According to a source, Fast 10 director Justin Lin walked out of the project due to Vin Diesel and his ‘difficult’ behaviour.
A week after filming commenced on Fast X, director Justin Lin walked out of the project citing “creative differences”. Now, a source is alleging that Lin apparently exited the project due to difficult behaviour on Vin Diesel’s part.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. Lin’s giving up $10 or $20 million,” said the source – allegedly a producer unrelated to Fast X – to NY Daily News.
They also added that Diesel’s tardiness and under-preparedness played a part.
“Diesel shows up late to the set. He doesn’t know his lines. And he shows up out of shape,” they said.
“No one is dissing Vin Diesel on the record, but everyone knows,” they added.
Lin stepped away from directing Fast X, the latest in the Fast and Furious franchise, only a week after shooting started. His decision came as a shock to fans of the series, since he’s directed five of the franchise’s instalments.
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“With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X, while remaining with the project as a producer,” he said in a statement released on April 26th.
“Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases. On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family.” he added.
Speculations about Lin’s exodus happening due to Diesel’s behaviour also caught fire in light of another high-profile exit from the franchise five years ago – that of Dwayne Johnson.
“Some conduct themselves as stand-up men and true professionals, while others don’t,” Johnson had said at the time, without naming names. “The ones that don’t are too chickenshit to do anything about it anyway.”
Lin’s exit from the franchise – though he’s staying on as the producer – is reportedly costing Universal studios $600,000 to $1 million per day as they keep cast and crew waiting.
Check out Justin Lin and Vin Diesel’s interaction on Instagram:
