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Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson has publicly declined actor Vin Diesel's plea to return to the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson called out Diesel for voicing an invitation on social media after the two had previously agreed in private that the former would not be returning to the franchise.
After years of tension the lead actor and producer of the franchise Diesel took to Instagram in November and urged Johnson to reprise his role as secret agent Lucas Hobbs in the tenth chapter of the blockbuster film series. The star of 'Hobbs & Shaw' had already made up his mind and was taken aback by Diesel's overture.
In a recent interview with CNN, Johnson responded to the request, The Rock said, “I told (Diesel) directly that I would not be returning to the franchise. I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return.”
He added, “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.”
Although wished his former co-stars and crew members the best of luck, “My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise with gratitude and grace. It’s unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters. 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”, he added.
On the work front, Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions is working on a sequel to 'Hobbs & Shaw.' The tenth 'Fast & Furious' film, starring Vin Diesel and directed by Justin Lin, is set to hit theatres in May 2023.
