Fast X: Possible Fast & Furious Directors to Replace Justin Lin Reportedly Revealed

The Fast & Furious franchise was met with a surprising piece of news on Tuesday, when it was revealed that Justin Lin has stepped down from directing Fast X. The film, which is poised to be the first installment in a two-part finale for the franchise, had just begun filming days prior, and the search for a replacement director is reportedly already underway. A new tweet from The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit sheds more light on who that could potentially be, revealing that F. Gary Gray, who previously directed The Fate of the Furious, as well as Bullet Train and Atomic Blonde director David Leitch, are reportedly being floated as possibilities. That being said, Kit specifies that Leitch is currently lined up to direct Fall Guy, a movie starring Ryan Gosling, and might not be available for Fast X.

A search for a new director is underway, David Leitch and F. Gary Gray are names that have been bandied about are replacements. Lietch, however, is said to be making a Fall Guy movie with Ryan Gosling as his next project. https://t.co/lBg9oYTZq6

— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) April 26, 2022

“With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X, while remaining with the project as a producer,” Lin wrote in a statement announcing his exit. “Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases. On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family.”

Fast X is lined up to be released next year, after previously having been delayed by a month. While it’s unclear exactly when production will begin, the cast and crew of the film have indicated that it will be worth the wait.

“It is back-to-back,” franchise star Vin Diesel previously told ComicBook.com. “The target release date is 02/23 for the first one and 02/24 for the second one. We were supposed to release this movie last year, prior to the pandemic. So I guess what’s different about this release is that we’re a year into development and pre-production on Fast 10. And so I’m doing these interviews and it’s bizarre because I have to go back to Fast 9. I’m celebrating the release of Fast 9, but I have so much more to celebrate.”

Fast X will see the return of Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Michael Rooker, and Charlize Theron. New cast members include Jason Momoa, Daniela Melchior, and Brie Larson.

What do you think of the potential replacement directors for Fast X? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Fast X is poised to drop in theaters on May 19, 2023.