Producer Hiram Garcia of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Seven Bucks Production company has confirmed that the actor will not appear in the final two Fast & Furious movies.
Speaking to Collider, Garcia said Johnson made the choice after Fast 8 to step away from the series “for all evident reasons.” This might be referring to the reported beef between The Rock and Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel or perhaps something else. The Rock made his Fast & Furious debut with Fast Five and came back for the sixth, seventh, and eighth movies as well.
“He wished them all well and shifted our focus on to other story telling avenues,” Garcia said of what The Rock said to the team working on Fast & Furious.
Garcia confirmed that The Rock’s lack of appearances in the Fast & Furious series doesn’t mean he won’t continue with his Hobbs character from the spinoff Hobbs & Shaw.
“Obviously all these characters exist in the Fast universe and we love to see all aspects of that universe thrive and succeed,” Garcia said. “We just have specific plans for what we want to do with the Hobbs character and I think the fans are going to love it! We’re working to deliver something very unique and fresh and we know the studio is eager for us to get into it ASAP”
Garcia went on to say that they have some “very big ideas” for where to go with the Hobbs & Shaw sequel. The original movie, which also stars Jason Statham as Shaw, was massively successful upon release in 2019, bringing in close to $760 million globally at the box office.
While The Rock is no longer going to appear in Fast & Furious movies, Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe recently said he’d like to appear in the next one, but in a non-driving, desk job role.
F10 and F11 are penciled in for release in 2023 and 2024, and after that, the series could go on hiatus. “I know people are going to feel like it doesn’t have to end, but I think all good things should,” Diesel said of the forthcoming end of the F&F series. “There are reasons for a finale. I think this franchise has deserved it.”
GameSpot’s F9 review said the film is the “perfect movie to welcome you back to the theater.”
“After a year of staying home, this is worth the trip to your local cineplex. It’s loud, explosive, and filled with the type of action dying to be seen on the big screen in a room with other fans to go along with you on the ride,” reviewer Chris Hayner said.
Source: Gamespot
