F9 director Justin Lin didn't take the franchise's long-rumored trip into outer space lightly.
With today's trailer drop for F9 out now, Lin has been doing press -- and the conversations have all focused on the rocket car seen in the trailer, teasing the series is heading to space. Lin said the time finally felt right, and star Vin Diesel agreed.
"I went and visited Vin, and we looked at each other and we said, 'Alright, this is it – this is the one, because we finally have earned it'," Lin told Empire. "Once we made that commitment, I was on the phone with a lot of confused rocket scientists trying to learn the physics of things, and it definitely created some really fun conversations."
Lin said the movie takes the decision seriously, and he did plenty of research to make sure they did things right. "I'm on the phone with scientists, learning about fuel and physics," Lin told The Hollywood Reporter. "It was great, having the scientists on the other line going, 'wait, what? What are you trying to do?' I love it."
Those worried that the rocket car reveal spoils the film's biggest moment need not worry, as Lin promised to Empire. "A lot of the time as a filmmaker, you’re so scared because you’re like, 'Oh my god, are they giving away the whole movie?!' And I can promise you, even with these two long trailers, there’s still a lot that we have not shared with the world."
Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob.
Directed by Justin Lin, F9 stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell and Charlize Theron. The film arrives in theaters June 25.
Source: Empire, The Hollywood Reporter