When Paul Walker died during the filming of 2015’s Fast and Furious 7, director James Wan and production company Universal were obviously left in a difficult position regarding how to move ahead with the action movie. Walker’s brothers ended up being used as stand-ins for his scenes, and the movie’s finale was a moving moment (in more ways than one) where Walker’s Brian drives off on a separate road to his best buddy Dom (Vin Diesel).
In 2020, Diesel reflected back on the scene to NME, which involved the two best-known Fast and Furious characters parting ways; “I was so reluctant to go back to filming. I just felt like the studio was asking me to go back to a funeral. I was so broken by it. I didn’t want anyone to use the tragedy as a story plot. But, we were able to do something so beautiful and so classy,” he continued.
Diesel then made a bold statement about the Fast and Furious movie moment; “It might be the best moment in cinematic history. Not just my career, but in cinematic history. Men around the world, well everyone in the world, but men around the planet – for the first time in history – were able to cry together.”
Diesel is currently working on the tenth installment in the long-running franchise – Fast X. Fast and Furious 10 has been billed as the first half of a two-part finale, and the franchise will reportedly end with the 11th movie. Fast X has not been the smoothest of shoots – director Justin Lin left the production after approximately two weeks of filming. The shoot was also protested by Los Angeles locals who dislike their neighbourhoods being used for drag racing.
Fast X features new cast-members Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, Alan Ritchson, and Rita Moreno. Returning members of the Fast and Furious cast includes Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, Michelle Rodriguez, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Michael Rooker, Scott Eastwood, Sung Kang, Ludacris, and Tyrese Gibson.
Fast X is set for release on May 19. Check out our guide to the other high-octane new movies coming our way in 2023.