Ahead of the May release of Fast X, the Fast & Furious franchise names a familiar helmer to steer the series' final film in the right direction.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Louis Leterrier will return to direct Fast & Furious 11 after stepping in last May to complete production for Fast X. The return of the French helmer, who is also known for his work on the Transporter franchise and Now You See Me, was confirmed in a statement by Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer. "Louis joined the Fast & Furious team seamlessly, with an innate understanding of the franchise that is stronger than ever after two decades," Cramer said. "Under his direction, Fast X is a high-intensity thriller with all the spectacular action, emotion and twists that the fans have come to expect — and then some. We are thrilled that he will continue to work his magic in the director’s chair."
Universal has a strong working relationship with Leterrier given he also directed blockbusters such as 2008's The Incredible Hulk and 2010's Clash of the Titans. He has now been tapped for Fast & Furious 11, which serves as the second of a two-part series finale for the titular action franchise alongside Fast X. Starting in 2001 with the eponymous original film, the Fast & Furious series has raked in over $6 billion at the global box office, with Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto as its franchise staple throughout its extensive run.
Leterrier was called upon to direct Fast X following the sudden and controversial departure of previous franchise helmer Justin Lin. Lin was a Fast & Furious staple since directing 2006's Tokyo Drift, subsequently helming the next three installments of the series and 2021's F9. However, Lin left Fast X production last April following a major fallout with Diesel, whose on-set behavior reportedly became too much for him to take. After Leterrier was selected as Lin's replacement, he admitted to changing everything about Lin's Fast X story to make it work. Despite Lin's exit from the project, he retains writing and producing credits on Fast X.
The Penultimate Fast & Furious Film
Fast X features some fresh nuances, particularly the inclusion of Jason Momoa's villain Dante Reyes, the son of Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes, who was killed in Rio de Janeiro by Dom and Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) during Fast Five. Dante is out to avenge his dad's slaying in Fast X, teaming up with cyberterrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron) to mastermind a potentially fatal plan for Dom and his loved ones. Alternatively, Fast X also includes the return of the fabled quarter-mile drag race, a staple that helped make the early Fast & Furious movies popular with fans. Though the traditional race makes a comeback in the upcoming movie, fans will be treated to the first-ever vertical race in Fast X, an eye-opener that follows up the stunning rocket-powered car that made its way to space during F9.
Fast & Furious franchise mainstays Sung Kang, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez also feature in Fast X while John Cena reprises his role from F9 as Dom's brother Jakob and Brie Larson makes her series debut as Mr. Nobody's rogue daughter Tess. Diesel recently promised Fast & Furious 11 will see the franchise give a proper sendoff to Walker, who died from a car accident in 2013 and made his last franchise appearance in Furious 7.
Fast X opens in theaters on May 19. Fast & Furious 11 does not yet have a release date.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter