A completely unexpected, if not totally believable, rumor surfaced claiming Ben Stiller is joining the cast of Fast & Furious 9. With only four months left until its scheduled release of May 2020, it may seem weird that the newest Fast & Furious film would be adding any new characters. The film is already stacked with its core cast, returning favorites and a few newcomers, but for a series that's grossed over $5 billion worldwide, it seems like there's so such thing as "too much."
Fast & Furious 9 brings Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, and Nathalie Emmanuel back for another ride, while also adding John Cena and Charlize Theron to its already impressive cast. Trailers for the new film highlight bigger stunts, more cars, an exploration of some previously unknown familial relationships, and the return of a deceased character. It certainly seems like the movie is stocked with characters, plot, and high-octane action. However, a new report hints that there might be more in store for fans when the film finally hits theaters.
In a curious turn of events, Page Six reports that Ben Stiller will join the Fast franchise with an undisclosed role in F9. According to the report, Stiller's due to start filming his scenes "soon." No further news about the bizarre casting was available at the time of writing. Page Six notes they reached out to Stiller's reps but received no reply. UPDATE: Stiller has since clarified on Twitter that he is not involved with F9.
Stiller's late casting, if true, suggests he'll have a minor role in the film. Principle photography on Fast & Furious 9 wrapped in November 2019, so any additional scenes that Stiller might be filming will likely be fairly self-contained. It's not entirely unheard of for the franchise to stunt cast smaller roles. In fact, Hobbs & Shaw, a spin-off of the Fast & Furious franchise starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, featured several cameos from comedically-gifted celebrities like Ryan Reynolds, Rob Delany, and Kevin Hart. It is certainly possible F9 will follow down a similar path, and Stiller could be the first of many funny faces to pop up unexpectedly.
Take all of this with a grain of salt, as Page Six can be hit or miss with casting scoops, and no other outlet has confirmed their story at this time. That said, there is precedent in the Fast & Furious franchise for wildly unexpected cameos, meaning Stiller might actually appear in Fast & Furious 9. Even if the rumor turns out to be false, returning franchise director Justin Lin probably has a few other surprises in store for fans when the film premieres in May.
Source: Page Six
Update source: Ben Stiller/Twitter
