SUMMARY

• Dwayne Johnson wanted a spin-off film in the Fast & Furious universe since Fast Five.
• He thought that the biting relationship of Hobbs & Shaw was perfect for a spin-off film.
• Johnson felt after Fast 8, it was the right time to create a spin-off film.

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When The Fast and The Furious was released back in 2001, the film instantly became a fan favorite franchise for people who were looking for an entertaining action flick featuring their favorite cars. The Fast & Furious went on to become one of the biggest action franchises featuring high-octane car chases, but for the chemistry, its cast featured over 10 films.

Dwayne Johnson, who portrays the role of Luke Hobbs since Fast Five believed in the franchise’s success so much that he insisted on a spin-off film. After the immense success of The Fate of the Furious, he was convinced that the back-biting relationship between Hobbs and Shaw would be the perfect spin-off film in the Fast & Furious universe.

Fast 8 Convinced Dwayne Johnson For a Spin-off Film in The Fast & Furious Universe

There’s no denying that Fast & Furious now features the most bizarre storyline ever known to mankind. Nevertheless, the franchise is still a fan-favorite and has done great in the box office as well. Looking at the popularity of the franchise, Dwayne Johnson was convinced from the fifth film itself, that they needed a spin-off film in the Fast & Furious universe, but they were unsure of the storyline.

During an exclusive interview with EW, The People’s Champ stated, that with the release of the 6th film real talks for a spin-off began but a creative plot was the issue until Jason Statham was introduced in the series.

“And then when Fast 6 came around, that’s when we started having real talks about it, but then the challenge was just finding out what the creative could be and how we cracked that. I’m really happy that we were not only be able to crack the creative and really lean into the relationship and chemistry — the biting chemistry between myself and Jason Statham.”

Johnson added that a successful franchise like Fast & Furious, should keep creating sequels to increase the longevity of the series and it was their common goal. A spin-off film was the right choice to introduce new characters and add a new storyline, and Hobbs & Shaw did that right after Fast 8.

“When you have a franchise that is as successful as the Fast & Furious franchise, the goal, certainly my goal, was always to try and create a scenario where we have as much longevity as we possibly can have. And in that spirit, you have to evolve and you have to spin off and you have to create new characters and new stories, especially when you’re coming off Fast 8, where you have an eight at the end of your title. [Laughs.]”

“And while that one was wildly successful as well, we all collectively felt, myself, Jason Statham, the studio, all right, now’s the time, let’s make our move. So it’s been pretty surreal, but it’s also been a lot of fun and pretty exciting.”

While The Rock’s intuition was correct for the spin-off film, his co-stars, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker almost got arrested for being a part of an illegal street race.

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker Almost Landed Behind Bars

There’s no denying that Vin Diesel and Paul Walker’s bromance was immensely loved by the fans of the franchise, and the two were hell-bent on showcasing authentic street racing to their audience. With LA being the hub of underground street culture activities, the actors felt it was perfect for their film.

During the 20th anniversary of the film, in an interview featuring the cast members of the film via EW, Diesel recalled how their dedication to showcasing authentic street racing almost got them arrested by the cops.

“I remember going to this illegal street race, my first on the West Coast, and helicopters coming in and everyone dispersing. I’m from New York City and cops don’t usually come by helicopter. So Paul and I are running down the highway together.“

Regardless of the troublesome situation, both actors felt they needed to create an authentic film, and such wild memories helped him stay connected with Walker, who died in a horrific car accident.

Hobbs & Shaw can be streamed on DIRECTV.