[Update: NowVarietyadds thatCharlize Theronis also potentially part of this spinoff idea, which throws some doubt onto where the mainFast and Furiousfranchise is at going into its final two films.]
TheFast & Furiousfranchise proper may be headed for a conclusion withFast & Furious 10, but the possibilities forothercharacters are just beginning. The undeniable standout fromFate of the Furiouswas the chemistry betweenDwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs andJason Statham’s Deckard Shaw, and now Deadline reports that Universal Pictures is developing a spinoff that would focus on these two characters.Chris Morgan, who’s scripted everyFast & Furiousmovie sinceTokyo Drift, will pen the script for this untitled spinoff, and the idea is for Luke Hobbs to form “an unlikely alliance” with Shaw as the two team up for some kind of ass-kicking adventure.
This is still early days, but Deadline notes that Universal could move forward with this movie ASAP while they figure out whatFast & Furious 9will be. Morgan is the architect of this franchise and has said thatFatebegins a trilogy arc that will conclude withFast & Furious 10, hinting thatCharlize Theron’s hacker character Ciphercould be a big part of that overarching story. Morganalsorecently responded to fan outcry over Shaw being welcomed into theFatefamily after killing Han by noting there’s more to Shaw’s backstory that we’ll find out in future movies.
It’s unclear how this will affect the mainFast & Furiousfranchise, which remains a box office behemoth.Fatescored the largest worldwide box office opening in history with over $500 million in its first weekend, but as audiences still flock to these films, the movie showed signs of franchise aging.I pointed out in an editorial recentlythatVin Diesel’s Dom has become something of a wet blanket for the series, while Johnson’s Hobbs and Statham’s Shaw were what really madeFatea fun and compelling movie. My answer was to phase Dom out entirely, but it appears Universal may be going a different direction by just giving Hobbs and Dom their own franchise.
This isn’t an entirely new notion. After Johnson’s Hobbs was introduced inFast Fiveto stellar results, the studio began discussions about a potential spinoff for his character. Johnson’s schedule is jam-packed and that film never came to fruition, but Johnson remained a key member of the team inFast & Furious 6andFurious 7. Reports of on-set tension between Johnson and Diesel heated up during the production ofFate, so perhaps this spinoff idea is a solution to keeping the two performers separate. Indeed, the fact that Johnson and Diesel aren’t ever in a scene together inFateis distracting (you’ll notice a heavy use of doubles and even CG), and since Diesel is a producer on the franchise, it’s kinda hard to kick him out of the series in favor of Johnson.
So maybe this is a win-win. Diesel gets to continue and possibly conclude a franchise that helped kick off his career, and Johnson and Statham get to shine in their own series. Although if this means Johnson and Statham are out ofFurious 9and10, those are gonna be some dull movies.
What say you folks? Are you down with this spinoff idea? Sound off in the comments below.
