‘HOBBS IS BACK’: Dwayne Johnson confirms return to ‘Fast and Furious’ series

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Buckle up! Dwayne Johnson has announced he’s returning to the Fast and Furious franchise in an untitled entry that will centre on his Luke Hobbs character.

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After appearing in a brief cameo at the end of Fast X, Johnson confirmed he’ll be back in a new film with a video on social media. “Hope you’ve got your funderwear on,” Johnson wrote. “HOBBS IS BACK.”

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According to Johnson’s post, the film is not a sequel to 2019’s Hobbs & Shaw spinoff but its own separate film that will serve as the lead-in for Fast X: Part II. The film will be written by longtime Fast & Furious collaborator, Chris Morgan.

“Your reaction to Hobbs’ return in Fast X have blown us away,” Johnson wrote. “The next Fast & Furious film you’ll see the legendary lawman in will be the HOBBS movie that will serve as a fresh, new chapter & set up for Fast X: Part II.”

At the end of Fast X, Hobbs was revealed as the next target for the film’s villain, which is played by Jason Momoa.

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“You guys erupting when Hobbs is revealed at the end in the tag is like a rock concert. It was so f***ing cool,” he said. “I loved it. Thank you for that incredible reaction.”

The news comes after Johnson was embroiled in a public feud with Fast headliner Vin Diesel that led to the former declaring that there was “no chance” he’d be back as the special agent after joining the franchise in 2011’s Fast Five.

Johnson and Diesel’s feud went public in 2016 as they filmed 2017’s The Fate of the Furious.

“There’s no other franchise that gets my blood boiling more than this one,” Johnson wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post. “My female costars are always amazing and I love ’em. My male costars, however, are a different story. Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t. The ones that don’t are too chicken s*** to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses.”

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“Vin has a reputation for being difficult — he shows up late, keeps people waiting, holds up production and is disrespectful to people on the set,” a source told Page Six at the time. “Dwayne lost his patience with him.”

In a year-end interview with CNN in 2021, Johnson, 51, spoke about a social media post made by Diesel, 55, in which the actor publicly asked The Rock to return for Fast X.

“I was very surprised by Vin’s recent post,” Johnson said. “This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly — and privately — 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. I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem.”

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The two action stars first appeared together in 2011’s, Fast Five, but clashed while shooting The Fate of the Furious in 2016. After headlining his own spinoff — 2019’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw — Johnson opted not to return for 2021’s F9.

“My little brother Dwayne … the time has come,” Diesel wrote in an Instagram post begging Johnson to rejoin the Fast cinematic universe in November 2021.

“The world awaits the finale of Fast 10. 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 (the late Paul Walker). 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.”

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But in his interview with CNN, Johnson expressed disappointment that Diesel invoked his children and the late Paul Walker in his plea.

“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,” Johnson added. “Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding.”

“Last summer Vin and I put all the past behind us. We’ll lead with brotherhood and resolve – and always take care of the franchise, characters & FANS that we love,” wrote Johnson.

In the accompanying video, Johnson explained his return, saying, “In terms of the why, despite us having our differences, me and Vin, we have been like brothers for years,” adding that the plans for the conclusion to the long-running series is “much bigger than ourselves.”

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Those plans, he continued, are “the north star.”

“When you add all that up, it’s really not a hard decision to make,” he said. “It’s not even unfinished between Jason Momoa’s character — who did a great job by the way with Dante — it’s business that’s about to pick up. If you thought The Rock versus Stone Cold Steve Austin headlining three WestleMania’s was Earth shattering, wait until you see what happens when Dante and Hobbs collide.”

Johnson’s return as Hobbs comes after Diesel announced that Fast X will be the first in a three-part finale that will continue with an 11th film in 2025.

“Going into making this movie, the studio asked if this could be a two-parter,” Diesel said at the film’s Rome premiere last month [per Variety]. “And after the studio saw this one, they said, ‘Could you make Fast X, the finale, a trilogy?’”

According to sources, Diesel isn’t slated to appear in Johnson’s stand-alone picture, but other Fast stars could pop up. Hobbs may also appear in Fast X: Part II.

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mdaniell@postmedia.com