Why Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is Not Returning for Fast 9

Former professional wrestling superstar-turned actor, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will not be returning as Luke Hobbs for the next installment of the Fast and Furious franchise, “Fast 9”. The actor has appeared in the Fast and Furious films since “Fast Five”, released in 2011.

He and Jason Statham co-starred in a spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw”. The last installment is expected in 2021, after which the core films will wrap up.

Dwayne and His History with the Fast & Furious Franchise

When Luke Hobbs was introduced in the fifth installment, “Fast Five”, he was a bounty hunter, and an agent of the United States Diplomatic Security Service hired to hunt down Dom and his crew.

But after he learned the truth about some murdered DEA agents, Hobbs had no choice but to join forces with Dom. He continued to serve as an ally – albeit reluctantly in some cases – throughout “Fast and Furious 6” and “Furious 7,” especially when they had to face the Shaw family.

And when Dom came up against Cipher, the cyber-terrorist in “The Fate of the Furious,” Hobbs, who was retired at the time, had to come out of retirement to help his old friends.

The “Hobbs & Shaw” Spinoff

Johnson’s character, which had become a staple in the franchise, became the focus of a spinoff alongside Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw. “Hobbs & Shaw” saw the unlikely duo – after getting hired by the CIA – go after a rogue MI6 agent who was believed to have stolen a genetically-engineered, lethal virus.

The film was praised worldwide by lots of movie buffs and critics, and even scored a cool spot within the Top 10 Box Office performances of 2019.

But despite the success of the spinoff, Johnson will not be reprising his role in Fast 9. There are speculations that the future of “Hobbs & Shaw” may have something to do with this. But then his feud with Vin Diesel, Fast & Furious leading man, may be responsible.

Dwayne Johnson vs. Vin Diesel: The Feud

Vin Diesel – who has played Dominic Toretto since the first movie kicked off in 2001 – continues to be the driving force in the Fast & Furious franchise. The future of the franchise – and most of the decision-making – as regards the films comes down to him.

Before the premiere of “The Fate of the Furious” in 2017, rumors of a feud between Diesel and Johnson began to circulate. Shady remarks and jabs were publicized, and it was soon public knowledge that the two actors were not in agreement with their respective roles in the Fast & Furious franchise.

However, Diesel shared his support for the “Hobbs & Shaw” spinoff, and it appeared Johnson had finally put the feud to rest last year. He even went on social media to express his gratitude to the “Fast & Furious” family – including Diesel – before he ended the video with the following statement: “I’ll be seeing you soon, Toretto.”

But the olive branch that Johnson handed out came a tad too late as production for “Fast 9” was well underway. And Tyrese Gibson, a co-star, appears not to be appeased just yet.

There may be an upcoming sequel to “Hobbs & Shaw”, and this may be what the former WWE superstar may be focusing on, no thanks to his rocky relationships with cast members of the original Fast & Furious films.

However, we may see the return of Luke Hobbs in “Fast & Furious 10” down the road, but the spinoff world of the franchise welcomes him more.