It’s ok to skip this one, really…
The cat’s out of the bag and now everyone knows Brie Larson, the box office powerhouse, is joining the cast of the next Fast and Furious movie. In the latest installment, the crew goes to space where they encounter an all-powerful narcissist who fights against mansplaining and good storytelling. Okay, I made that last part up, but it could happen.
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To make the announcement, Brie took to Instagram, posting a photo of her and Vin Diesel yucking it up. She said “excited doesn’t even begin to explain” her emotions “about joining the Fast family.” We’re sure she’s secretly a huge gearhead and will do for Fast and Furious what she did for Marvel and superhero movies in general.
Funny enough, Brie Larson limited comments on her Instagram post. It’s almost like she knows it would get ratioed if she didn’t. If that’s the case, you might be wondering why she was cast in the franchise?
Well, the answer is pretty simple: Chinese audiences. When the ninth movie came out it absolutely dominated the box office in the Middle Kingdom. The studio catered the film to appeal not only to the Chinese but more importantly to censors in the Chinese Communist Party. They must think Brie will get butts in seats in that ever-important market.
I have a confession to make: I haven’t seen a Fast and Furious movie all the way through since Tokyo Drift. The first three are pretty awful films, okay really awful films, and after waiting all that time for them to magically become good I just gave up. With this latest development I’m glad I jumped off that crazy train when I did. The pretenses of the sequels keep getting more ridiculous and some of the casting choices are just awful. But this latest move is the cringiest of them all.
Some people claim Brie Larson is hard to work with, citing the friction between her and other Avengers actors on full display during interviews. If that’s true, she’s hardly alone in Hollywood. In fact, she’s hardly alone among the Fast and Furious cast. There were fireworks between Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which supposedly was why the Hobbs & Shaw movie was made (another one I skipped). So only time will tell if Brie and Vin stay good buds or if they’re at each other’s throats once production gets underway. All I know is I won’t be watching the final product, but it’s a free country so waste your time if you feel so inclined.
