Could this be the last throw of the dice in the Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson feud? And who really needs who the most?
The story so far, in the world of the Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson feud… The two first came together during the making of Fast & Furious 5, released all the way back in 2011. It’s regarded, with good reason, as the franchise highlight so far, and Johnson joined the series as Agent Lucas Hobbs. He would be part of the series right through until Fast & Furious 8, before heading off – with Jason Statham – into spin-off flick Hobbs & Shaw. He was nowhere to be seen in this year’s Fast & Furious 9.
No surprise there, though. Because during the making of Fast & Furious 8, Johnson took to his Instagram account in a now-deleted post, stating “Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t”. He wasn’t done. “When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I’m not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you’re right”.
He added in the phrase “candy asses” for good measure.
Johnson this year, whilst promoting Jungle Cruise, admitted regret that he posted the message in the first place, but not about the content of the post. It quickly became clear that the focus of his ire was co-star Vin Diesel, and neither party denied it.
Tyrese Gibson was one of the few who took Diesel’s side, posting at the end of 2017 that he wouldn’t be in Fast & Furious 9 if Johnson was in the cast list. That seemed to suit Johnson, who had no intention of signing up for the film. Diesel, if anything, tried to dampen the flames a little, with his comments on the matter generally supportive or neutral.
And that was that. Hobbs & Shaw came out in 2019, Johnson and Diesel sent supportive messages of one another, and the feud was over.
Well, until an interview with Men’s Health that Diesel gave promoting this year’s Fast & Furious 9. That’s when Diesel, with his producer hat on, said of Johnson’s work on Fast & Furious 8 that “my approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be”. He added – and you can read the interview here – that “we had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. Not Felliniesque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing”.
As it happened, Johnson too was promoting a movie around the same time – the aforementioned Jungle Cruise – and the comments were put to him. “I laughed and I laughed hard”, he grinned to The Hollywood Reporter. “I think everyone had a laugh at that, and I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well”, before confirming he would be no part of either Fast & Furious 10 or Fast & Furious 11. These are the two films set to close off the main franchise.
Quite what’s then led to Diesel’s latest Instagram post, where he publicly invites Johnson back to the franchise, is unclear. Is it the much lower box office for Fast & Furious 9? Have the two had a chat behind the scenes and Diesel has decided to go public? Or – and were we betting people, this seems more likely – are the two not really in touch, and this is Diesel genuinely offering Dwayne Johnson a role in the movie over social media? It’s not how Christopher Nolan does his casting, is it?
Diesel invokes the late Paul Walker as part of his emotive plea to get Johnson to return. He brings up his children, who refer to him as “Uncle Dwayne”.
“The time has come”, Diesel writes. “Legacy awaits”. “I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in the finale that is 10! I say this out of love… but you must show up, do not leave the franchise idle, you have a very important role to play. Hobbs can’t be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny”.
Johnson has been absolutely silent on the matter. But then he doesn’t really need to say anything here. The balance of power seems to have shifted somewhat. Johnson remains involved in Hobbs & Shaw 2, a sequel to the aforementioned Fast & Furious spin-off. But he’s also headlining big movies such as the incoming Red Notice, along with projects such as Black Adam, Jungle Cruise 2, Jumanji 4 and a whole host of others. With blockbuster cinema, Fast & Furious is Diesel’s leading man ticket really (appreciating he’s trying to get another Riddick film off the ground.
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From the outside looking in, it seems as though Diesel needs Johnson more than Johnson needs Diesel.
But then this is Hollywood, right? Everything could change tomorrow, even if there’s little sign that it will. And whilst the sparks between Diesel and Johnson are hardly on the level of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, it still all makes good copy.
Expect the next chapter of this particular saga to follow when the next round of press junkets come around…
