Justin Lin will be returning to his indie roots as Deadline has reported that the director’s next movie will be The Last Days of John Allen Chau.
Based on the Outside Magazine article of the same name by Alex Perry, The Last Days of John Allen Chau will tell the true story of an American evangelical Christian missionary who believes that he’s been chosen to save the souls of an uncontacted tribe on North Sentinel Island. As outsiders are forbidden, Chau “embarks on a harrowing journey to proselytize the Sentinelese in his desperate search for identity, purpose and belonging.” The script is being penned by Ben Ripley, with production expected to begin this spring.
Justin Lin got his start with smaller films such as Shopping for Fangs and Better Luck Tomorrow, but he’s been living in a world of blockbusters for well over a decade. Starting with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Lin went on to helm Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, F9, and Star Trek Beyond. He was also set to direct Fast X, but a week after production began, Lin chose to step down. “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 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.” Louis Leterrier was quickly brought on to replace him.
Justin Lin isn’t leaving the world of blockbusters behind entirely, as he’s also tapped to direct a live-action adaptation of One Punch Man for Sony Pictures. The studio hopes Justin Lin can jump on that movie once he completes work on The Last Days of John Allen Chau.