When it comes to movies, they can many times be a very fluid thing. And we mean that in a good way for the most part. Things can change and evolve, sometimes reshoots are needed, and so on. But the other side of that coin is that the “fluidity” can sometimes lead to a key person leaving the movie before it’s done, or before it’s even begun. For Fast X, this was supposed to be not just the tenth film in the highly-successful franchise, but the beginning of the end for the saga. Instead, it’s now marred by the fact that Justin Lin, its director, has left just a week into filming.
Naturally, everyone has opinions about what happened and why it happened like it did. But according to one source, it was all because of his interactions with star Vin Diesel:
“I’ve never seen anything like it. Lin’s giving up $10 or $20 million [as director],” a veteran producer not involved with Fast & Furious noted. According to the source, “Diesel shows up late to the set. He doesn’t know his lines. And he shows up out of shape.”
This may seem like a random thing to say, but just days before his departure, Vin Diesel went up to Justin Lin in an Instagram video and “interviewed” him about what was going on. And if you watch it, you’ll see that Lin isn’t very comfortable at all. Perhaps that was one of the final straws in terms of him departing?
Here’s what Lin had to say about leaving before:
“With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X, while remaining with the project as a producer,” Lin said in an April 26 statement. “Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases. On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family.”
Source: NY Daily News
