Fast & Furious 7 Director James Wan Can’t Process Paul Walker’s Death

Fans, friends, & family of actor Paul Walker are still reeling over the news of his tragic death in a car accident. As it should be, the focus has been on remembering Paul Walker's life and offering condolences to the 15 year old daughter that he left behind. By all accounts, Walker was one of the good guys in the world of Hollywood celebrities. While it seems all to often that the only times that celebrities make the news is when they are embroiled in a scandal, Walker appeared to live a scandal-free life dedicated to his work, his family, and charity. The fact that his last hours on Earth were spent raising money for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan should tell everyone all they need to know about the type of man Paul Walker was. In the aftermath of such a tragic loss, it seems somewhat trivial to even wonder what his death means for the Fast & Furious franchise, but those questions are already being raised. Some websites are already reporting inside knowledge of how Fast & Furious producers will address the tragedy, but the reality is those decisions probably won't be made anytime soon. As Fast & Furious 7 director James Wan wrote on Twitter, "I am so beyond heartbroken right now. I can't process anything." The way that Walker died presents a very tricky situation for Universal Pictures and Fast & Furious producers. Some might object that continuing with a movie centered around fast cars featuring an actor that died in a car crash would be insensitive. However, others would point out Fast & Furious was a big part of Walker's life, and he would likely have wanted to see it continue after his death. Universal Pictures will be left with a number of options, which include canceling the movie altogether, editing Walker out of the movie, or rewriting the movie to explain Walker's death. It's likely that the Fast & Furious franchise will go on without Walker, but how and if he's shown in Fast & Furious 7 is the biggest question. For fans of the Fast & Furious franchise and Paul Walker, most would probably want to see Walker's final work. The film could serve as a moving tribute to Walker's life and help raise support and awareness for Walker's charity Reach Out Worldwide. However, the decision that Universal Pictures ultimately makes should be made with taking into consideration whatever the wishes are of Paul Walker's family.