Dominic Toretto and the rest of the Fast Family will need to make some room at the dinner table because Alan Ritchson (Jack Reacher, Titans) is joining the cast of the tenth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast X.
Louis Letterier is directing the next film in the high-octane action series (The Transporter, The Incredible Hulk) after Justin Lin abruptly exited the project. Lin and Dan Mazeau co-wrote the script; Lin will remain a producer on the film alongside Vin Diesel, Neal Moritz, Jeff Kirschenbaum, and Samantha Vincent. Ritchson joins Jason Momoa and Brie Larson as a new face in the Fast franchise.
According to Daily News, Lin exited Fast X after finding Diesel a challenge to work with on a film. “Diesel shows up late to the set. He doesn’t know his lines. And he shows up out of shape,” says a source close to the production.
“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,” Justin Lin said in a statement. “Over ten 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 a 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 welcoming me into the FAST family.” The production will continue shooting second-unit footage as Leterrier familiarizes himself with production.
Before playing Hank Hall / Hawk for DC’s Titans, Ritchson appeared in several film and television projects, including Smallville, Blue Mountain State, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His most recent role is for Amazon Prime Video’s Jack Reacher. Ritchson plays the title character in the series based on the novel series by Lee Child. Ritchson’s history of action-heavy roles will serve him well as he prepares for his Fast X debut.
Fast X is currently in production and stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Charlize Theron, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Daniel Melchior, Brie Larson, and Jason Momoa.