Vin Diesel Says 'Fast & Furious 9' Will Head To Africa

Remember when The Fast and the Furious was just another movie about the LA street racing scene? Now the franchise is about cars, family, and exotic locales. Fast & Furious 9 promises to have all three, and yesterday while helping to introduce the new Fast & Furious ride at Universal Orlando, Vin Diesel teased the movie's location while re-confirming a key member of the family's return.

"They asked me specifically, please do not divulge what happens in 9. But I get so excited... and I start talking about it out of excitement. It's like spilling the beans. I can say there are a few locations we've been wanting to travel, and one of them is Africa.... The thing I'm most excited about is the fact that we are finally going to catch up to Mia Toretto in the ninth chapter. And I'm sure if you're smart, you can tell what all of that implies. It's a very positive component to this next one."

Africa, really? Wonder if they'll make a stop over in Wakanda?  The news about Jordana Brewster's return has been teased by Diesel before so it's not that surprising, but it does leave me wondering how they'll reintroduce her to the group. And what does it mean for Paul Walker's Brian O'Connor, who had his chance to ride off into the sunset? Mia coming back suggests something has happened to him that she needs the team for.

Diesel also re-confirmed prior reports that Justin Lin, who directed four previous Fast & Furious movies, would return for nine and ten. Some expect the tenth film to be the end of the road but The Fate of the Furious grossed $1.2B, and the franchise is only expanding with the Hobbs & Shaw spinoff arriving next year. It's because of that film Fast & Furious 9 has been delayed until 2020.

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Vin Diesel Confirms Justin Lin For 'Fast & Furious' 9 & 10; Jordana Brewster Also Returning

The last few weeks have been nothing but turmoil within the Fast & Furious family, and it's time for daddy to step in and calm things down. Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson had beef during the Fate of the Furious shoot, which is why they shared no screen time together. It all boiled over when Johnson and Jason Statham were given their own spinoff, and Tyrese took to social media to claim they were breaking up the band. On top of all that there was Michelle Rodriguez, who has dared to leave the franchise if it doesn't start treating the female characters better.

Well, it looks like Diesel has taken steps to address all of it. He recently promised there would be some "exciting" news coming, and he took to Facebook Live to reveal that things were going back to basics. Returning to direct Fast 9 & 10 will be Justin Lin, the director largely responsible for turning everything around. He was behind the wheel for the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth movies before stepping aside, which allowed James Wan and F. Gary Gray to direct the next two chapters. There have been rumors of Lin's return ever since he left, so this isn't much of a shock. If anybody deserves to be there to wrap things up (presumably), it's Lin.

Another who should be there at the end is Jordana Brewster, and Diesel re-introduced her next. Brewster was also around since the very beginning as Dom Toretto's sister, Mia. She was married to Paul Walker's Brian O'Conner, but when Walker died and Brian was written off after Fast 7, Mia went along with him.

According to Diesel, who was broadcasting from a "top secret" location that looks like a Fast & Furious garage set (Why else would Lin and Brewster be there, also?), it was Lin who requested to have Brewster return because she was such an integral part of the family. The irony is that Lin oversaw her character's diminishing role in recent years, but I expect she will make a big splash upon her return. The same thing happened when Rodriguez and Diesel both left the franchise for a while. They came back with bigger roles than ever.

I will continue to wait for the video where Diesel announces that Sung Kang and Gal Gadot are back as Han and Gisele, and will be getting their own spinoff.

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Adrien Brody and Hayden Christensen Pull a Heist in the 'American Heist' Trailer

There are some Oscar winners who seem to be doing their best to undermine the award. One of those, sadly, is Adrien Brody, an actor who has done a lot of great, committed work in his career but hasn't done anything on the level of 2002's The Pianist in a very long time. His latest film, American Heist, isn't likely to change that, at least not judging by the new trailer.

Starring Brody, Hayden Christensen, and Akon, a trio that surely won't inspire confidence. Brody and Christensen play brothers (ha!) living a life of crime until one takes the rap for a crime they both committed.  However when he gets out of jail and is need of some quick cash, he pulls his brother, who had been walking the righteous path, back into the criminal underworld for one last job that predictably goes awry. Jordana Brewster, who may have seen her last Fast & Furious film at this point, co-stars as Christensen's girlfriend.

The film is directed by Sarik Andreasyan and opens on July 25th.

