Fast 10 has found its new director.
Louis Leterrier, the helmer behind Now You See Me and several Transporter action movies, is Universal’s choice to take over the movie and replace director Justin Lin, who abruptly left the job just days into shooting.
Details and deals still need to be worked out, but if the pieces all come together, the movie could be back on track in a matter of days.
“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,” Lin, who co-wrote the film with Dan Mazeau, said in a statement posted to the franchise’s official Twitter account on April 26. “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.”
The move was fairly unprecedented; while filmmakers have been fired during productions, rarely has one left by choice.
Lin’s departure put Universal in a pickle, as the movie is the 10th installment in one of the most important franchises in the studio’s history. The studio, in order not to miss a beat, switched to second-unit photography as it searched desperately for a new director.
Universal worked with Leterrier on The Incredible Hulk, and the filmmaker is known as being a reliable helmer working on big-budget, effects-heavy fare such as Clash of the Titans, as well as action franchises like the Jason Statham-starring Transporter movies. Recently, he was a key creative force behind the Emmy-winning series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
Source: Hollywood
