It has since been revealed that Dominic Toretto and his gang are back for one final trilogy, as the confirmation came from Vin Diesel himself. "Fast & Furious 8" will be the first film in the said trilogy for the franchise, and now, adding to the hype, Universal Pictures is fueling the search for the director of the upcoming film.
According to Variety, F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton), Adam Wingard (The Guest), Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me) and Will Eubank (The Signal) are amongst the names of high-profile directors that Universal is looking at.
The latest film of the franchise, "Furious 7," grossed more than $1.5 billion dollars worldwide, despite the production being postpone due to star Paul Walker's death in a tragic car crash. The franchise is reportedly one of the top priorities of Universal, thus the studio is keen in finding the right person for the helming job.
However, as reported by The Wrap, things have been a little different. It is believed that director Gray has leaped ahead of the pack, leaving other candidates behind. The publication said that the studio executives are meeting producer/actor Vin Diesel along producer Neal Moritz, as they are likely to make a choice between Gray and another director. The other contender is rumored to be Louis Leterrier, though it appears that Gray has the edge.
According to Cinema Blend, "Fast & Furious 8" will officially be the first film in the final trilogy for the franchise and that if Gray is to be helming the forthcoming movie, it will totally make sense. It is worth noting that the director has just made the studio an excellent move with "Straight Outta Compton," the biopic of the hugely influential hip-hop group N.W.A., earning more or less $200 million worldwide.
It is safe to say that Universal Pictures' search for the right director is just a time away. Nonetheless, fans still have to fasten their seatbelts, as further details about "Fast & Furious 8" are still unclear.
What do you expect from the first film of the final trilogy? Which director are you betting for?
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