Hollywood experienced a minor, metaphorical earthquake last week when Justin Lin — director of the latest upcoming installment of the Fast and Furious franchise — departed the project, mid-production.
It’s not unheard of. Directors leave movies. Both Bohemian Rhapsody and Solo: A Star Wars Story shifted gears midway through when their directors were fired. But if reports are true, Lin left Fast X of his own free will for the sake of his “mental health.”
The Hollywood Reporter says Lin was clashing with Vin Diesel, whose star power has carried the Fast movies from restrained crime thriller to some of the most gonzo stuntfests this side of Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible movies. While the car chases got crazier, the movie’s focus on themes of family have always been the driving(!) appeal, but families butt heads sometimes and that appears to be the case here. Universal’s tinkering had already put Lin on edge, THR reports, when an argument with Diesel over the script ended in Lin quitting.
“Justin finally had enough and said, ‘This movie is not worth my mental health,’” said one source.
An unpleasant argument, for sure, but good on Lin for recognizing that a smart person knows when to stay and fight, and when to walk away. Lin has handled five other entries in the Fast saga, and the crew was reportedly considering leaving along with him until Lin encouraged them to stay and see the production through under new director Louis Leterrier (The Transporter). He was gracious on social media, expressing pride in his work and gratitude to the cast and crew.
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. Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best d*** 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.
The Fast franchise has become a box office juggernaut but has never been without its share of drama and even tragedy. Franchise mainstay Paul Walker died in a tragic car crash while on break from production in 2013. More recently, Diesel’s alleged onset attitude proved so thorny that Dwayne Johnson departed the franchise altogether. But whatever the rumors, tragedies and losses behind the scenes, Lin is setting a good example: prioritizing your own wellbeing isn’t always easy, but if you do so graciously and humbly, you’ll never regret it.
