Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Returning to 'Fast and Furious' Franchise
It's been revealed that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is returning to the Fast and Furious franchise. The wrestler-turned-A-list-actor plays bounty hunter Luke Hobbs in the film series but had previously exited the main Fast movies due to his notoriously heated feud with franchise star Vin Diesel. [Please Note: Spoilers Below for the Fast and Furious franchise.
In a surprising turn, The Wrap reports that Johnson will be turning up in Fast X, which opens in theaters on Friday, May 19. According to the outlet, Hobbs will appear in a post-credits scene. The outlet did not provide specifics about the scene, so it is unknown what, if anything, it might tease. We can speculate that it may be one of two scenarios: Either the scene teases a sequel to Hobbs and Shaw — Johnson's Fast spinoff film with fellow franchise star Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw — or possibly a hint that Johnson could come back for Fast 11.
Johnson first appeared as Hobbs in Fast Five, then went on to reprise the role in the next three Fast movies. It's well-known that Johnson and Diesel had a pretty tense relationship during the filming, especially Johnson's last, F8 – The Fate of the Furious. However, back in 2022, Diesel made a public plea to Johnson, asking him to return to the movies. The former WWE champ eventually responded, making it "clear" that he had no intention of returning.
"I told [Diesel] directly that I would not be returning to the franchise," Johnson told CNN. "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. 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. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding."
"My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible Fast & Furious franchise with gratitude and grace. It's unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters," Johnson continued. "Regardless, I'm confident in the Fast universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience, and I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter." It would seem, the two were able to find enough common ground to bring Hobbs back into the fold.