Cast your mind back to January, when we brought you the news that Fast 8 director F. Gary Gray was set to orchestrate the largest controlled explosion in Iceland’s history. It embodied the go-big-or-go-home mentality that has remained a cornerstone of Universal’s petrolhead franchise all throughout it glittering run, and today, the studio has offered fans a peek at the end result with a new set video spotlighting the sequence staged in the bitter-cold town of Akranes.
From modified ice cars to Mad Max-esque explosions, there’s plenty to gawk at in the sizzle reel above, and as production wears on, we can surely expect future set videos to cast light on the Fast 8 shenanigans from Cuba, which is currently playing host to Dominic Toretto and his ragtag crew.
Rubbing shoulders with that cast is Dwayne Johnson, reprising the role of Luke Hobbs for the fourth consecutive time. Conscious of resting on his laurels, the actor recently shared a photo that teased something of a makeover for his towering and, thankfully, friendly giant, who is now primed to go “back to his roots.”
Also on board for Fast 8 is Charlize Theron as franchise newcomer and badass villain, Ciper. Whether she holds some form of connection with Jason Statham’s returning Deckard Shaw, however, is up for question. F. Gary Gray’s actioner also stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty, Lucas Black as Sean, Tyrese Gibson as Roman, Ludacris as Tej and Johnson as a new-look Hobbs.
Expect the sequel to race into theaters on April 14, 2017. Nipping at the heels of Gray’s maiden entry in the franchise are Fast & Furious 9 and Fast & Furious 10 across April 19, 2019 and April 2, 2021, respectively.