Justin Lin walked away from Fast X after just one week of shooting and was replaced by Louis Leterrier. The news came as a shock to everyone, particularly as Lin was the franchise’s most prolific director. Now, nearly two years later, Lin has broken his silence on his exit from the movie.
“I look back now, it’s like a year and a half, there’s nothing but love for the cast,” Justin Lin told Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “Everyone jokes about family, family family, that’s how I feel. This is a crazy business, and to be able to go through 15 to 18 years with a group of people and to be able to just grow together, it’s very special.“
Lin continued, “The studio has been nothing but trusting. It really just means everything to me. Whether I like it or not, I’m going to be linked to this franchise. Even when I was away between 6 and 9, I’m always rooting for it. There’s nothing but positivity. Whatever drama… I’m just kind of bummed it had to get out in the public. I’d rather have the characters speak for the franchise. Whatever happened, it shouldn’t be important. I was there, whatever they needed, whatever Louis [Leterrier] or anybody…I just want to be supportive. I think that’s the spirit of that situation and overall, that’s important to me.“
“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 at the time of his exit. “Over 10 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 the 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 for welcoming me into the FAST family.“
Justin Lin is currently developing Two for the Money, a heist thriller set to star Daniel Craig and Charlize Theron. Apple Original Films snagged the rights to the project in a heated multi-studio bidding war last month. Plot details are being kept under wraps at this time, but the film is said to follow “the evolution of the relationship between two career thieves [Daniel Craig & Charlize Theron] over the course of three big jobs.“