The Fast and Furious spinoff is finally starting to come together over at Universal, and Dwayne Johnson recently did what Dwayne Johnson does best: Coming together on social to share a candid shot of him taking notes on the script for Hobbs and Shaw while also thanking the fans for sticking around while the franchise tries something new. Take a look at the latest from The Rock, below.
We haven't heard much about what the spinoff will be about so far. Some of what Dwayne Johnson mentions is repeat info, like the fact that Chris Morgan is writing the movie. Still, along with thanking the fans for sticking with the franchise, he also mentions we'll be hearing more about additional casting on Hobbs and Shaw soon. Obviously Johnson isn't going to be the person to bash on a movie he's starring in, but from what he's been saying, the movie might have a different "tone" than what we've come to expect from a Fast and Furious flick, as well.
As for the comments thanking the fans, those are coming a few months after The Fast and Furious spinoff was announced. At the time we learned about the spinoff, we also learned the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham starrer would be pushing back the release of the upcoming ninth movie starring the original cast. This was not as smooth of a transition as it could have been, as longtime series actor Tyrese Gibson ranted on social media about how Johnson specifically screwed the fast family over when signing on for a spinoff, noting at the time that he and the rest of the cast "don't fly solo."
It got so bad that Vin Diesel---who notoriously didn't get along with The Rock on set---had to come in and do damage control, saying,
I know there has been a lot of speculation as to why the Fast 9 release date was pushed... but it would be unfair to say it is anyone's fault. As we plot the course to expand the Fast & Furious universe, one must be mindful to take stock of the roads we took to get here. The pillars of authenticity, family and most importantly, our loyal fan's perspective has been instrumental in procuring success.
That's a lot of drama for a movie that hasn't even gone into production, yet. Somehow, Jason Statham has managed to stay out of this whole thing, and Dwayne Johnson genuinely seems excited about moving forward with the new Hobbs and Shaw premise. Plus, we've gotten eight Fast and Furious movies so far -- many of them great. Still, it should be nice just to switch gears and try something new for once. Hopefully, the fans will stick around to check it out.
David Leitch is directing the new movie, and Hobbs and Shaw is currently expected to hit theaters on July 26, 2019. Fast and Furious 9 will then hit theaters the next year, on April 10, 2020. For now, be sure to take a look at everything we know about the upcoming film.
