Los Angeles: Filmmaker Louis Leterrier, who is known for his work in films such as ‘The Incredible Hulk’ and the first two ‘Transporter’ film is set to take over the director’s chair on ‘Fast X’ from Justin Lin.
According to ‘Variety’, the decision comes less than a week after Lin’s surprise departure from the helm of the 10th installment in the main ‘Fast and Furious’ movie franchise.
Leterrier is Universal picture’s first choice, and schedules are still being hammered out.
He comes to the franchise with a wide array of experience in the action realm. He expanded his directing career in 2005 with two modestly budgeted action showcases for Jet Li (‘Unleashed’) and Jason Statham (‘Transporter 2’), and he transitioned into studio tentpoles with 2008’s ‘The Incredible Hulk’, 2010’s ‘Clash of the Titans’ and 2013’s ‘Now You See Me’.
The French filmmaker turned to television with two hit Netflix series: 2019’s ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ and 2021’s ‘Lupin’.
Even in Lin’s absence, cameras have still been rolling: With stars like Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron and newcomer Jason Momoa already on set, Universal paused production on the main unit while the second unit continued filming in the UK.
Dan Mazeau wrote the screenplay with Lin. Producers include Diesel, Neal Moritz, Lin, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Samantha Vincent.
Then there’s the wrinkle that ‘Fast X’ was originally envisioned as the first of a two-part conclusion to the ‘Fast & Furious’ saga.
Filmmakers behind the final chapter have “contemplated” splitting the feature into two parts, a source close to the shoot said, though the production schedule at present would only accommodate the first film in a potential final pair.
–IANS