Fast and Furious 7 is marked for a Summer 2014 release, and although it’s still unclear whether that launch date will remain following the sudden death of star Paul Walker, THR is reporting that the show will still go on despite a delay.
The piece notes that much of the movie has already been shot, although the production team was scheduled to return following a Thanksgiving hiatus, and there was a January trip to Abu Dhabi scheduled to film additional scenes. On Sunday, Universal execs and director James Wan held a conference call to discuss options moving forward.
The difficulty they face in proceeding without Walker is multifaceted. Obviously he was a large presence in the story, but the vehicular nature of his death also complicates (and potentially limits) what Wan and company will be able to do both concerning the story and the marketing while remaining respectful to the actor’s memory and his surviving family.
Walker has two other films scheduled for release – the Hurricane Katrina drama Hours in December and the B13 remake Brick Mansions next November.