Contrary to previous reports that “Fast & Furious 7” is the first movie in a trilogy that will finally conclude the franchise, it is actually “Fast & Furious 8” which is to become the first film in a splendid trilogy to wrap up the series.
The confirmation came no less from movie lead actor and producer Vin Diesel when he recently guested on “The Tonight’s Show with Jimmy Fallon,” details Movie News Guide.
Diesel was quoted as saying during the show that three more movies for the trilogy and that will close the “Fast and Furious” franchise. With its $2.3 billion box-office haul for all of the seven movies, it is only fitting to give the franchise a graceful end.
It was also during the show that Diesel confirmed that the setting of “Fast & Furious 8” will be in New York City and not in Los Angeles as some speculations put it.
Film gets a director
“Fast & Furious 8” has also landed a director in F. Gary Grey who previously helmed “The Italian Job.”
Grey is a music video and film director who agreed to helm the next installment of the “Fast & Furious..” He actually made the confirmation himself when he posted it on his Twitter account while saying that he can’t ask for better partners in Vin, Neal, and Universal, details Venture Capital Post.
The director is noted for his work on the American biographical drama “Straight Outta Compton,” which is a story about the rise and fall of California hip-hop group N.W.A., as well as 2009’s “Law Abiding Citizen,” and 2005’s “Be Cool.”
Vin Diesel and the producers wanted to tap James Wan again for the eighth film after he successfully steered “Fast & Furious 7” into becoming the fifth highest grossing movie of all time, but the director opted out.
Wan said that he will be concentrating instead on the sequel to his popular horror film, “The Conjuring.”
Reports also have it that Justin Lin was also offered the job, but he was already busy working on the next “Star Trek” film. Lin helmed the third up to the sixth film of the “Fast and Furious” series.
Though it is not part of the final trilogy to the conclude the series on a high note, the very successful “Fast & Furious 7” is the series closure to the character played by the late Paul Walker in the franchise – Bryan O’Connor.
It was clear from the ending that Dominic ‘Dom’ Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, and the rest of the gang have said their goodbyes to Bryan O’Connor and most especially to Paul Walker as a colleague and good friend.
Paul’s influence will still be there
While Paul Walker will no longer be in “Fast & Furious 8” to be shown in April 14, 2017, his influence will still be in the film, says actress Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Letty Ortiz in the franchise.
Rodriguez only confirmed the recent statement of Vin Diesel in an earlier interview that Walker will still have his influence on the film because he is part of the franchise and the family no matter what.
In a recent interview, Michelle disclosed that they will start filming for “Fast & Furious 8” in summer of 2016 and that it would be a bittersweet experience for everyone in the troop without Paul.
“Fast & Furious 8” is still more than a year and a half from its release date in April 2017 but casting rumors are already running plenty on the internet, most of them speculate the addition of new female characters to either join Dominic ‘Dom’ Toretto’s group or go up against them.
The first to have made it to the rumor mill is Eva Mendes which did not come as a surprise since she was already part of the “Too Fast Too Furious” movie and also had a cameo in “Fast Five” both as Custom agent Monica Fuentes.