Fast X includes flashbacks to Fast Five, and that makes The Rock's Hobbs absence even worse for the franchise. The Fast & Furious franchise is heading towards its conclusion with a two-part finale that is expected to wrap up the story of Dominic Toretto and his crew. Fast X brings most of the franchise's usual characters back with Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs the most notable absentee of the cast. What the movie might lack in The Rock, it is partially attempting to make up for with Jason Momoa's villain character and exploring more of the franchise's past.
The surprise of the first Fast X trailer was the reveal that Jason Momoa's villain is related to Fast Five's Reyes. The movie will go a step further than just explaining the connection that exists between Dante and Reyes, as there will be flashbacks to Fast Five's events. It appears that these scenes will be used to show Dante's perspective as Dom and his team steal Reyes' safe in Brazil. The Fast X flashback scenes showed Dom and Brian O'Conner from Fast Five, but many other franchise veterans could be featured in the old footage too. But, the Fast Five connection is very awkward thanks to Dwayne Johnson.
Fast X's Fast Five Flashbacks Make The Rock's Absence More Awkward
The Rock missing from Fast X is more obvious thanks to the Fast Five flashbacks, as the 2011 film was the first appearance for Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs in the franchise. He entered the Fast & Furious movies as a villain for Dom's team and immediately left a huge impression on audiences. It is difficult not to associate Fast Five with The Rock, even if he is not the main character. Since it is confirmed that Dwayne Johnson is not returning for Fast X, these flashbacks to a time in the franchise when he was a major part of the story could get awkward quickly.
Using Fast Five flashbacks raises two uncomfortable possibilities for Fast X. The movie might be forced to cut around Hobbs in an effort to keep Dwayne Johnson off the screen, which would feel like an attempt to decrease the importance of his role in Fast Five. The other option, which might be even more awkward, is that Fast X's flashbacks will include recycled footage of The Rock's Hobbs. This would be for the best when it comes to handling the franchise's history correctly, but it would only make it that much more noticeable that The Rock is missing from the main story.
Why The Rock Isn't Returning For Fast X
The reason that The Rock is not returning for Fast X is because of his feud with Vin Diesel. The two Fast & Furious stars clashed during their time together in the series as a result of their very different attitudes and work styles. This included Dwayne Johnson hinting on social media that Diesel is lazy, while The Rock's attempts to take over the franchise did not go unnoticed by the main star. After refusing to film scenes together to make The Fate of the Furious, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson's feud led him to not return for Fast X to avoid further conflict.
