Dwayne Johnson’s Most Anticipated Sequel Is Headed In A Bad Direction
Fast & Furious franchise fans are revving their engines as post-production kicks things into high gear on the highly anticipated Fast X which is due out in May 2023. But, for those of us who’ve been waiting since 2019 for Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham to reprise their roles as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw, respectively, in what would be Hobbs & Shaw 2, things look like they’re stalling out. According to Kelly McCormick, who joined the original Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw as a producer, the movie has yet to receive a greenlight for one big reason – Dwayne Johnson’s schedule.
During an interview with Comic Book, McCormick revealed that while the studio would “love to” create another installment in the spinoff franchise, it’s not something in the works “at this time.” She went on to say that Dwayne Johnson would be the main catalyst to get a Hobbs & Shaw 2 moving and that he’s just “a really busy guy,” leaving the possibilities’ tires spinning. But, if there were to be an update in the oddball duo’s story, it sounds like they’d want to go above and beyond fans’ expectations.
McCormick mentioned that while discussions aren’t ongoing, they did approach Kevin Hart and Ryan Reynolds to try and get them in on the project, and while she didn’t say if the Jumanji actor and Deadpool star would want to join the cast for a Fast spinoff, it seems more than likely that they’d be in. Adding to the thought of bringing the two major Hollywood actors on board, McCormick said that they thought it “would be fun” to have new faces added to the story, allowing them to take things “in a different way.” But, when it comes down to it, she said that Dwayne Johnson “would be the one to motivate all of that,” adding that producers were ready to make a Hobbs & Shaw 2 “if [Johnson] wants to.”
A major win among long-time fans of the Fast franchise, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw landed in theaters back in 2019 and put Johnson’s Luke Hobbs and Statham’s Deckard Shaw front and center. The film would play out like a buddy-comedy, but with all the action one would expect from one of the highest-octane franchises of all time. Proving that off-shoots focusing on specific characters were a go, the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham-led feature would rake in a whopping $760 million at the global box office, making it a no-brainer for production to begin talks about resurrecting the characters for a Hobbs & Shaw 2.
But, as McCormick said, Dwayne Johnson is an incredibly busy man – one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood to be exact – making the possibilities for a Hobbs & Shaw 2 fade more and more into the distance. Aside from being rumored to be running for the United States presidency, Johnson had a big year with his voice being heard in DC League of Super-Pets as well as his giant introduction into the live-action world of DC in Black Adam as the titular anti-hero. Currently in production, next year he’ll appear in a holiday-centered action feature titled Red One alongside names including Chris Evans, Kiernan Shipka, and Lucy Liu.
