It looks like the Fast and the Furious saga is starting its final lap without the director it is most known for. Justin Lin, who directed five movies in the Universal franchise, is stepping down as director of the tenth film, Fast X. They made the announcement via the official account for the Fast Saga films, which you can see right here:
#FASTX pic.twitter.com/T0w9LuYS0F
— Fast & Furious (@TheFastSaga) April 26, 2022
Lin co-wrote the film with Dan Mazeau, and he will remain as the film’s producer. He actually shot a full week’s worth of footage, as shown by Vin Diesel, before leaving the project. Some might end up in the final film. The parting of ways between Lin and Universal was apparently amicable between both parties. And as usual, it was all due to those dreaded “creative differences.”
According to a report coming from Deadline, the movie will continue second unit photography while Universal looks for a replacement. Fast X has a release date of May 19, 2023. So with a little over a year away, they’re going to have to hustle to find someone to fill Lin’s shoes. This is easily Universal’s biggest franchise and has grossed them well over $6.2 billion dollars. It’s the fifth-biggest movie franchise of all time, ahead of X-Men.
With Lin’s departure, it means he will not likely direct the eleventh film in the franchise. Universal intended Fast & Furious 11 to shoot back-to-back with the tenth film. They originally announced that Justin Lin would direct the film with an intended release date of February 2024. The intention was that Fast and Furious 11 would be the concluding film of the main Fast & Furious franchise. Considering many saw Justin Lin as the most trusted director in this series, it is a shame that they may end it all with someone else at the helm.
Fast X is still set to come out on May 19, 2023.
