Justin Lin, the David Yates of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, having directed the last four films in the series (Yates did four tours of duty himself for "Harry Potter"), is not returning for "Fast and Furious 7." (Yes, there's a "Fast and Furious 7.") So, on the eve of the release of "Fast and Furious 6," who will help Universal get that next film into racing shape for summer of 2014? According to Deadline.com, "Saw" director James Wan.
Wan is a surprise choice for the studio, as he's previously worked on horror films like the aforementioned "Saw," "Insidious," and the upcoming twosome of "The Conjuring" and "Insidious: Chapter 2." Per Deadline.com, Wan beat out other directors for the "Fast 7" job, including two names previously mentioned by Latino Review as contenders: Jeff Wadlow (who directed "Kick-Ass 2" for the studio) and Harold Zwart ("The Karate Kid" remake). "2 Guns" director Baltazar Kormakur was also reportedly discussed for the gig, as was Brad Furman ("The Lincoln Lawyer").
Wan himself seemed to confirm his involvement in "Fast 7," albeit with a cryptic tweet:
Lin dropped out of "Fast and Furious 7" last week, owing to the fact that Universal wanted the film on its schedule for next year. He helped turn the fledgling series into a global sensation; the last two "Fast and Furious" films, both directed by Lin, have grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide.
For more on "Fast and Furious 7," head over to Deadline.com. "Fast Six" is out in theaters on May 24.
[via Deadline.com]