Just as Fast X was starting to film the beginning of the end, long-time director Justin Lin abruptly left the project. This could have shuffled the schedule of upcoming Vin Diesel movies, but quick thinking in the face of huge financial penalties made sure that didn’t have to happen. As production is now back on track after the hiring of new director Louis Leterrier, Vin has a message for the fans about just how lucky the Fast Saga family is.
That luck isn’t only from the fact that this new hire came in such short order. Filming a quick video with Fast co-star Nathalie Emmanuel, Vin Diesel used his Instagram platform to once again thank the fans for their tireless support. You can observe that message for yourself, as well as read the accompanying caption, below:
Focusing on this Fast X related social media post for a second, Vin Diesel is right to acknowledge the “miracle” of both the fandom and the process that’s helped this tenth installment exist. With an impressive cast of Fast Saga veterans and newcomers, the penultimate chapter of Dominic Toretto and his criminal family’s antics is an important milestone. Having to find a new director, while balancing those expectations, almost looked like it would be a nightmare.
Surprisingly, it’s only been about a month since Justin Lin left Fast X, with “creative differences” being cited as the cause of the split. That didn’t stop the internet and other outlets from picking up on rumors as to what those differences were. As most might have guessed, the allegations were that Lin’s patience with Vin Diesel’s behavior on set were the reason. Again, those claims aren’t exactly iron clad fact, but good luck trying to debunk them.
Whatever may be the truth, if what we know about Fast X still holds up, then we’re about to see the back to back production of the final entries in the series proper. Miracles alone won’t sustain this massive finale long enough to cross the finish line, which is why both creative partners and fans are equally important. Paying tribute to both in his social media update, Vin Diesel certainly looks like he’s hard at work fulfilling his end of the bargain.
We’ll see what the results look like when Fast X starts its engines in theaters on May 19, 2023; so there’s still time to catch up on any Fast Saga installments you might have missed. The most recent film, F9, is streaming on HBO Max at the time of this writing. There’s always the lineup of 2022 movie releases that will be able to help you pass the time between now and then. Just be sure to check that listing from time to time, as there’s always changes to be made, and maybe another Vin Diesel movie or two to search out.
