are. Perhaps he had a run-in with star Vin Diesel, who has been known to throw his weight around and alienate others. But that’s just speculation on my part.
Some second unit filming is still taking place, but the search is on for a director to replace Lin. THR’s Borys Kit says Fate of the Furious director F. Gary Gray and Deadpool 2‘s David Leitch are in the mix, but Leitch is working on a Fall Guy film with Ryan Gosling so that’s probably not gonna happen.
Fast X is currently set to open on May 19th 2023 and that date is expected to stick. But we’ve seen how easily the dates for these films to shift, and if a replacement for Lin isn’t found soon don’t be surprised if Universal delays it. [Deadline]
