In May we told you that Dwayne Johnson was rumored to be joining the cast of Fast Five, the shortened title of the fifth installment in the Fast & Furious series. It now looks like the rumor is slowly becoming fact. A recent tweet from Tyrese Gibson (who was in 2 Fast 2 Furious) says,
“Major shouts to Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, & Dewayne [sic] “Rock” Johnson!! “Fast & Furious Five” Let’s get em again!!”
While an official announcement has not been made, it is inevitable. Johnson and Gibson will join series stalwarts Paul Walker (who missed the third installment) and Vin Diesel (who missed the second installment), as well as Ludacris who tweeted that he would be returning to the series and is evident by the cast photo above – is that Sung Kang in the background?
This is good for Dwayne Johnson. After a string of family friendly movies (The Game Plan, The Tooth Fairy and Planet 51) he looks to be gearing up for more action. That’ll start with this November’s Faster from CBS Films, where he plays an ex-convict – known only as “Driver” – looking to avenge his brother’s death. Billy Bob Thornton and Carla Gugino co-star. In Fast Five, which is slated to shoot this summer in Brazil, Rio, and Puerto Rico, Johnson will play a detective “on the right side of the law” pursuing Diesel and Walker. If the film does well, it is likely that it will spin off into another franchise starring Johnson’s character.
Universal Pictures will release Fast Five in theaters on June 10, 2011.
