The Fast and Furious franchise, a powerhouse in the action film arena, has been marred by a long-standing feud between its leading stars, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson.
This conflict has not only affected their relationship but has also had significant repercussions on the films themselves.
With Diesel being part of the saga since its inception in 2001 and Johnson joining the crew with 2011's Fast Five, the dynamics between these two titans have been anything but smooth.
While Johnson's introduction was met with enthusiasm from both critics and fans alike, behind-the-scenes tensions began to brew.
The public first caught wind of the discord in 2016 during the production of The Fate of the Furious.
Johnson took to Instagram, posting a now-infamous message that called out unnamed male cast members as “candy aes.”
This post ignited rampant speculation that Diesel was the target of his ire, leading to a series of cryptic exchanges between the two on social media.
As the feud escalated, Tyrese Gibson, another franchise star, added fuel to the fire by blaming Johnson for delays in filming F9, The Fast Saga.
Diesel, however, chose to defend Johnson against Gibson's accusations, but the damage was already done.
The rift resulted in Johnson opting out of F9, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
Interestingly, some clues suggest that the friction may have started even earlier, during the making of Fast and Furious 6 in 2012.
A particularly awkward scene from that film raised eyebrows, as it appeared that the two actors were deliberately kept from engaging directly with one another.
The blocking of the scene cleverly used forced perspective, making it seem like they were close when, in reality, they were not.
It almost felt as if Diesel wanted to ensure he wasn't overshadowed by Johnson's stature.
This tension continued to plague the franchise during the production of The Fate of the Furious.
Despite being central characters, Diesel and Johnson never shared a scene together on set.
Their only interaction was achieved through clever editing, which left fans feeling the absence of their dynamic.
Diesel's character, Toretto, spent most of the film collaborating with Charlize Theron instead, making the lack of Hobbs even more noticeable.
In a bid to mend fences, Diesel attempted to reach out to Johnson, even affectionately referring to him as “Uncle Dwayne” during promotional events.
Unfortunately, these gestures did little to heal the rift.
As a result, The Fate of the Furious became Johnson's last mainline appearance in the franchise.
He later transitioned into the spinoff, Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, which focused on his character, Luke Hobbs.
While Hobbs and Shaw found success at the box office, it lacked the electrifying chemistry that could have been present had Johnson continued with the main series.
Directed by David Leitch, known for his work on John Wick, the film delivered laughs but fell short in the action department, highlighting what the franchise missed by not having Johnson and Diesel share the screen.
By January 2019, Johnson confirmed his absence from F9, despite initial plans for him to return.
This decision indicated that the issues between him and Diesel were far from resolved, even though public statements suggested otherwise.
Following the release of Hobbs and Shaw, Johnson thanked Diesel on Instagram for his support, yet he continued to skip appearances in the main series, further hinting at unresolved tensions.
As fans eagerly await Fast X and Fast 11, it appears that Johnson's absence will continue to loom large over the franchise.
Fast X is set to feature flashbacks from Fast Five, which makes the lack of Johnson's presence all the more glaring.
The filmmakers are now looking for ways to fill the void left by Johnson, with John Cena stepping in as a new character who, like Hobbs, started as an antagonist.
Dwayne Johnson's reluctance to return stems from his ongoing conflict with Diesel.
In a candid moment with Vanity Fair, he expressed regret over the public nature of their feud, stating that airing their differences was not in his character.
His infamous Instagram post, which criticized certain male co-stars, has since been deleted but left an indelible mark on the franchise's narrative.
Despite Diesel's claims of viewing Johnson as a brother, insiders suggest that the chances of them sharing the screen again are slim.
Meanwhile, the rest of the cast seems to be keeping quiet about the situation, with only Tyrese Gibson openly pointing fingers at Johnson for the delays in filming F9.
As the saga continues, fans are left to wonder how this feud will shape the future of one of cinema's most beloved franchises.
