Michelle Rodriguez is still mourning the loss of Fast & Furious co-star Paul Walker. It can be heard in her voice, seen in her eyes, and demonstrated in her words, but the star of such popular film franchises as Resident Evil and Fast & Furious is now beginning to talk of coping with Walker’s death and moving on with life. She says she finds a connection to Paul in continuing his legacy with Fast & Furious 8 and carrying on with the late actor’s most popular film franchise.
“We need a good reason to move on after Paul,” she explained. “And being that this is a global franchise now, it’s not just the American baby, it’s important that we consider moving on and take it seriously.”
For Ms. Rodriguez and her Furious co-stars, it isn’t just about making another film and creating a bigger blockbuster. There has to be more to it, for Walker’s memory, the actress reveals, according to E! News.
“But for us as a cast, I think we need a reason and it needs to have heart, so hopefully we’ll find it, you know? And somebody who’s passionate about directing it—I think that’s the most important thing is finding a good director.”
Michelle reveals that plans for a Furious 8 are already underway with a tentative schedule to begin filming. So, when do the cameras start rolling on F8 (or Fate) as Vin Diesel has started calling it?
“Next summer!” Rodriguez said with excitement. “Yeah, we’re trying to round up the troops.”
Michelle confesses to having an additional reason to feeling so psyched about the eighth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, reports Design & Trend. The current pitch has Furious 8 taking place in New York City, which would bring Ms. Rodriguez back home for the first time since Girl Fight (2000).
“We were looking at New York, and I think the studio was open to that so keep fingers crossed! It’ll be my first movie at home since Girl Fight!”
Just listening to Michelle list off the reasons for shooting Furious 8 in N.Y.C. betrays her passion for going back home and it seems fitting that she should revisit the past, after losing Paul Walker so tragically.
“New York’s just like a melting pot. There is so much to discover there. Motor cycle cruise, everything from the Hell’s Angels home, you’ve got a lot that you can play with in New York.”
Although still in pre-production, Fast & Furious 8, starring Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel, is set for an April 14, 2017 theatrical release.
The upcoming installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise will begin filming next summer, and the movie will be a tribute to the late Paul Walker, who was part of the first seven movies.
Actress Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Letty Ortiz in the blockbuster franchise, recently spoke about the upcoming instalment at the Harper’s Bazaar Icon Party in New York City, saying the eighth movie is a tribute to Walker.
Walker passed away in November 2013 in a car accident, and “Furious 7” featured a touching send-off to the late actor at the end of the movie. Although Walker won’t be a part of “Fast & Furious 8”, there are chances that he will still be mentioned in the movie.
Rodriguez revealed that the eighth film will primarily be about street racing as Walker had expressed a desire for the film to remain true to its core theme — racing.
“[Paul] wanted to bring it back down to the core, which is the racing,” Rodriguez told People. “He was always complaining about the special effects and the blue screens.”
She also added that Walker wasn’t a fan of “exaggerated explosions and crazy plot lines,” and the production house will try to stay “true to Paul’s wishes.”
Although the film is currently in pre-production, actor Vin Diesel also spoke about the movie during the MTV Movie Awards in April, saying Walker always knew there would be a “Fast & Furious 8.”
Nicknaming the movie as “F8” aka “fate”, Diesel said: “Paul used to say that 8 was guaranteed and, in some ways, when your brother guarantees something, you have to make sure it comes to pass. So, if fate has it — fate, F8 — then you’ll get it. Furious 7 was for Paul; 8 is from Paul.”
On 12 September, Diesel paid a tribute to Walker on his birth anniversary, calling him one of the greatest human beings he has known.
“Happy Birthday to one of the greatest human beings I have ever known… one that I have been lucky to call a brother…Happy Birthday Paul… we miss you,” Diesel wrote.
“Fast and Furious 8” is set for an April 2017 release, and it will feature Dwyane Johnson, Jason Statham besides Rodriguez and Diesel. The rest of the cast is yet to be confirmed.
Rumours are rife that Eva Mendes will reprise her role as agent Monica Fuentes in “Fast and Furious 8”. Monica was a lead character in “2 Fast 2 Furious,” and according to rumours she will team up with Johnson’s Hobbs to take on a new villain in New York.
American rapper Wiz Khalifa’s tribute to Fast and Furious actor Paul Walker has become the quickest-selling single of the year.
Paul Walker was killed in a car crash on 30 November 2013 when the Porsche he was travelling in as a passenger hit a tree and caught fire.
The poignant See You Again, which features Charlie Puth on vocals, climbs 21 places this week with combined chart sales of 193,000, overtaking previous fastest-seller Love Me Like You Do by British singer Ellie Goulding from the Fifty Shades of Grey film.
See You Again features on the soundtrack to the seventh instalment of the Fast and Furious series, which was released in UK cinemas at Easter.
