'Fast and Furious 8' Spoilers: 'The Wire's Idris Elba To Join 'Furious 7' Sequel? [VIDEO]
A new report has set up an ideal candidate for casting in Fast and Furious 8.
Paul Walker's Character To Be Replaced By Brother, Cody, In Furious 8?
MTV.com recently teased the idea of Idris Elba joining the sequel for Furious 7, and with very good reason. The actor, best known for playing Stringer Bell in The Wire, is currently filming a Discovery series, entitled Idris Elba: No Limits. Elba has been driving fast cars for the show and has also broken an almost century old record. CNN reported that he beat a 90-year-old record in the "flying mile," wherein he topped the speed of 180.4 mph for a whole mile with 186.4 mph driving a Bentley Continental GT Speed.
Elba has also got the acting chops and the gritty appeal to join Dominic's (Vin Diesel) team. In fact even the producers of the Fast and Furious series lay heavy emphasis on the casting and are looking to fill the enormous void left by Paul Walker's death. While no one person could take on Walker's place, a few heavy-weight stars could help pull things up.
Recently, Universal chairman Donna Langley dished about the great success of Furious 7 and remembered Paul Walker in a special keynote ineraction at The Hollywood Reporter's ninth annual Power Players breakfast.
Langley suggested that the franchise took a great hit losing Walker and that casting was one of the most crucial factors in The Fast and the Furious universe. This means the franchise is likely to push the envelope in the casting department for Fast and Furious 8.
"[Paul Walker] brought something very unique and very special to the franchise, but we've always tried to up the ante both with the casting and what the movies are about," Langley said at the event.
Fast and Furious 8 will release on April 15, 2017.
Furious 7 hit theaters on April 3, 2015.
Watch an extended scene featuring some car action from the movie here:
