Justin Lin, a veteran director in the Fast and Furious franchise, has announced that he will be stepping down as director of Universal's upcoming Fast X project. Production of the new film, which began a few days ago, has suddenly paused so the studio can find a replacement to fill the tremendous void.
For years, Lin has been a staple in the Fast and Furious franchise, directing five films for Universal's street racing action narrative. Lin first entered to direct The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and directed the next three installments for Universal before taking a break from the franchise. The director returned to his place behind the camera for F9 and looked to replicate the $720 million worldwide success on a bigger scale with the upcoming Fast X installment.
However, creative differences seemed to be the nail in the coffin that prompted Lin to suddenly step away from the director's chair. The news surfaced via Twitter in a statement from Lin. The long-time director stated, "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." Lin has generated roughly $1.9 billion for the Fast and Furious franchise worldwide, making the sudden directorial change worth noting.
Filming for Universal's Fast X began on April 20th with Lin still attached, but Deadline reports that filming will now halt until a replacement has been found to continue crafting the franchise's 10th installment. Franchise staple Vin Diesel will be making his return to the action-packed narrative alongside other notable cast members associated with the long-running franchise. Diesel has yet to comment on the departure of Lin, who was tapped to direct the franchise's 10th and 11th installments.
Fast X looks to outperform the success of F9, which earned roughly $70 million by the end of its opening weekend. The franchise's 9th installment is one of four films to pass $700 million globally since the start of the pandemic at the box office. The newest installment brings back familiar faces, with some added additions to the ever-growing cast. Jason Momoa will be joining as the film's new villain, alongside Captain Marvel's Brie Larson and The Suicide Squad star Daniela Melchior. Not much has surfaced regarding the narratives premise or the role Larson and Melchior will play, but the additions add a layer of excitement that will hopefully elevate the franchise to new heights.
However, the exit of Lin is significant due to the amount of time he spent immersed in the film's creative direction. The studio clearly had differing opinions, which hopefully won't hinder the final product displayed before audiences. The release date for Fast and Furious 10 remains unchanged from its position but may shift if a replacement isn't found relatively soon. Universal is currently having conversations with viable candidates, but it's hard to ignore the absence of such a notable figure in the Fast and Furious franchise.
Fast X looks to hit theaters on May 19, 2023.
Source: The Fast Saga/Twitter, Deadline