Fast X: Dwayne Johnson Breaks Silence on Vin Diesel Feud and Franchise Return

By Jamie Jirak

Dwayne Johnson first appeared as Luke Hobbs in the Fast Saga in Fast Five, and he went on to co-star in the next four films in addition to his own spin-off, The Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. In 2021, franchise star Vin Diesel made a public plea to Johnson, asking him to return to the franchise. The Rock slammed Diesel's request, calling it "an example of his manipulation," so when Johnson showed up in the post-credit scene of Fast X, fans were shocked that the actor changed his mind. His appearance led to speculation that there would be a Hobbs & Shaw sequel, but it turns out the franchise has a different spin-off in mind for Johnson. Today, The Rock took to social media to address his return and his feud with Diesel. 

"Hope you've got your funderwear on," Johnson began. "HOBBS IS BACK. And he just got lei'd 🌺😈 Luke Hobbs will be returning to the Fast & Furious franchise. Your reactions around the world to Hobbs' return in Fast X have blown us away 🤯🙏🏾🌍 The next Fast & Furious film you'll see the legendary lawman in will be the HOBBS movie that will serve as a fresh, new chapter & set up for FASTX: Part II. Last summer Vin and I put all the past behind us. We'll lead with brotherhood and resolve – and always take care of the franchise, characters & FANS that we love. I've built my career on an " Audience First" mentality and that will always serve as my North Star ⭐️ Congratulations to my Fast Family & Universal Studios on the global success of FAST X and as always, Hobbs & @SevenBucksProd are motivated to help take the Fast franchise to new and exciting places for fans worldwide. 'Daddy's gotta go to work' ~ HOBBS." You can check out Johnson's video in the post below:

What Has Vin Diesel Said About The Rock's Return?

Fast X also featured the return of Gal Gadot as Gisele, who dies back in the sixth movie. Recently, Diesel addressed the return of both Gadot and Johnson but didn't actually address his feud with The Rock. 

"We have such a great cast," Diesel said when ET asked about Johnson's return. "We lead with love. We try to create an environment where people can do their best work." He added, "That's all actors really want, is to feel as though they're supported to create unique characters. Characters that last forever ... and you see that in this franchise."

How Did Fast X Get The Rock Back?

Last month, Fast X director Louis Leterrier spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and explained how he managed to get Johnson to change his mind about returning to the franchise. 

"The peace treaty," Leterrier repeated with a laugh. "I kind of did. We all did. Ultimately, the movie did. I didn't know Dwayne, personally, but we reached out to Dwayne and Dwayne's team. We sort of looked at each other from across the room and winked a few months back, saying, "We should work together." And then I had this idea and I presented it to the producers and the studio. And then we reached out to Dwayne and his team and said, "Just come and watch the movie. You have to love the movie first." So he came to see the movie and really loved it, and then we started talking. It was very smooth, and frankly, as a fan, I could not conceive continuing the franchise without either Dwayne or Gal Gadot. This franchise was built by actors and characters. The set pieces are wonderful. They keep you entertained and keep you shoving popcorn in your mouth, but the characters make this franchise what it is."

Fast X is now playing in theaters. 

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