‘Fast X’: Justin Lin Drops Out One Week Into Production
Only one week after production kicked off on Fast X, director Justin Lin has dropped out of the project.
The franchise’s official social media accounts posted a message signed by the director, in which he said:
“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 film with Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans) and had been locked as the director for the saga’s two-part finale even before F9 hit cinemas, but according to Deadline, he’s now exited due to creative differences. The outlet is saying that filming will continue over the next few days by shooting second unit footage, but after that, the producers will have to pause production to look for Justin Lin’s replacement. According to Deadline‘s sources, the May 19, 2023, release date is not expected to shift for the time being.
With the Fast Saga being Vin Diesel’s baby, we could see the series’ lead actor and producer taking on directing duties as well, as he has gained tons of creative control over the direction of the movies. But this part is pure speculation. Universal Pictures will host its CinemaCon panel on Wednesday, and studio executives might be rushing to find a replacement so that they can announce him there. And to be honest, Vin Diesel would totally be the fastest way out.
It’s unknown what these creative differences were, or with whom, and it’s even possible Diesel was on Lin’s side. But this is not the first time this franchise suffers from massive internal problems among its crew, and Vin Diesel has been usually at the center of them. We will keep you posted as the story continues to develop.
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings, but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as authors like Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.
