Negotiations are being finalized for Idris Elba to play the villain in the Fast and the Furious spinoff, Variety reports.
The spinoff, titled Hobbs and Shaw, which will follow Dwayne Johnson’s character, Luke Hobbs along with criminal Deckard Shaw, who will be reprised by Jason Statham. While the Furious franchise typically had the two going against one another, the sequel will have them joining forces against Elba’s unnamed character.
David Leitch is set to direct, while Chris Morgan is writing the script. Morgan has been a mainstay in the Furious movies since the franchise’s third instalment, Tokyo Drift. Johnson’s character has been increasingly popular with fans since he joined in the fifth instalment, Fast Five. When Statham joined the cast in the seventh film, the chemistry gave way for a new opportunity for the two.
Honestly, there’s clearly a missed opportunity to not make it a workplace comedy called Fast and the Furious: 5 to 9, and have it be about power dynamics in the office, but there’s a reason Chris Morgan has his job and I have mine. The film, which is slated to begin production this fall, will be the ninth film in the franchise, and the fifth that Johnson has participated in.
Meanwhile, Elba has had quite the busy year, having starred in last year’s The Mountain Between Us, as well as roles in the Thor and Avengers films. The Universal-backed film is slated to hit theaters on July 26, 2019, so go hit your local parking lost and do some practice donuts because there’s only (looks at watch) 386 days left until the next Furious film.