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Take One Last Ride in the New 'Furious 7' Trailer

With two more Fast & Furious movies on the way, "one last ride" doesn't hold a lot of weight, but it's still cool to hear Vin Diesel's Dom Torretto say it.  Furious 7 (or "Life" as our own Julian Lytle calls it) is racing into theaters in just a few weeks and maybe now is a good time for a refresher on how everything ties together. Good thing a new international trailer is here to help do just that.

Furious 7 finally connects the last few films with the third film in the franchise, Tokyo Drift, which few liked (except for me!!) at the time but is proving to be a key chapter. That was when we first saw Han (Sung Kang) die, but in Fast 6 we learned it wasn't the accident it appeared to be. Instead he was murdered by Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), the badass older brother to dead villain, Owen Shaw, who was played by Luke Evans. Shaw's out for revenge, and with Dom and his crew back home in Los Angeles, he takes the opportunity for an explosive introduction. This film also sees the return of Tokyo Drift's Lucas Black, but sadly no Bow Wow and his green Hulk car.

This latest trailer features an introduction by Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez before jumping right into the action which is as insane as ever. We wouldn't accept half of this stuff in any other film but somehow when these guys (and lovely gals) survive crashing cars from thousand-foot drops or jump between skyscrapers we're willing to accept it.

Directed by James Wan, Furious 7 opens April 3rd.


FAST AND FURIOUS 7 - Trailer / Bande-Annonce INTL [VO|HD1080p] by Team Lyricis

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Katherine Heigl is a Killer Housewife in Red Band Trailer for 'Home Sweet Hell'

There was a short spell there when Katherine Heigl was viewed as one of America's sweethearts. Her role as "Izzie" on Grey's Anatomy seemed to reenforce that public perception, along with a series of cutesy intolerable romantic comedies. The public doesn't really regard her that way, anymore, and she's been less of a presence on the big and small screen lately, which may explain why she's in a movie like Home Sweet Hell.

The plus side is that Heigl has a chance to show a darker, more devious side and that's what she seems to be embracing in the film's new red band trailer. She plays Mona, the maddeningly stifling and dominating wife to her husband Don (Patrick Wilson). When he admits to committing adultery with a co-worker (Jordana Brewster), Mona convinces him to kill her, leading to all a situation that spirals rapidly out of control.  Heigl appears to be having way too much fun ("No, silly, get the hammer.") and Wilson is always great when playing the hapless husband. It's kind of a spin on the character he played in Little Children, only with more murder and crystal meth.

Directed by Anthony Burns (Skateland) with Jim Belushi and Kevin McKidd co-starring, Home Sweet Hell has yet to gain a release date. 


Home Sweet Hell - Red Band Trailer - Katherine Heigl, Patrick Wilson by thecinemasource

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Cast of 'Fast & Furious 7' Remember Paul Walker; Film Delayed Not Cancelled

News of Paul Walker's death yesterday in a car accident continues to have the Hollywood community in a state of shock, and legions of the actor's fans and peers have come out on social media to comment on his passing. That includes the people he'll be most closely associated, his co-stars in the Fast & Furious franchise, a close-knit group many would say is closer to a family that just another cast. Vin Diesel, who starred with Walker in four F&F movies beginning in 2001, posted the above image to Instagram along with these words...

"Brother I will miss you very much. I am absolutely speechless. Heaven has gained a new Angel. Rest in Peace."

Early this morning Diesel would then take to Twitter to further express his condolences....

My heart is hurting so sad. Paul walker was a good man. RIP my friend... Sorry to the Walker family.
— Vin Diesel (@OffVinDiesel) December 1, 2013

Other members of the Fast & Furious family expressed similar feelings about Walker....

I am so beyond heartbroken right now. I can't process anything.
— James Wan (@creepypuppet) December 1, 2013

All my strength, love & faith to the Walker family during this heartbreaking time. We find our strength.. in his light. Love you brother.
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) December 1, 2013

Your humble spirit was felt from the start, wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark,… http://t.co/nUiPPIU9Bb
— Ludacris (@Ludacris) December 1, 2013

My heart is hurting so bad no one can make me believe this is real Father God I pray that you send… http://t.co/CnKblb3PWu
— Vision Implementer (@Tyrese) December 1, 2013

Paul was pure light. I cannot believe he is gone.
— Jordana Brewster (@JordanaBrewster) December 1, 2013

Meanwhile, production on Fast & Furious 7 has understandably been delayed to allow the cast time to grieve. Filming was set to begin anew next week in Atlanta, but that will be held off until Universal execs and director James Wan come up with a plan for handling the situation. A good deal of the film had already been shot, and the cast was due to move to Abu Dhabi soon for additional shooting, but rewrites may be in order to explain the fate of Walker's character, Brian O'Conner, one of the two main leads opposite Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto. The film was already in a time squeeze to have it ready by next summer, and a lengthy delay could force them to change the release date.
It's also unclear whether plans will continue to keep Fast & Furious alive through a ninth film, or if this will force Universal to reevaluate. 

