The Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson feud will probably outlive the Fast and Furious saga, or as we all know it today, the most successful car-centric franchise of all times. Despite signs that the two actors called a truce sometimes in 2019, there’s still plenty of animosity going around.
And it’s enough to get Dwayne Johson to feel like not wanting to be a part of any Fast and Furious movie ever again. With Fast 9 now ruling the international box office, Universal plans two more films in the original franchise, before kicking off several spinoffs and separate universes. Wide reports claimed that Dwayne Johnson, who famously left the franchise after a spat with leading man and producer Vin Diesel, would return as Hobbs.
He’s not, Johnson himself wants the world to know. Currently promoting Jungle Cruise, the actor tells The Hollywood Reporter he’s done for good with the franchise: “I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.” There really is no way to interpret this as anything else: Hobbs, Dom Toretto’s former nemesis turned unlikely ally and brother, is out of the picture for good.
Johnson doesn’t state the reason for his decision, but it could be easily divined. Asked about Diesel’s earlier comments about how the feud was just him giving Johnson “tough love” so he could play the part of Hobbs more convincingly, Johnson’s reaction is not surprising. “I laughed and I laughed hard. I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that,” he says.
Emily Blunt, his co-star in Jungle Cruise, chimes to says something about how Johnson is lucky Diesel was around just so he could be a better actor, to which Johnson replies with “Felliniesque.” Italian director Federico Fellini is a personal idol of Diesel’s, and half-Felliniesque was the term he used for his “tough love” approach with Johnson.
For a movie franchise bringing to the big screen some of the most spectacular (and ridiculous) car stunts of all times, the people involved in Fast and Furious can surely act like kids at the playground at times. Luckily, all this behind-the-scenes drama takes little from the enjoyment of the movies, though not for Hobbs’ supporters.
He’s not, Johnson himself wants the world to know. Currently promoting Jungle Cruise, the actor tells The Hollywood Reporter he’s done for good with the franchise: “I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.” There really is no way to interpret this as anything else: Hobbs, Dom Toretto’s former nemesis turned unlikely ally and brother, is out of the picture for good.
Johnson doesn’t state the reason for his decision, but it could be easily divined. Asked about Diesel’s earlier comments about how the feud was just him giving Johnson “tough love” so he could play the part of Hobbs more convincingly, Johnson’s reaction is not surprising. “I laughed and I laughed hard. I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that,” he says.
Emily Blunt, his co-star in Jungle Cruise, chimes to says something about how Johnson is lucky Diesel was around just so he could be a better actor, to which Johnson replies with “Felliniesque.” Italian director Federico Fellini is a personal idol of Diesel’s, and half-Felliniesque was the term he used for his “tough love” approach with Johnson.
For a movie franchise bringing to the big screen some of the most spectacular (and ridiculous) car stunts of all times, the people involved in Fast and Furious can surely act like kids at the playground at times. Luckily, all this behind-the-scenes drama takes little from the enjoyment of the movies, though not for Hobbs’ supporters.