Before we get to the ninth instalment of the series, the Fast & Furious franchise will be taking a bit of a detour next year for the first spinoff film, Hobbs and Shaw, featuring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.
Hobbs and Shaw is being directed by David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2), and according to Statham, Leitch is looking to shake up the tone for the film, taking it away from the craziness of the latter sequels to deliver something a little more “gritty, and real, and fucking hardcore”.
“I think Dave Leitch’s taste is a little more grounded and a little darker,” said Statham in an interview with Collider. “I think he’s looking to do something that doesn’t look exactly like a ‘Fast’ movie. Although it’s the ‘Fast’ characters, he’s trying to do his own thing with it and give it a real sense of credibility. I think Dave is going to get this one gritty, and real, and fucking hardcore.”
“We’re trying to do something that isn’t so goofy,” he continued. “I know the last time [Helen Mirren] slapped me around the face and we got this little… we don’t want to take it too seriously. I’m not the director so I’m not the one controlling the tone of the movie but we want to have some meaningful stuff in it as well as the fun. At the end of the day we want to have the laughs. We want to tear each other apart. We want to enjoy it. This has to be a ride. I guess you’ve got to have the whole package.”
Are you excited about the prospect of a “gritty, and real, and fucking hardcore” Fast & Furious, or would you rather the spinoff retained the same tone as the main series? Let us know in the comments below…
Hobbs and Shaw is set for release on July 26th 2019.