Editor's Note: The following contains Fast X spoilers.
For ten movies over twenty-two years, The Fast & Furious franchise has continued to put out strong, crowd-pleasing efforts. Yeah, the plots and especially the stunts grow more outlandish as the sequels progress, but that's part of why we love them. They're supposed to be big and stupid, but filled with characters we love and want to keep coming back to watch.
Outside the speeding cars and Vin Diesel speeches about family, the Fast & Furious movies contain a lot of thrilling drama, with gangs, drug traffickers and drug lords, cyber terrorists, and secret agents all being worthy antagonists for Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and company. The franchise has also been fueled by a lot of real-life drama behind the scenes, from bickering between its biggest stars, directors dropping out, and sadly, the heartbreaking sudden loss of one of its leads. No matter what the group might face in Fast X or any film going forward, nothing will match what they've had to experience in reality.
Why Did Justin Lin Drop Out of Directing 'Fast X'?
Director Justin Lin is just as important to the Fast and Furious movies as Vin Diesel or anyone else. Though he has helmed films outside the franchise, from 2006's Annapolis to 2016's Star Trek Beyond, it's the Fast films that have made him so successful in Hollywood. Lin is the director of four of the films, starting with 2003's second sequel, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, followed by 2009's Fast & Furious, 2011's Fast Five, and 2013's Fast & Furious 6. He was an executive producer on the last two of those movies as well. Lin stepped away for the seventh and eighth entries but came back to direct F9, released in 2021. He was hired to direct the newest movie, Fast X, as well, but just weeks into shooting he got so upset that he quit.
Justin Lin was tasked not just with directing Fast X but writing the screenplay as well. (Lin previously wrote F9.) The combined duties became too much for Lin, especially while he also had to have a daily battle with the face of the franchise, Vin Diesel, who is also a producer and has the final say on what happens in a Fast and Furious film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lin got sick of his script constantly being changed, and the managing of Diesel. After a major disagreement with Diesel on April 23, 2022, over new notes Diesel had given Lin, Lin slammed a door and quit, saying, "This movie is not worth my mental health." Four days later, Lin released a statement that read, “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.”
As one source told The Hollywood Reporter about a director replacement, "You need someone who can play ball with the studio, Vin, and the actors. You can maybe count on two hands filmmakers that can take on this challenge. Most filmmakers will file this under, ‘Life’s too short.’ If you can land this 747 and prevent a crash, you’d be a hero.” That hero came in the form of Louis Leterrier, who took over the Fast X directing duties.
Even Dwayne Johnson Has Feuded With Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel has long had a reputation for being hard to work with at times. The most noted and public example was his rivalry with Dwayne Johnson, an actor who seems to love everyone and be among the nicest people in Hollywood. Johnson joined the Fast and Furious franchise in 2011 for Fast Five. After working together on the eighth film, The Fate of the Furious, Johnson took to Instagram, where he called an unnamed coworker on the film a "chicken shit" and "candy ass." Months later it was revealed that Vin Diesel was the target behind Johnson's remarks.
In 2020, Diesel spoke to Men's Health about his feud with Johnson, saying, “My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be. As a producer to say, Okay, we’re going to take Dwayne Johnson, who’s associated with wrestling, and we’re going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to regard his character as someone that they don’t know—Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks. That’s something that I’m proud of, that aesthetic. That took a lot of work. We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. Not Felliniesque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.”
Dwayne Johnson responded to Diesel's "tough love" comment, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.”
Johnson refused to return for the tenth film, leading Diesel to take to Instagram, where he wrote, "My little brother Dwayne... the time has come. The world awaits the finale of Fast 10. As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes... but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in the finale that is 10! I say this out of love... but you must show up, do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play. Hobbs can’t be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny."
Johnson responded in a 2021 CNN interview, telling them, “I told [Diesel] directly that I would not be returning to the franchise. I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return... Vin’s recent public post was an example of his manipulation. I didn’t like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker’s death. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding... My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible franchise with gratitude and grace. It’s unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters. Regardless, I’m confident in the ‘Fast’ universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience… I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter."
Vin Diesel wasn't the only Fast and Furious star Dwayne Johnson didn't get along with. There was also actor and singer Tyrese Gibson, who publicly went after Johnson on Instagram in 2019, blaming Johnson's busy schedule for holding up filming of what would become Fast 9. “Diversity, love, multi ethnic worldwide multi generational, United Nations, One Race, Fast Family…… Until Dewayne showed up I guess this whole time he had a problem cause he wasn’t the ONLY ONE on the movie poster……….. I guess dreams do come true congratulations to @hhgarcia41 and @therock you guys are just amazing you really broke up the #FastFamily I tried to warn you guys… You thought I was hating…… I was simply fighting to keep the family together what makes us great is when you see us all TOGETHER we don’t fly solo….. #MyLastPost today….. I got 3 years of venting on this clown.” Later Tyrese would say that he and Johnson had made up.
How Has Paul Walker's Death Impacted the Fast & Furious Franchise?
Directors quitting and actors arguing on social media and in interviews isn't really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. That can all be worked out. People can talk, hug, apologize, whatever they need to do. There's always another day... until there isn't. Way bigger and more important than any infighting is the tragedy that occurred on November 30, 2013. It was on this day that Paul Walker, on a Thanksgiving break from filming Furious 7, would shockingly die in a car accident. The film world was devastated.
After a delay, production of the film moved on, tasked with giving Walker a fitting goodbye. Some parts had to be rewritten, but for the most part, Walker had already filmed most of his scenes. In other scenes, Walker's lookalike brother Cody Walker filled in, with CGI of Paul's face put over Cody's. The effect worked magnificently at the ending of Furious 7 when Walker's character Brian O'Conner rides off into the sunset, still alive.
The eighth, ninth, and tenth films have all mentioned Brian out living his life. F9 gives another tear-jerking tribute to Walker during its finale, where the family is eating together outside. "There's still an empty chair," Dom says, referring to Brian. It's then that we hear a car approaching. Dom smiles as the film cuts to Brian's car coming down the street and turning into the driveway.
Strangely, the Fast and Furious franchise has handled death better than it has handled infighting. Tyrese and Dwayne Johnson made up at least. Maybe Vin Diesel can make peace with Justin Lin and Johnson too. He already may have with one of those men if the Fast X post-credits scene is any indication.