Michelle Rodriguez is about to get very busy. Thanks to her previous participation in two relatively successful franchises, Rodriguez has buckled down roles in sequels that are about to go into production. As Variety reports, she’ll participate in the sixth Fast and the Furious film, which Justin Lin will direct(I guess that cat’s out of the bag_ and Rodriguez officially has confirmed a return to the Machete movies for Machete Kills, which Robert Rodriguez will helm.
Those who stayed through the end credits of Lin’s Fast Five learned that Rodriguez’s character, Letty, had not died (as Vin Diesel’s Dom has believed), and that she has become the latest target of Dwayne Johnson’s relentless federal agent. The Fast series has transformed into a high-octane soap opera, so bringing a character like Letty back from the dead isn’t much of a stretch. That and I always thought she fit well with the brash attitude of the burly franchise.
The same can be said for Machete, a modest hit for Rodriguez that’s carried by Danny Trejo’s exploitative charms, but certainly benefits from keeping Rodriguez’s character around. Variety says the sequel begins filming in Texas this May, and finds Trejo’s ex-federale trying to stop a terrorist named Mendez the Madman. In a surprise twist, Rodriguez has tapped Mel Gibson to play Luther Voz, who Variety describes as “a cunning arms dealer and death merchant who aims to spread war across the planet by launching a missile.”
Though Rodriguez isn’t a household name, she has been part of some massive films (including Avatar) and one gigantic TV show (in Lost). I’m happy she’s returning to both of these franchises, because she still has something to say in each of the roles. Do you agree? Or would you like to see Rodriguez try new things?
