Dwayne Johnson apparently isn’t moved by Vin Diesel’s plea for him to return to the Fast & Furious franchise.
Earlier this year, Vin Diesel took to Instagram to try to convince The Rock to put their differences aside and reprise his role for the final Fast & Furious movie.
“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,” Diesel said on Instagram. “There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. 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.”
In a recent interview with CNN, Johnson said that Diesel’s post was “manipulative,” and he did not like how he brought up his children or the late Paul Walker in the post. He added that he spoke with Diesel in private and said that there “was not a chance” that he would return for the final F&F installment.
“I was very surprised by Vin’s recent post. This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly – and privately – that I would not be returning to the franchise. 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. I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem.
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. 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.”
Apparently, Johnson and Diesel’s beef stems from the filming of F&F8. In an interview around the time of the film’s release, Johnson said that “There’s no other franchise that gets my blood boiling more than this one. My female costars are always amazing and I love ’em. My male costars, however, are a different story,” he wrote, adding, “Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t.”
