Dwayne Johnson's Latest Fast & Furious Spinoff: Not Hobbs & Shaw 2

In this year's Fast X, Dwayne Johnson made a shocking franchise return, and now he is set to star in a new Fast & Furious spinoff film. However, it won't be a sequel to Hobbs & Shaw. Johnson first joined the franchise as Luke Hobbs in Fast Five, playing an agent of the United States' Diplomatic Security Service on a mission to capture Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto. Despite their initial rivalry, Hobbs eventually becomes an ally for the former street racer. Johnson's departure from the franchise after a feud with producer and star Vin Diesel made headlines, but he finally returned for Fast X.

Johnson has partnered with Universal Pictures to develop a fresh Fast & Furious spinoff film, with him as the lead. The story's specifics are being kept hush-hush, but insiders claim that the project will not be Hobbs & Shaw 2; rather, it will serve as a connection between the plot of Fast X and Fast & Furious 11. Chris Morgan, a franchise veteran, will return to write the screenplay. Johnson himself announced the news on his Twitter account, which Screen Rant has verified with Universal to be true.

Why Johnson's Next Fast & Furious Movie Can't Be Hobbs & Shaw 2

Contrary to what some fans may have hoped for, Dwayne Johnson's decision to not make Hobbs & Shaw 2 as his next Fast & Furious project actually works in favor of everyone involved. This move not only gives Johnson a chance to redeem himself as a leading man after the box office bomb that was Black Adam, but it also allows for a more seamless explanation of the four-year gap between his last appearance in Hobbs & Shaw and his return in Fast X.

Shifting towards a buddy cop-style story for Hobbs & Shaw after the post-credits scene in Fast X, where Johnson's special agent character had to rescue his kidnapped daughter from Jason Momoa's unhinged Dante Reyes, would create a tonal mismatch. It would also require a step back in time with a sequel that directly follows the original Hobbs & Shaw. Therefore, it makes more sense to reintroduce Hobbs to the fold and have him face off against the best villain the Fast & Furious franchise has seen so far in Fast and Furious 11. This would add emotional weight to the upcoming movie. Despite the development of a new Fast & Furious spinoff, there is still a possibility of a Hobbs & Shaw 2 in Johnson's future in the franchise. Johnson and producing partner Hiram Garcia have teased plans for an "ambitious" sequel, and the return of Chris Morgan to pen Johnson's new spinoff could lay the groundwork for this, given his involvement in the first Hobbs & Shaw.

Source: The Wrap & Dwayne Johnson/Twitter