With three months still left in 2015, it has already been a record year at thebox officefor Universal Pictures. The studio has become the first in history to have three movies gross over $1 billion worldwide in the same year,Furious 7,Jurassic WorldandMinions, which contributed to the studio’s record-breaking overall gross of $6.3 billion this year. The studio is already moving forward withJurassic World 2, set for release on July 17, 2025, but a new report fromThe Hollywood Reporterreveals they are having problems with theirFurious 7follow-up,Fast & Furious 8. The studio has already set an July 20, 2025 release date, but this report claims that they are having trouble finding a director, withVin Dieselsaid to be at least partially at fault for the directorial vacancy.
Universal had originally contractedFurious 7directorJames Wanto directFast & Furious 8and the ninth installment as well, but beforeFurious 7completed production, the filmmaker informed the studio that he wanted to makeThe Conjuring: The Enfield Poltergeistinstead. While Universal accepted his decision, they tried to bring back filmmakerJustin Lin, who directedThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,Fast & Furious,Fast FiveandFast & Furious 6. However, he decided to take the helm onStar Trek Beyond, which lead the studio to go back toJames Wan, offering him what is described as “life-altering money.”
This report claims thatJames Wanturned down the studio’s offer forFast & Furious 8, becauseFurious 7was so demanding that it compromised his health. At the heart of this reportedly-traumatic experience was franchise star and producerVin Diesel, who was said to be “extraordinarily difficult.” This is on top of what was an already-troubled production, following the tragic death ofPaul Walker, which required extensive rewrites of the script, reshoots and the use of the late actor’s brothers to fill in as body doubles.Vin Dieselreportedly questioned the tiniest of details, often holding up the complex production, summoning the filmmakers for late-night script sessions to craft new dialogue that he was comfortable with.
However,Vin Diesel’s rep called these reports of the actor being difficult to work with, “complete nonsense.“James Wan’s rep also denied claims of friction between the filmmaker andVin Diesel, aside from the burden of carrying on with the production in the wake ofPaul Walker’s death. ProducerNeal H. Moritzalso shot down reports of the filmmakers having issues withVin Diesel, stating they “wouldn’t be making the eighth film” with him if there was any trouble. Here’s what a Universal spokesperson had to say aboutJames WanandFast & Furious 8.
“The studio and filmmakers loved working withJamesonFurious 7, but he was never in the mix for an eighth film due to a scheduling conflict withThe Conjuring 2. We are actively casting and searching for the right director for the next chapter of the franchise.”
Vin Diesel’s deal with Universal stipulates that the actor/producer must be consulted with about who will directFast & Furious 8, but he doesn’t have the power to veto any of the studio’s choices. Universal has reportedly put out “feelers” to experienced action directors likeJaume Collet-Serra, who was not available to come aboard, and newcomers as well. Other sources claim the studio “fears” thatVin Dieselwill want to direct one of these movies himself. The actor did already write and direct the 18-minute short film Los Bandoleros, which set up his return inFast & Furious, but other sources claim he doesn’t want to “expose himself to such scrutiny” by directing a massive action project. Universal reportedly wants to make three more movies afterFurious 7. What do you think about these new details? Who do you think should directFast & Furious 8?
