Latest news with #FastXPart2
The South African
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Vin Diesel sparks online debate by teasing Paul Walker's return
Vin Diesel has sparked a fierce debate after hinting that Paul Walker's iconic character, Brian O'Conner, could return in the final chapter of the Fast & Furious franchise. The film is set for release in April 2027. The announcement came during Diesel's appearance at FuelFest in Pomona, California. During his appearance he outlined three key conditions for the upcoming film. Bringing the franchise back to Los Angeles, returning to its street racing roots, and reuniting Dom Toretto with Brian O'Conner, according to Daily Mail. Diesel, 57, wore a tank top emblazoned with 'Fast X Part 2 Los Angeles Production 2025'. He excitedly shared the news with fans. He emphasised the importance of these conditions to Universal Pictures. 'That is what you're going to get in the finale.' Fans met his remarks with mixed reactions, especially since Paul Walker tragically died in a car accident in 2013 at the age of 40. Walker's character was given a heartfelt send-off in Furious 7 (2015). Filmmakers used advanced CGI technology to recreate his face over stand-ins. These stand ins included his brothers Cody and Caleb Walker, and actor John Brotherton. This approach was initially praised for its respectful tribute. However it has now become a point of contention as fans express discomfort with the idea of resurrecting Brian O'Conner for the new film. On social media, many fans voiced their disapproval. One user tweeted, 'Bringing back Paul Walker as a CGI character is as disgusting as bringing back Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther.' Another wrote, 'Let Paul Walker rest in peace instead of CGI-ing him into a crappy movie.' Others felt the franchise should end respectfully, with one stating, 'It's disrespectful and stretching out a franchise that should've ended like 10 years ago.' However, some defended the move. Walker's family, including his mother Cheryl Walker and brother Cody Walker—who were present at FuelFest—appear supportive of the decision. Vin Diesel's announcement also reflects a broader trend in Hollywood of using CGI and AI technology to revive beloved actors. Filmmakers recreated Val Kilmer's voice in the 2021 documentary Val. This raises complex questions about legacy, respect, and artistic integrity in the digital age. Vin Diesel's tease about Brian O'Conner's return has ignited passionate debate. While some fans eagerly anticipate the reunion of Dom and Brian, others urge respect for Paul Walker's memory and caution against overextending the franchise. As the final Fast & Furious film races towards its 2027 release, the world watches closely to see how this beloved story will conclude. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Vin Diesel shocks as he announces VERY surprising return for final Fast & Furious film
Vin Diesel made quite the shocking announcement about the final Fast & Furious film over the weekend. The 57-year-old actor took the stage at Fuel Fest in Pomona, California on Saturday night, where he offered an update on Fast X Part 2. He was wearing a shirt that read, 'Fast X Part 2 Los Angeles Production 2025' while revealing his three demands to Universal Pictures for the final film. 'The studio said to me, "Vin, can we please have the finale of Fast and Furious [in] April 2027?"' Diesel said, confirming the release date. He continued, 'I said, "Under three conditions." First, is to bring the franchise back to L.A.! The second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing!' Diesel concluded, 'The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O'Conner,' referring to the late Paul Walker 's beloved character. Diesel was joined on stage by his co-star Tyrese Gibson, who shared a video of the fans screaming when he mentioned Dom and Brian O'Conner. The video shows Diesel adding, 'That is what you're gonna get in the finale! Love you!' he concluded, as the video showed Diesel giving Paul's mother Cheryl a hug. Gibson added, 'I've got love for every other city and every other country, but this Fast & Furious s**t started right here in L.A.' The first film - 2001's The Fast and the Furious - was indeed set in Los Angeles, following Walker's Brian O'Conner as an undercover LAPD cop sent to infiltrate Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and his crew. Walker was still filming 2015's Furious 7 when he died tragically in a car accident in November 2013. Production was halted for several months as the filmmakers tried to figure out how to deal with the Brian O'Connor character. When filming resumed, they decided to 'retire' the character, having him drive off into the sunset, leaving his criminal crew behind to spend more time with his family, set to the iconic Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth song See You Again for a poignant farewell. They used the late actor's brothers Cody and Caleb as stand-ins and digitally inserted the late actor's face on top of the brothers for the new shots. Brian O'Conner has never been seen in any of the subsequent Fast & Furious films, though he has been mentioned and he's still alive and well in the film universe. That will seemingly change in Fast X Part 2, with Diesel promising fans that they will in fact see Brian O'Conner again. It seems likely that they could either use unseen footage of Walker from the previous films or bring back Cody and Caleb Walker as stand-ins with Walker's face digitally added like they did on Furious 7. The Fast & Furious film franchise has grossed a whopping $7.2 billion at the global box office since its launch in 2001.
