Despite his murderous debut in the post-credits scene of Fast and the Furious 6, Jason Statham views his character Deckard Shaw as a misunderstood antagonist rather than a true villain.
"I think Shaw was sort of misunderstood when he first came on to the screen in the early [appearances in previous Fast and Furious films], and as we start to unravel what he’s all about, we come to understand that he really isn’t a villain," Statham told Entertainment Weekly. "But you don’t need to get on the wrong side of him. He’s very resourceful, and he’s quite an intense character."
The character murdered longtime ally Han Seoul-Oh in the post-credits scene before serving as the primary antagonist in Furious 7, leading to his first fight against Luke Hobbs.
Eventually, Shaw joined forces with Hobbs and the Fast and Furious crew against a mutual enemy in The Fate of the Furious, rescuing Dom Toretto's infant son in mid-flight with his brother Owen. Since then, Deckard's family has slowly become more visible, including his mother Magdalene and sister Hattie, the latter of which will make her debut in this summer's Fast & Furious Present: Hobbs & Shaw against Idris Elba's new villain Brixton. It is unknown if Statham will reprise his role as Deckard Shaw in next year's Fast and Furious 9.
Directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2) from a script by longtime Fast & Furious narrative architect Chris Morgan, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw stars Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba and Vanessa Kirby. The film arrives Aug. 2.