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The Fast and Furious saga knows no limits. Fast and Furious 9 director Justin Lin, who's also on board to direct the final two sequels, says he's considered ways to bring back Paul Walker's character, Brian O'Conner.
What began as a Point Break-inspired riff about illegal street racing morphed into a behemoth, billion-dollar series whose most recent installment went to space. It's safe to say, nothing's off the table, including bringing back an original franchise star.
Lin discussed with Cine POP the idea of O'Conner's return to the final two movies, and how it might be achieved through the use of CGI.
"Obviously, Paul and his character Brian are the soul and heart of how we're able to keep going, and that's something I take to heart. Bringing him back is something I think about every day," he said.
"As we approach the final chapter, it's a conversation I'm having. And I think about this possibility every day. But I know the decision to keep the character alive in the universe was made while I was gone. So I have to be respectful about that decision. I need to feel good and confident in whatever we hopefully end up doing."
Walker appeared in every Fast movie since the franchise began in 2001, with the exception of Tokyo Drift. His tragic death in 2013 put Furious 7 on hold for months, while director James Wan and Universal figured out a way to honour the actor's memory, deliver a great sequel, and give the character a respectful send-off. The result involved Walker's two brothers, Cody and Caleb Walker, who both stepped up for additional shooting where they were used to capture his likeness.
Similar tactics were employed in the Star Wars franchise. Carrie Fisher's scenes from Rise of the Skywalker meshed unseen footage from the previous two movies with CGI. And how could we forget the resurrection of Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars story?
If you've not yet caught Fast and Furious 9 in theaters, check out our guide on how to watch the Fast and Furious movies in order before you do. Once you've witness it in all its action-packed glory, scope out our lowdown on Fast 9's post-credits scene.
