Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson May Be Getting a Fast and Furious Spin-Off After All

Following reports that Vin Diesel cut some exclusive Jason Statham and The Rock scenes in Fast 8, it appears the duo can’t slow down and will get a spin-off.

(Warning: Very mild spoilers for Fast 8: The Fate of the Furious are discussed in this article.)

While it’s more than apparent that Vin Diesel has cracked the code and knows exactly what it takes to keep the Fast and the Furious franchise alive and well, it appears that he’s underestimated his co-stars just a little bit. Make no mistake, as producer of Fast 8: The Fate of the Furious, all the credit belongs to him. Diesel’s success overseas is part of what makes him such a blockbuster titan.

But what Fast 8 certainly proved is that a little bit of funny goes a long way. And, of course, the funniest and most charming duo in the latest entry was Jason Statham and Dwayne The Rock Johnson.

I left the theater in total amazement as to how F. Gary Gray took a one-off villain like Deckard Shaw and turned him into one of the most heartwarming characters of the entire saga. Apparently, someone decided to unleash Statham’s inner charm bomb and gave him a green light to trash talk and even … do some baby talk.

It was astounding. And combined with The Rock’s natural glow, the movie begged for more Shaw and Hobbs scenes.

Luckily, Deadline reports that a spin-off is currently in development at Universal. Obviously, this is good news for anyone who really wanted to see Hobbs beat Shaw like a Cherokee drum.

According to the report:

"The franchise architects have said they might broaden the universe with spinoffs, and source said this is the one they are pursuing."

Obviously, that’s something akin to a cinematic universe. Which is quickly becoming the most competitive form of franchise building right now with theme park attractions and the like. (See: Star Wars, Marvel and Harry Potter.) Dollar, dollar bill, y’all.

However, what remains to be seen is how Vin Diesel figures into all of this. The Fast and the Furious films only exist as far as the tenth film, while spin-offs carry a renewed aspect of longevity. Will his character cameo, like in Tokyo Drift? Will he still get some sort of producer’s credit?

Or is this The Rock’s way of showing him the door?

Let’s face facts: Can you show Dominic Toretto the door? Is that even possible? Indeed, what is the fate of the furious? Is a spin-off viable? Are you interested in seeing Jason and The Rock’s fast family films? Let us know in the comments below.

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