That was unexpected: the official The Fast Saga Twitter account announced that a member of the Fast & Furious family will no longer ride with us – at least not in the way we anticipated. Justin Lin, who directed the franchise's first five movies (as well as Star Trek Beyond), has stepped down as director of Fast X.
Lin personally wrote the message, which he describes as a "tough decision." It had to be, because the tenth installment of the franchise is currently in production, with a release date of May 2023. Last Friday, series star Vin Diesel stated that filming had begun, implying that Lin was involved in plotting the entire film. Lin penned:
"With Universal's help, I've made the painful choice to stand down as director of 'Fast X,' while remaining a producer on the film." We've been able to shoot the best actors, stunts, and damn vehicle chases over the course of ten years and five films. On a personal note, as the son of Asian immigrants, I am happy to have contributed to the development of the most diverse film franchise in history. For their support and for bringing me into the FAST family, I will be eternally thankful to the incredible cast, crew, and studio."
Lin's departure is especially perplexing given that he was set to direct not only Fast X, but also the franchise's next two entries. To send Dom Toretto and his buddies out in the most dramatic way imaginable, the final three laps of the Fast & Furious film series are being planned as a trilogy. As various directors take over the movie now that Lin has dropped out, we could see a big shift in tone and direction of the plot.
But not all is lost: while Lin is still listed as a producer, it's likely that he'll have a voice in what happens throughout the plot, though it's difficult to say how much he'll be able to influence the franchise's closing chapters. For the time being, we'll have to wait for more information about his departure.
Fast X also stars Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, and Charlize Theron, as well as Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, and Sung Kang, as well as returning main cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, and Sung Kang. The plot will go deeper into the Toretto family's history.
