With each and every film, the FAST & FURIOUS franchise has grown with the addition of various characters who have become a part of the FAST & FURIOUS family, and one of the biggest additions was Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs, who first appeared in FAST FIVE and went on to feature in FAST & FURIOUS 6, FURIOUS 7, and THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS. With production on the ninth installment of the franchise soon set to begin, it seems that it will have to do so without Dwayne Johnson.
While speaking with MTV News, the actor confirmed that at the moment, he won't be appearing in FAST & FURIOUS 9, although he does leave the door open for the return of Hobbs for FAST & FURIOUS 10.
The plan has always been for the Fast and Furious universe to grow and expand. As of now, we’re not in Fast 9 because they’re getting ready to start shooting. But who knows with Fast 10 and down the road, you never know. Because look, at the end of the day, the truth is, there’s unfinished business between Hobbs and Dom. It’s unfinished.
It's no secret that Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, who plays Dom, don't exactly get along, so it's probably a good thing that they have a little distance between them for now, although I would hope that they can work it out for the benefit of the fans. Our next piece of the FAST & FURIOUS franchise will actually be a spin-off focusing on Hobbs (Johnson) and Shaw (Jason Statham) as they team up to take on a common threat in the form of Brixton (Idris Elba). FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW will hit theaters on August 2, 2019 with the as-yet-untitled ninth installment of the main franchise set for a April 10, 2020 release.