If you are in Abu Dhabi do not be surprised if you will run into Vin Diesel or you may see Abu Dhabi Police chasing cars.
However, the big guns come to town, with stars including Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges joining the crew, including members from local producers twofour54 intaj, to continue production.
To refresh our memories after four months of fevered speculation about the movie’s future, here are some facts, figures and the latest news on the movie, which is now scheduled for release on April 10, 2015.
Big earner
The franchise is one of the highest earners in cinema history. The biggest earner thus far is 2013’s Fast & Furious 6, which took US$788 million (Dh2.9 billion) at global box offices, while the whole series has pulled in more than $2.3bn, making it Universal’s highest-ever earner.
Last and the furious?
FF7 could be the last film in the franchise, according to a source quoted on Enstarz.com.
“Before Paul died they had plans on making up to 10 or 11,” the source claimed. “Right now, they want to see how the public reacts to the new version, before they make any plans.”
Even if the franchise does continue, there’s some doubt about whether Diesel will return for another outing.
He’s set to star in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and right now Marvel can do no wrong with audiences. If, as expected, the film is a hit, there are likely to be sequels, prequels and more in typical Marvel fashion, so Diesel could be set to be a very busy man.
On top of this, Diesel is returning as Xander Cage in XXX and there are rumours of another outing for his character Riddick. With so much on his plate, could FF7 be the ideal time for Diesel to bow out of the series following the death of his long-term co-star and close pal?
Dangerous game
Diesel posted a shot on Facebook last week of his bruises, having sustained a minor injury on set in the United States.
“Knocked skulls with [Jason] Statham, literally … then got beaten with lead pipes. Slammed against a car and suffered a minor concussion,” the actor wrote.
Diesel added that he won’t be letting the incident delay production any further as he owes it to his close pal Paul Walker to complete the project: “I promised Pablo this would be the biggest film in history … ha … all in a days work. P.s. Proud of the whole Fast team.”
CGI wizardry
Walker’s character will still appear in this instalment, with the scenes he has already shot being augmented by the use of body doubles and CGI. A source close to the set told the NY Daily News last month: “They have hired four actors with bodies very similar to Paul’s physique and they will be used for movement and as a base, Paul’s face and voice will be used on top using CGI.”
The source added that Universal Pictures feels confident fans of the franchise will feel satisfied with the result.
Exclusive preview
The producers treated theatre owners at the CinemaCon gathering in Las Vegas recently to an exclusive clip from the film, including some of the final scenes filmed by Walker.
IGN’s Jim Vejvoda, who was at the screening, reported: “The sequence begins with Tyrese’s character expressing his fear of flying as the core cast hops into their cars, which are all tethered to the hangar bay of a cargo plane. The cars are then jettisoned out with the heroes inside. Parachutes deploy from the cars as they land in formation on to the road below. Vin Diesel and his gang then drive off in a convoy. No doubt, this is a classic Fast & Furious flick.”
Vejvoda added that the producers did not shy away from close-ups of Walker, although whether any of the scenes in the clip featured CGI is unclear.
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