According to actor Tyrese Gibson, Fast X will return the Fast & Furious franchise to its roots. As the title suggests, Fast X will be the tenth film in the Fast & Furious franchise. Louis Leterrier, who directed popular crime thriller Now You See Me and 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, will make his franchise debut in Fast X. Other notable talent behind the film includes Vin Diesel as key series lead Dominic Toretto. Diesel is also a producer on the film, alongside Justin Lin, veteran Fast & Furious creative who has directed five of the franchise’s films, including Fast X’s predecessor, F9. Lin is also co-writing the film’s screenplay with Dan Mazeau.
Fast X will be released after over a decade of Fast & Furious films. 2001’s The Fast and the Furious kicked off the film franchise, introducing key characters such as Diesel’s Toretto, Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty, and Paul Walker’s Brian O’Connor. The Fast & Furious franchise have since gone through significant evolution, introducing new characters along the way including notable appearances from Dwayne Johnson in Furious 7 and the spinoff Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. The Fast & Furious team also dealt with tragedy upon Walker’s tragic death in 2013, leading other actors to have to fill the void of Walker’s character, who had been a principal player in the initial films.
In a recent video on Diesel’s Instagram, Gibson says that Fast X will return the series to its roots. The video is purportedly shot on week 7 of filming for Fast X, from the inside of the infamous garage form the first film. Gibson also claims that Diesel’s son—actor Vinnie Bennett who played Young Dom in F9—is building a car for the film. Check out the full statement from Gibson below:
“The fans have been wanting over the years for us to get back to the roots of what we know and love about Fast. We’ve heard you. And we’re doing it.”
Exactly what Gibson means by this statement remains to be seen. With the new car being built for the film, it can be assumed that Fast X will certainly deliver the sleek automobiles and suave chase scenes that are emblematic of the Fast & Furious series and its glamorous fame. Fast X is currently slated for a May 2023 release, though specific plot details about the film have yet to be released. But for now, Gibson’s vague statement is all there is to go by in predicting the content of Fast X.
How will this return to roots manifest in the new Fast & Furious film? Unlike its predecessor F9, Fast X has a unique position in the franchise in that it rests in the collaborative hands of both returning talents like Diesel and Lin and a new director, Leterrier. With the combination of these talents, Fast X has the potential to deliver a Fast & Furious film that still upholds the 2020s standards of special effects and more, but revives the traditional Fast fervor that many so covet. Fast X is currently in production and is set for theatrical release on May 19, 2023.
Source: Tyrese Gibson via Vin Diesel/Instagram
