The tragic, unexpected death of Fast and Furious star Paul Walker left friends, family and fans shaken, and the future of Fast and Furious 7 – the fast-tracked summer blockbuster due in theaters on July 11 – highly uncertain. Production was still underway on the seventh film in Universal’s highly lucrative car-racing franchise, but questions remained as to whether Paul Walker still had a significant amount of material left to film, and more disturbingly, whether any aspect of the stunt-heavy franchise might seem distasteful following the actor’s death in a car wreck (unrelated to the production of Fast and Furious 7) on November 30, 2013.
Word has come forth from Hollywood Reporter that Fast and Furious 7 director James Wan held a conference call with Universal Executives to determine which course of action to take, how to remain respectful to the actor and the circumstances of his death, and whether significant changes would need to be made to the film as a result.
Walker’s death has understandably delayed the rest of production on Fast and Furious 7, allowing cast and crew to mourn, but production is expected to continue, and the film is expected to be released. Whether Fast and Furious 7 will meet its July 11 deadline is currently unknown.
Paul Walker’s next feature, Hours, is due to be released on December 13, 2013 in select theaters and on VOD. The thriller, set during Hurricane Katrina, stars Paul Walker as the father of a sick newborn who struggles to keep his daughter alive during the disaster. Hollywood Reporter is reporting that the producers have decided to release the film on schedule.
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
