Johnson, Statham go beyond ‘Fast’
Get a peek at “Hobbs and Shaw.”
The basics
Get your engines ready, because “Hobbs and Shaw,” the upcoming “Fast & Furious” spinoff, is prepping to careen into movie theaters. Here’s everything we know about the adrenaline-packed movie:
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham will be front and center in the “Fast & Furious” spinoff for Universal Studios. Though fans were thrilled at the news, few were surprised: Statham’s reformed villain Deckard Shaw and Johnson’s Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs stole the show with their chemistry in scenes from the eighth film, 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious,” prompting speculation about a movie with their characters.
Statham officially joined the franchise (and first threw down with Johnson) in the seventh movie, 2015’s “Furious 7.”
Elba is the new baddie
Idris Elba has signed on to be the villain in the spinoff, to the delight of his co-stars. “He’s bad, but I’m dangerous,” The Rock wrote on Instagram July 5. “Welcome my brotha @idriselba with tattooed and open arms... For years we’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to work together and this film is the perfect one. Every great hero needs an even greater villain. Cue the music... I’ve been waiting... let’s dance.”
Hot director is at the helm
If, like us, you thought “Deadpool 2” rocked, you’re in luck: The same director, David Leitch, is at the helm of “Hobbs and Shaw.” Cameras begin rolling in September.
The family tree grows
Vanessa Kirby is set to play Shaw’s sister (who also happens to be an MI5 agent). “We chopped it up and we had some GREAT chemistry together. She’s a sharp one – this is gonna be fun!” Johnson tweeted.
To refresh your memory, Deckard’s brother Owen Shaw (played by Luke Evans) was the main bad guy of 2013’s “Fast & Furious 6.” But in a turn of events, Owen teamed up with his sibling to help out the heroes in last year’s “Fate of the Furious.”
Diesel is almost definitely not in it
A feud between Vin Diesel, who plays signature anti-hero Dominic Toretto in the franchise, and The Rock went public in the final weeks of filming “The Fate of the Furious” in August 2016, when Johnson took to Facebook and slammed unnamed male co-stars. “Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t,” he said. “When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling – you’re right.”
Before the film’s 2017 release, Diesel told USA TODAY the fight had been “blown out of proportion,” saying the two stars were both “alphas.” Diesel called the FF cast “a family. We all have to be on the same side. You can’t vent out frustrations from an arduous production on Twitter or whatever.”
But in April, Johnson didn’t seem to be over it, clarifying that their blowup was about professionalism.
“Vin and I had a few discussions, including an important face-to-face in my trailer,” Johnson told Rolling Stone, confirming that his and Diesel’s scenes were shot separately. “And what I came to realize is that we have a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating.”
Johnson added that he was “not quite sure” if he and Diesel would work together again. “Right now I’m concentrating on making the spinoff as good as it can be. But I wish him all the best, and I harbor no ill will there, just because of the clarity we have.” The magazine said he changed his mind a moment later with a laugh: “Actually, you can erase that last part about ‘no ill will.’ We’ll just keep it with the clarity.”
It’s about money, honey
It’s no surprise that Universal is investing in this spinoff. The “Fast & Furious” franchise, which launched in 2001, has grossed more than $5 billion worldwide. There’s no signs of a flat tire: 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious” earned nearly $1.2 billion worldwide.