Justin Lin is arguably the most important director in Fast and Furious history. The series may have started under the watchful eye of Rob Cohen, but Lin directed the best and worst of the saga. His return to directing in F9 was heralded as a high point for the series, but it seems that comeback will be short-lived: After just days of shooting, Justin Lin has stepped down as director of Fast X.
As initially reported by Deadline, Lin has given up the director’s chair but will remain attached to the project as a producer. As Deadline reports, “insiders say that Lin ultimately decided to step away from the franchise due to creative differences.” Lin’s statement doesn’t give any definitive reason for his departure:
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 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.
While second unit shooting will reportedly continue, most of production is reportedly on hold until a new director can be found, leaving many to wonder who will fill Lin’s shoes. Names like Christopher Nolan, Michael Bay, and Edgar Wright have all been proposed on Twitter, but I personally won’t be satisfied until the reins are given to the directors best suited for the Fast family: the Wachowskis. Just imagine: a Fast movie with the visuals of Speed Racer, and the heartfelt character moments of Speed Racer. Perfection.