While “Fast & Furious 7” continues to make its push towards becoming the third highest-grossing movie of all time as it is just behind by roughly $7 million to Marvels “Avengers,” as of end-June with $1.511 billion worldwide box-office haul, the internet is already abuzz with talks on “Fast & Furious 8.”
The movie is still less than two years away as “Fast & Furious 8” has a playdate on April 14, 2017, but reports or speculations are already coming in trickles on who the possible new cast members of the movie will be.
Immediately after the release of “Fast & Furious 7” on theaters in April, Vin Diesel, who plays Dominic ‘Dom’ Toretto in the franchise, confirmed in an interview that veteran actor Kurt Russell will be back on the next installment of the movie franchise as his character Mr. Nobody.
Apparently, the actor signed up not just for one movie but three so it means that Kurt Russell is still good until the ninth installment of the movie.
Subsequently last month, reports came out that Eva Mendes will be coming back to the franchise to reprise her role as Customs agent Monica Fuentes who last appeared in “2 Fast 2 Furious” but had a brief appearance in the post-credits of “Fast & Furious 5” back in 2011.
Shaw will show up again
Now, the latest word from the grapevine is that Jason Statham will also be returning on “Fast & Furious 8” to reprise his role of Deckard Shaw.
In a recent interview, Statham confirmed that he signed up to play Deckard Shaw again for “Fast & Furious 8” and that he was just a newcomer that got invited to the party. He added that it was nice to know that he is going to do another movie for the very successful movie franchise, details KpopStarz.
However in addition to the British action star, Hollywood icon and British Dame, actress Helen Mirren is reportedly being groomed to play a villain role in “Fast & Furious 8,” which according to Vin Diesel would be a great honor for everyone in the cast because it’s Helen Mirren.
For her part, Helen said that joining Vin Diesel and company in the successful movie franchise is not just an honor for her but also one of her great ambitions as an actress.
A wedge between Dom and Lety
In a report last month, it has been said that the return of Eva Mendes to the franchise will drive a wedge in the relationship of Dom and Lety.
Along with her pretty face, Mendes will also be causing a stir on the relationship of Dom Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, and Letty Ortiz, portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez.
There have also been reports saying that Cody Walker, the brother of Paul Walker who pinch-hit for him as Brian O’Conner in “Fast & Furious 7,” will also be back in the upcoming sequel though not as Brian but an altogether new character.
Instead of UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, it will be the turn of UFC women’s strawweight champion Joana Jedrzejczyk who will make her acting debut in “Fast & Furious 8.”
Universal Studios, however, has yet to make an announcement or issue a statement to confirm or deny these initial reports, so all these information are mere speculations at this time.
In several interviews, Vin Diesel revealed that aside from the fact that the next sequel to the very successful “Fast & Furious 7” will be set in New York City, it shall also have a meatier role for veteran actor Kurt Russell.