The Fast & Furious spin-off starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham took another step towards production by hiring David Leitch as director. The news was announced by Entertainment Weekly. For some time the rumors were circling that he’s the man who will be at the helm of this project. Leitch seems like a perfect fit considering his success with action movies such as Deadpool 2 (yet to be released), Atomic Blonde, and already iconic John Wick. F&F spin-off will be called Hobbs and Shaw, although its title wasn’t officially confirmed by people involved. The release date of this action blockbuster is set for July 26, 2019.
There is no plot or storyline set for this project, but we guarantee you it will be a fun one to watch. Of course, there are things the director needs to address. We all love Jason Statham, but his character is pure evil. If you are a fan of the Fast & Furious franchise, then you know that Shaw killed Han. When he was fully introduced in the fifth installment, there were a lot of dead people left behind him in a hospital where we could see him coming to visit his brother. In an unexpected turn of events, he joined the good guys and rescued Dom’s son in the process. This was nice, but one good deed doesn’t wash off a life of misdeeds.
A lot of movies are based on characters that go from the wrong side to the right one, and they often become fan favorites. It is interesting to see how will Leitch handle Statham’s role. One thing is guaranteed. It is action. The director is a brilliant mind and can create appealing movies. Statham and Johnson are beloved action stars whose films always promise adrenaline rush.
The bad side of this project is that it’s putting the future of the Fast and Furious franchise in jeopardy. Tyrese Gibson had a thing or two to say about this, plus, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson aren’t on the same page. Nonetheless, the Fast 9 is slotted for April 10th 2024 while the tenth and final installment is set to be released on April 2nd, 2024. For now, it’s unclear if Johnson, who salvaged this franchise, is going to be a part of it in the future. Paul Walker is no more, and all the talks of CGI-ing him into the movie are pure nonsense, at least we hope so. It seems that the franchise will be on the backs of Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Gibson, and Ludicrous. We’ll see where will that get them in a few years time.