It pays tribute to long-serving cast member Walker, who played Brian O’Conner in the smash hit films, and was killed in a car crash in November 2013 while the new movie was being filmed.
The track marks Khalifa’s second appearance at the top of the Official Singles Chart after reaching the summit back in 2012 guesting on Maroon 5’s Payphone.
See You Again also sets a new streaming record, racking up 3.68 million streams in seven days and smashing past Love Me Like You Do.
The news comes as it was revealed that Fast and Furious 7 has officially become the fastest film to make $1 billion at the box office.
The racing sequel – which is the last film in the series to star late actor Paul Walker – has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top and has now made the massive figure in just 17 days.
Furious 7 becomes the 20th movie to reach the billion dollar mark and it could be well on its way to topping the list. Though with Avatar currently ruling with $2,787,965,087, it’s got a bit of a way to go.
With Fast and Furious 7 currently taking a staggering amount of money at the box office, speculation is mounting as to whether the franchise can churn out an eighth installment.
The success of the current film can be partly ascribed to the fact that it serves as a memorial for the late Paul Walker but it seems likely that there’ll be an appetite for an eighth without the tragic lead actor.
Celebrity fan Ludacris mocked up a Furious 8 logo and posted it to his facebook page with the caption “Yes or no?”
The post had half a million likes in just eleven hours.
Star Vin Diesel has also teased fans with hints at another film.
The 7th installment has surpassed all expectations to be the highest grossing film of 2015 so far.
But after the tear-jerking closure of the seventh film, where the cast bid a moving farewell to Paul Walker, who died in 2013, using CGI and old clips- is there anywhere else for the film to go?
Although it seems like a logical place to call the 14-year-old series a day, studio executives will likely find milking the cash cow another time irresistible .
Fast cars falling off from airplanes with parachutes aren’t the biggest thing in the upcoming “Furious 7” franchise. It’s the stars-most especially the late Paul Walker. Vin Diesel talks about his co-star’s work as the film nears its release date.
The latest poster of the movie “Furious 7” has been unleashed as the supercar franchise nears its release date. Vin Diesel who plays Dominic Toretto, the ring leader to the band of misfits shared on his official Facebook account, the latest teaser poster of “Furious 7.”
The poster features him with co-actor, Paul Walker who portrays Brian O’Conner in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. With “Furious 7” known as the last film of the late Paul Walker, fans worldwide have been anticipating the release date coming this April.
Apart from “Furious 7” and the release date tagged at April 3, the poster of Diesel and Walker came with an inscription. Vin Diesel said, “Our objective was to make Paul Walker proud… After watching ‘Furious 7,’ and his timeless performance… we realized that it was Paul, who has made all of us… so very proud.”
Paul Walker’s death came unexpected as he was involved in a vehicular accident-not relating to filming any “Fast and Furious” franchise. His death in November 2013 slightly delayed production of “Furious 7,” as few scenes were left unfinished. Brothers of Paul Walker, Caleb and Cody Walker came in and stood in for the actor’s remaining scenes.
“Furious 7” creators didn’t change the storyline after the accident because they wanted to keep Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner’s memory alive. And as it has been reported that at least three more “Fast and Furious” movies are coming, Paul Walker’s character Brian O’Conner is said to say goodbye in “Furious 7,” but in a nicer and walk-out-into-the-sunset kind of way.
“Furious 7” release date is set on April 3, 2015.
The Fast and Furious star died in a car crash last year (13) and his friends and family have decided to mark the first birthday since the fatal accident by raising money for Reach Out World Wide (ROWW), the non-profit organisation Walker created.
His friend Jesse Brisendine writes on the online fundraising page, “What Paul was most proud of were: his daughter Meadow and Reach Out World Wide. Paul and I used to talk about what ROWW could be become by the time we were old men sitting around in our rocking chairs. Paul never got to make it to that rocking chair as his life was tragically cut far too short.
“I can tell you that Paul’s dream for ROWW was that it would continue to grow and continue to be able to help people all over the world long after he was gone. I would do anything to bring my friend back, but unfortunately life does not work that way. What I can do though is to help ensure that my friend’s dream is realised and thus his legacy lives on forever. By donating to ROWW you are not only helping millions of people from all over the world in their times of need, you are also helping to keep Paul’s dream alive and ensuring his legacy lives on.”
Walker’s friend and movie co-star Jordana Brewster also shared the news on Twitter.com on Monday (08Sep14), writing, “I lost my dear friend Paul late last year. This Friday is his birthday and to honour him and help keep his legacy alive a fundraiser has been organised to raise one million dollars for his charity Reach Out World Worldwide. Please honour Paul with us!”
The donation goal has been set at £588,000.
Walker died in November (13) at the age of 40.
