New reports about Justin Lin's sudden exit from the Fast & Furious franchise suggest the director’s departure came after a disagreement with producer and star Vin Diesel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lin and Diesel's clash came after multiple re-writes and compromises on Fast X, bringing the director to a breaking point where he voluntarily left the Fast & Furious family.
After co-writing and directing F9, Lin was expected to helm both parts of the Fast Saga's final adventure. Although Lin just came back to the franchise for F9, the filmmaker had previously directed every installment of the saga from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift to Fast & Furious 6, which turned the franchise into the blockbuster monster it is today. Unfortunately, F9’s pandemic release brought the film’s box office to a measly $726 million, the lowest return since Fast Five. So, if the expectations were high for the two-part final adventure of the family, the relatively low box office of F9 increased the pressure over Lin's shoulders to turn Fast X into an absolute success.
According to THR, right before quitting the franchise, Lin thought he had locked in a script for Fast X. Unfortunately, a scene set in Eastern Europe had to be scrapped from the film due to the Ukraine War. That fact added to the chaotic production, which has yet to cast one of its main villains yet. On top of that, Universal Studios sent Lin’s script to another writer in London to refine the dialogue, a move that was poorly recieved by Lin. The tipping point happened during a meeting on April 23, when Diesel presented more notes that would further delay production and force Lin to change the direction of Fast X too close to filming. Diesel’s notes led to a discussion where Lin exited the meeting slamming the door behind him.
As THR explains, Lin was fed up with the constant meddling from both Universal and Diesel by the time of his departure. In Diesel’s case, the star reportedly had complete control of the set pieces that would make the cut for any Fast & Furious film, which sometimes forced the director to shoehorn in events that didn't make sense with the rest of the script. Diesel was also known for pushing his co-stars too far on set, leading Dwayne Johnson to depart from the main film franchise.
THR underlines that Universal official statement claims that “any creative differences leading to Justin Lin’s exit were with the studio, not with fellow producers, cast or crew.” However, multiple other sources attest to the explosive work environment in Fast & Furious productions, with the disagreement that led to Lin’s exit being only the latest fight between the franchise’s star and the director.
Although Lin's departure from the director’s chair was abrupt, the filmmaker remains attached to Fast X as a producer. According to THR, Lin also gave his blessing to the continued production of Fast X to calm things down and prevent any other cast or crew members from jumping ship.
Aside from Diesel, Fast X also features Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, and Charlize Theron, as well as returning main cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, and Sung Kang. The story is set to dive deeper into the Toretto family background.
Fast X is slated to premiere in theaters on May 19, 2023.