Dwayne Johnson Turns Down Vin Diesel’s “Fast and Furious” Invitation
by Emily Nagle
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has confirmed that he will not be reprising his role as bounty hunter Luke Hobbs in the tenth and final installment of the “Fast and Furious” film series.
Back in November, “Furious” costar Vin Diesel made an Instagram post publicly asking Johnson to rejoin the franchise for Fast 10, which is slated for a 2023 release. “As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house,” he wrote in the caption accompanying a still of him and Johnson from one of the films. “…You must show up, do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play. Hobbs can’t be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny.”
While fans commented on the post rooting for Johnson’s return to the series, Johnson wasn’t so moved by Diesel’s request, explaining in an interview with CNN this week that he found it to be manipulative.
“This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly – and privately – that I would not be returning to the franchise,” Johnson explained to reporters. “Vin’s recent public post was an example of his manipulation. I didn’t like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker’s death. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding…Regardless, I’m confident in the ‘Fast’ universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience, and I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter.”
Upon discovering that Johnson had already declined returning to the franchise prior to Diesel’s post, the Internet proceeded to poke fun at the feud. Twitter users are creating memes about the drama, sharing pictures and videos making fun of the long-running tension between Johnson and Diesel, which dates back to when they filmed “The Fate of the Furious” in 2016.