Vin Diesel asked his former The Fast and the Furious franchise co-star, Dwayne Johnson, earlier today to end their off-screen feud and return to the main series for its last two entries. Diesel, who also serves as a producer on the franchise, made the plea on his Instagram page, The Hollywood Reporter has noted.
The two actors had an epic falling out in 2016 when they clashed on the set of the series’ eighth installment, The Fate of the Furious, which marks Johnson’s last appearance in the main franchise. He later reprised his role of former DSS agent, Luke Hobbs in the series’ 2019 spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw.
Diesel and Johnson have been criticizing each other in t he media since the latter first posted about their feud on Instagram after their on-set fight during the filming of The Fate of the Furious. Johnson, who joined the franchise with its fourth sequel, 2011’s Fast Five, questioned Diesel’s professionalism in his first post.
In his public apology to Johnson on Instagram today, Diesel said: “My little brother Dwayne…the time has come. 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.”
The SAG Award-nominated actor continued: “I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to [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.”
Johnson hasn’t yet publicly responded to Diesel’s request for him to return to The Fast and the Furious‘ main series.
Before today’s Instagram post, the most recent exchange the former co-stars had in their long-running feud occurred in June when Diesel was promoting the franchise’s latest entry, F9. He acknowledged his role in creating tension on the set of The Fate of the Furious. Diesel told Men’s Health that he approached his interactions with Johnson on The Fast and the Furious film sets from a place of tough love.
“It was a tough character to embody, the Hobbs character,” the actor said. “My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be…That took a lot of work. We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.”
In response, Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter at the time: “I laughed and I laughed hard. I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.”
Justin Lin is set to direct Fast 10 and Fast 11, which Diesel is attached to star in and produce. Fast 10 is set to be released on April 7, 2023, and Fast 11 will be distributed in 2024, by Universal Pictures. The two sequels will close out the main Fast and the Furious franchise, which began in 2001.