"Fast & Furious 8" is gearing up to continue its saga of showcasing superior racing cars and non-stop, heart-pumping action scenes — minus main man Brian O'Conner played by the late Paul Walker.
According to Parent Herald, Paul Walker's untimely demise has led to disturbing anxiety for "Fast & Furious" fans wondering what will happen to the then franchise's production of "Fast & Furious 7." Thankfully, because of the magic of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and brothers Cody and Caleb Walker, the film was able to come up with a solution to finish the movie in honor of Paul Waker.
Neal H. Moritz, franchise producer for "Fast & Furious" said in a Screenrant interview that what makes the franchise's special is because of its characters who are very relatable.
Moritz said, "We're lucky that we have a lot of great characters. Unfortunately, we don't have Paul anymore. His character... has moved on. But we feel like there's a lot still to be mined. That's where we're starting. We're really talking about the characters, where they all sit right now. It's a huge challenge."
Paul Walker's legacy in the "Fast & Furious" franchise is unquestionable. Many fans' hearts have been broken because of his unexpected departure, which was also probably why "Fast & Furious 7" was the most successful in both box office earnings and ratings among the previous installments of the action film.
Actor Vin Diesel told MTV News, "Paul used to say that ['Fast & Furious'] 8 was guaranteed and, in some ways, when you're brother guarantees something, you have to make sure it comes to pass."
"So, if fate has it — fate, F8 — then you'll get it. 'Furious 7′ was for Paul; 8 is from Paul."
In other news, "Fast & Furious 8" will see Jason Statham returning to give fans a lot of action. Although no word has been leaked about the plot for "Fast & Furious 8," the "Transporter" star teased in a recent interview with Daily Mail to expect from the next film some "great stuff." There were speculations if his character Deckard Shaw will join Vin Diesel's crew or remain an antagonist, as per Movie News Guide.
Aside from Vin Diesel and Jason Statham, other returning stars are Dwayne Johnson and Michelle Rodriguez.
Meanwhile, Christian Today reported that no director has been chosen yet to replace directors Justin Lin and James Wan who stepped down for "Fast & Furious 8," and, aside from that, the screenplay and plot has to be finalized first before actually hiring another talented director to helm the movie.
As per Cinema Blend, producer Neal Moritz detailed that they were brainstorming the direction they're going to take in the sequel to "Fast & Furious 7," and in order to do so, a script must be done and ready.
"What we decided is that we are going to be a little further down the development process on the screenplay before we bring in a director," said Moritz. "We have talked to a lot of directors, but we just haven't made that decision because we're trying to still wrap our heads, 100 percent, about what the next 'Fast & Furious' is. Once we do that, then we'll bring in the director."
Screenwriters for the "Fast & Furious 8" will have to work double time because as early as now, fans of the hit franchise can't wait for it to hit the theaters on April 14, 2017.
