Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson delivered a harsh verdict following Vin Diesel's plea for him to return to the Fast & Furious franchise.

"I was very surprised by Vin's recent post," Johnson told CNN in regards to Diesel publicly asking him to reprise his role as Luke Hobbs for Fast & Furious 10. "This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly - and privately - that I would not be returning to the franchise. I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return. I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem."

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"Vin's recent public post was an example of his manipulation," Johnson continued. "I didn't like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker's death. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding. My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible Fast & Furious franchise with gratitude and grace. It's unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters. Regardless, I'm confident in the 'Fast' universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience, and I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter."

Johnson first portrayed Hobbs -- an enemy-turned-ally of Diesel's Dom Torreto -- in 2011's Fast Five, and he returned for not only the next three films but the Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw spinoff. However, he didn't appear in this year's F9 and confirmed he wouldn't return for the next sequel either, prompting Diesel to make his plea on social media

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The issues between Diesel and Johnson date back several years. In 2016, it was believed that it was all a publicity stunt to build up hype for a WrestleMania encounter on The Rock's home turf of WWE. The following year, it seemed this was no act and that bad blood truly existed between the two actors. Diesel suggested it had been put to bed in early 2017, saying, "I think some things may be blown out of proportion. I don't think that was his intention. I know he appreciates how much I work this franchise. In my house, he’s Uncle Dwayne."

While many believed the feud was officially over by 2019, things reignited in June 2021 when Diesel suggested the beef was intended to help Johnson improve his acting skills. "I laughed and I laughed hard," The Rock said in response to Diesel's comments. "I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me."

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Fast & Furious 10 races into theaters May 19, 2023.

Source: CNN