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With most of Hollywood shut down due to the coronavirus (COVED-19) pandemic, the Fast and the Furious star, Vin Diesel, feels “we need movies now more than ever.” His latest film, Bloodshot, is out now but, F9, may not see it’s scheduled date. Regardless, here’s why Diesel promised his late friend and co-star, Paul Walker, he’d participate in exactly 10 franchise films.

Why ‘Fast and the Furious’ release might be delayed

Paul Walker and Vin Diesel
Paul Walker and Vin Diesel | Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

The recent spread of coronavirus has affected the entertainment industry, among other fields. Many shows and movies have halted production in order to maintain the safety of casts and crews.

Some films continue with plans despite fears of low box-office numbers — specifically when theaters across the nation are off-limits for the time being. Vin Diesel’s Bloodshot, released March 13, and he was OK with that.

“Let me put it to you this way: Bloodshot at the end of the day is a soldier and a soldier doesn’t decide or pick when or where he’s deployed. We’re going to go in,” Diesel told USA Today.

The question of release dates in this uncertain time has some wondering if F9 will release as scheduled in April 2021. Diesel spoke of life feeling like “a very interesting time,” but noting it’s about “supporting the cinematic experience in every single way. He added that “we need movies now more than ever.”

He continued: “Maybe the higher thinking is not to just focus on the box office, but know that we’re all one world and we all have to get through this together. So yes, put it on record we’re going to show up. I love to show up for the audience and for the fans because God knows how much they’ve showed up for me.” 

Another delayed-release for F9 hasn’t been announced yet, but things are developing on an hour-by-hour basis.

Vin Diesel reveals ‘the greatest moment in cinematic history’

Any Fast and Furious fan knows the strong bond Diesel had with his late co-star, Paul Walker. The two starred in the first seven films in the franchise until Walker’s 2013 death.

Diesel recently opened up about the importance of Walker’s final scene in Furious 7 in which the flashback montage paid tribute to the actor.

“I was so reluctant to go back to filming,” Diesel said adding he “felt like the studio was asking me to go back to a funeral. I was so broken by it and didn’t want anyone to use the tragedy as a story plot.”

He continued: “We were able to do something so beautiful and so classy. It might be the best moment in cinematic history. Not just my career but in cinematic history. Men around the world, well everyone in the world, but men around the planet for the first time in history were able to cry together.”

Here’s why Diesel will likely stop at 10 ‘Fast’ films

There are always going to be naysayers wondering how many Fast films will come out. However, Diesel had a plan in mind and it has everything to do with Walker, whom Diesel referred to as “my brother Pablo.”

In the same USA Today interview, Diesel remembered a 2013 interview he did alongside Walker.

“He was always so excited and so proud that his brother was thinking of these films before the studio before anyone knew that there was another one coming and another one coming and that the stories had been worked out for him. [Walker] took great pride in that,” he said.

Walker asked how many films Diesel wanted to be a part of at the time. He decided 10 as the magic number. Since Walker’s passing, he intended to fulfill that promise.

“I remember this giant smile on his face like, ‘What?! That’s impossible!’ But later that night we were talking, and I promised him that we would get to that point,” he said. “It may not mean anything to anyone else, but to me on a personal level, that’s the promise that I made to my brother. So I’d like to hopefully, if it’s meant to be, honor that.”

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