The upcoming eighth edition in the Fast and the Furious franchise already has an April 2017 release date, but the one thing the film (set to be the first in a new trilogy) doesn’t have is a director.
If star Vin Diesel has his way, however, not only will be be sitting behind the wheel of a souped-up car in the anticipated sequel, he’ll also be sitting in the director’s chair.
Diesel just wrote a lengthy Facebook post, reports Deadline, in which he points to his mother’s advice: “Either you direct 8 yourself… or don’t do it.”;
Whether that comes to pass or not is, at this point, anybody’s guess, and Deadline quotes some anonymous insiders who point out that while Diesel is acting like he’s controlling the project, he’s not actually in the driver’s seat.
Related: Vin Diesel Clears Up “Furious 8′ Rumours
“Vin Diesel has been very controlling in this process,” said “one person with knowledge of the meetings between the producers and the studio”; to Deadline, while another source added: “He’s just being Vin. He wants control over everything, but he’s not in control, the studio is. It’s their money. That being said, I’m sure it will work out.”;
“Sources note that there is a little bit of work to do yet on the script, but that a director hire is a couple of weeks away,”; notes Deadline, and if that happens to be Vin Diesel, well, stranger things have happened.
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Here’s Diesel’s Facebook post in its entirety:
It is no secret that my good friend Justin and I have been very intensely discussing the trilogy, as we have dreamed it for almost a decade. We know that when we re-team we will shock the world. It is also no secret that he is finishing Trek for JJ and won’t be done in time for us to make the date the studio wanted me to announce of April 14th 2017.
This would leave 8 without an obvious go to director…
I will share something crazy that my mother said six months ago after the studio had me announce the date for 8 to the world… ” Either you direct 8 yourself… or don’t do it.” Some of you vinbook pioneers are all too familiar with my mother’s wisdom, as I have posted her sayings in the past on Our page… but I wrote it off as just a mother’s love and belief in me, though she has seen first hand what I’ve done to make these movies defy expectations and become increasingly successful, even when the studio thought I was crazy… haha.
Back to the matter of 8… First and most importantly is the SCRIPT, which has to be great. Hopefully the writer will deliver something within the next two weeks… before my Witch Hunter press tour begins. There has always been the desire by Paul to have Rob direct one more, this is what fueled my campaign… I believe that he can and would reset the franchise nicely, returning to what was the core of the film in the beginning… racing. He would also handle the Brian O’connor issue with integrity, given that he and David Ayer were the ones who initially created that beloved character in the first place.
Ultimately we all want the best film to honor what we have created and what you the audience has adopted as your favorite franchise. I will leave this matter in the studios hands for a moment while I release The Last Witch Hunter and start production of the long awaited “Xander Returns”.
Again, we make these films with Our hearts.