‘Fast X’: Universal Picks ‘Now You See Me’ Director Louis Leterrier to Replace Justin Lin
Less than a week after Justin Lin departed Fast X, Universal has seemingly found their pick to helm the project in Now You See Me director Louis Leterrier.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the deal is not done yet, but it looks like it could be signed within days, putting the movie back on track in the next week or so. After Lin departed, the project started focusing on second-unit filming and was not expected to be shut down for more than a couple of weeks. It looks like that is exactly what will happen.
Lin reportedly departed due to creative differences, and according to a report, it was because of Vin Diesel’s behavior on set. NY Daily News reported the following quote from a veteran producer with knowledge of the situation (and who is not involved with the franchise):
“I’ve never seen anything like it. Lin’s giving up $10 or $20 million [as director]. Diesel shows up late to the set. He doesn’t know his lines. And he shows up out of shape.”
This happened a week after cameras started rolling, though the director did say in his statement he will remain as a producer on the project, and the split was amicable. Lin is also a co-writer on Fast X.
Universal quickly started a manhunt for their director in order to make the transition as smooth as possible and still meet its release date of May 19, 2023. Leterrier is certainly an adequate choice, and while he may have gone unnoticed over the past decade for most fans, he has directed some very popular projects. They include 2013’s box office hit Now You See Me, Netflix’s critical darling The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and also helped get Lupin off the ground, directing three episodes, including the pilot. He also directed Edward Norton’s The Incredible Hulk.
After helming heist projects like Lupin or Now You See Me, and having already worked in the big studio system with The Incredible Hulk, it’s certainly not surprising to see him direct an over-the-top heist movie. He may not have been the obvious choice at first, but he will definitely get the job done.
Fast X is currently in production and will hit theaters on May 19, 2023. Charlize Theron announced recently on her Instagram that she will be back for the sequel:
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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.
