Production has wrapped on the seventh installment of the Fast and Furious movie series, an installment that is almost (for better or worse) more notable for the star it doesn’t have than the ones it does. In acknowledgment of the incredible achievement and unfortunate absence, the production team posted a message to its fans on the movie series’ Facebook page.
This will be the first installment of the film series without the presence of the late Paul Walker, and the post mentions the untimely circumstances and the difficulties the crew had with continuing the franchise. “Some of us have been here from the very beginning. Vin, Michelle, Jordana and our producer Neal all go back to that first little movie we shot on the streets of LA. We came back to LA in Fast 7, and it was an especially emotional homecoming for those who’ve grown up with each other since that first shoot.” They would later add that the franchise “won’t ever quite be whole again without Paul.”
The post was clear as to who the voice of reason was on the team. From the post, “When we had to stop production last year, Vin [Diesel] gathered us back together and moved us forward when we needed it most. He led us to this day.”
Starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Lucas Black, Ludacris, and Jason Statham, Fast & Furious 7 is slated to be released in theaters on April 3, 2015. The film is directed by James Wan.