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Akon, Adrien Brody, and Jordan Brewster Join 'American Heist'

Nobody's going to confuse The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery for one of Steve McQueen's finer films,which may turn out to be a good thing now that it's being remade. There won't be too many who take offense if the new version, titled American Heist, turns out to be crap. Based solely on the oddball cast and the unknown director, it will at least be an interesting film to watch develop.

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New 'Fast & Furious 6' poster features the entire gang

Now that Justin Lin has decided to take a breather and not direct the next Fast & Furious, what will become of the franchise? It evolved quite a ways from the original street racing premise, consistently dominating the box office and adding a number of memorable characters. Now as he enters the final lap with Fast & Furious 6, nearly all of those characters turn up for the latest poster.

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New photo from 'Fast & Furious 6' with Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster

With rumors circling of a potentially awesome cameo in Fast & Furious 6, the sort that could evolve the franchise the way Dwayne Johnson's arrival did, it's easy to overlook those who have been around since the beginning. Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster have taken a bit of a backseat to Vin Diesel, Johnson, and now the likes of Gina Carano, but they're still the emotional glue that holds everything together....even though Walker is mad boring.

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Official plot and new pics for 'Fast & Furious 6'

Can you believe the Fast and Furious franchise is about to hit its sixth film? Seriously, who amongst us thought it would that stupid action movie about street racing would survive this long? Especially after the generally disregarded Tokyo Drift? Tokyo Drift is awesome, by the way. Don't sleep. Anyway, as we near the release of Fast & Furious 6, and this weekend's Super Bowl TV spot, the full synopsis has been revealed along with a handful of new photos.

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2 new photos from 'Fast & Furious 6'

We're only six months away from Fast & Furious 6 speeding its way into theaters, which means we should be getting some footage soon. Until then, Vin Diesel has been content to occasionally drop some photos from the film via his Facebook page, such as these two he released over the weekend.

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Fast Five, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker

It's hard to believe but The Fast and Furious has been around for a decade now. When the first film dropped in 2001, nobody expected it to do much. Sure the import car scene was hip and underground, but that didn't necessarily lend itself to big box office numbers. Didn't help that the mostly unproven Vin Diesel was the most recognizable face.Out of nowhere, it grossed over $200M and the three previous sequels have been leaving competitors choking on exhaust ever since.  Fast Five represents something of a shift in gears, a change in focus away from the hot car scene and into The Italian Job heist territory. But don't you worry. There's still plenty of car crashes, hot chicks in improbably short skirts, big muscled dudes gritting their teeth through illegal races...oh, and did I mention The Rock is along for the ride? The summer season is here folks, and Fast Five is the perfect way to kick it off in style.

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Punch Drunk Critics Live! Ep. #97: Fast Five; Top 5 Car Chase Scenes

Even with only one film at the starting line this week, we can't stop to slow down even for an instant. Especially with the adrenaline fueled return of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and The Rock(!!!) in Fast Five! And what better time is there than now to go through our five favorite car chase sequences of all-time? All this plus the biggest news straight from Hollywood and the DVDs you need to keep an eye out for. We hope you'll join us for another hot show, this Sunday night at 7pm eastern courtesy of Blogtalkradio!

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Trailer Time: Fast Five, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker

Fast Five speeds into theaters in a little over a month, and for me it can't come quick enough. This is the rare example of a franchise actually getting better over time. Director Justin Lin and everybody else involved with these flicks has found a way to keep the fast cars and scorchin' chicks central to the story while expanding the focus. It's not just about racing anymore. With that said my favorite is still Tokyo Drift which was exclusively about racing, so go figure.

A brand new trailer for the film has been released, and if it was possible to improve on the breakneck first trailer, this one does it. More Dwayne Johnson, more hot rides, more everything. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think!

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