When Paul Walker was unexpectedly killed in a car accident nobody was quite sure what would happen to his most successful film franchise. For his main co-star, there was one thing that convinced him the next movie needed to happen. Vin Diesel says that he personally wondered if he'd be able to make another Fast & Furious movie without Walker working with him, but the moment that pushed him to do it was when he saw Walker himself talking about an eighth film in the franchise.
It wasn't just a question of whether this franchise could work without Paul. It was whether I could even survive doing it without Paul. I'd seen this video of Paul guaranteeing eight, while we were making seven. That hit me.
Vin Diesel's comments echo those of another Fast and Furious star. Michelle Rodriguez had gone on record as saying that Paul Walker was the real heart of the franchise, being a lover of cars and racing, and that not having him on the set does really harm the dynamic in a real way. Diesel seems to be saying the same thing
Apparently, when your friend who passed away says you're going to make part eight, you just have to make part eight. Vin Diesel's comments are part of a new story in Total Film (via GamesRadar). His comments appear to be referencing a 2013 interview with Collider in which Paul Walker said an eighth film in the franchise was "guaranteed" more than a year before Furious 7 was even released. Specifically, he stated that enough sequels were under consideration to bring the franchise to a full 10 films, but that the eighth film was a guarantee even if Furious 7 bombed. Not only did Furious 7 not bomb, it went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
While there may have been a question about the Fast & Furious movies continuing without Paul Walker, for the most part, it seemed to be business as usual, following the release of Furious 7. The movie opened so big that the next film was given a green light as fast as possible, and ninth and tenth films have also been officially added to the upcoming slate. The franchise will wrap up exactly as Paul Walker had foreseen it, which will surely be bittersweet for the rest of the cast and crew as he won't be around to see it end.
How much the audience needs Paul Walker to be part of the franchise remains to be seen, but the new film, The Fate of the Furious, certainly looks to be bringing the same energy and over the top action to the screen that the last film did. Are you excited to see The Fate of the Furious even though Paul Walker will be missing? Let us know in the comments.
