Say what you will about the remote control drone cars and ice sliding torpedo antics of 2017’s The Fate of The Furious, but one thing’s undeniable: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham absolutely stole the movie.
Since its release, many of the film’s fans across the globe have been calling for some kind of extended chapter between the two, and it’s easy to see why, as the prison break sequence was arguably the highlight of the pic, while the mano-a-mano dynamic between the two brought both the strongest laughs and the most electric thrills.
A Fast and Furious spinoff has always been held under consideration for The Rock’s character Luke Hobbs, especially given his impact as “Franchise Viagra” since his introduction in 2011’s Fast Five, but with Statham’s Deckard Shaw thrown into the mix, plans finally came together for Hobbs and Shaw, set for release in August 2019. And now, filming’s officially begun, with Johnson sharing the first set pic (seen below) on his Instagram account.
The Rock himself is still finishing up production for Disney’s Jungle Cruise, also set for a 2019 release, but Statham and director David Leitch (of Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde fame) have set up shop (in style, might I add) in London as they get ready for Johnson’s arrival.
No further details have been revealed as to what franchise stalwart Chris Morgan’s script entails for the duo’s adventures, nor has any further information been disclosed as to the roles of confirmed co-stars Vanessa Kirby and likely villain Idris Elba, though both the British cast and shooting locations would suggest another international escapade is in the works.
In any case, we can certainly expect more news in the coming weeks now that production’s underway, including further additions to the cast (finger’s crossed for the return of Helen Mirren’s Mama Shaw), character details and a possible plot synopsis. Plus, given The Rock’s lively and far-reaching social media presence, behind the scenes antics on Hobbs and Shaw are sure to be populating our Instagram feeds in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled.