When Paul Walker died in November, one of the lingering questions that emerged involved his continued presence in the “Fast and Furious” franchise. Prior to his death, Walker had finished filming a significant chunk of “Fast and Furious 7,” but the production was far from complete, leaving Universal and director James Wan with the difficult decision of how to move forward.
It soon became known that the forces behind the “Fast and Furious” films planned to Walker’s character, former undercover agent Brian O’Conner, rather than have him die or disappear from the film entirely. And now, we have more details on exactly how Wan and Universal plan to keep O’Conner in the fold.
The New York Daily News reports that the studio and filmmaker have hired “four actors with bodies very similar to Paul’s physique.” These actors will be used as models “for movement and as a base” for the O’Conner character, with Walker’s face and voice used on top of those doubles thanks to the use of CGI.
The decision comes after Universal, Wan and writer Chris Morgan came together in the weeks following Walker’s death, to figure out a satisfying resolution to Brian O’Conner’s on-screen journey. It remains unknown exactly how the character will factor into the next “Fast and Furious” film, but it’s now clear that the fast-driving hero will remain very much a part of the beloved series’ upcoming installment.
“Fast and Furious 7” will arrive in theaters on April 10, 2015.
Are you satisfied with Universal’s plan to keep Paul Walker in “Fast and Furious 7”?
No Comments