
Dwayne Johnson, known to the Fast & Furious family as Hobbs, is taking a more public stance on whether or not he will be reprising his role in the billion-dollar franchise. In a recent interview with CNN, Johnson shared that he spoke to Vin Diesel privately back in June, stating that he would not appear in F10.
“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,” Johnson stated. “I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem.”
On Nov. 7, though, Diesel took to Instagram asking Johnson to return in a very public manner. “My little brother Dwayne… the time has come. The world awaits the finale of Fast 10,” he wrote. “As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in the finale that is 10! I say this out of love… but you must show up, do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play. Hobbs can’t be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny.”
Johnson expressed that he was surprised by the post and viewed it as “manipulation.” He explained, “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. 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.”