Despite ending up a little worse for wear during this year’s Furious 7, Hobbs is ready to ride again for the recently greenlit Furious 8, actor Dwayne Johnson has confirmed.
During a Q&A for his upcoming summer tentpole San Andreas, Johnson, one of the most bankable actors working in Hollywood today, was asked whether or not he would be reprising his role in the next Fast & Furious entry, which will have to retool the franchise slightly now that stalwart Brian O’Conner (the late, lamented Paul Walker) has been given a touching send-off. Johnson replied, “Of course. It can’t go on without Hobbs.”
Well, there you have it. News of Johnson’s enthusiasm for Furious 8 surely comes as a relief to fans, given that Hobbs has secured a place as one of the franchise’s most popular characters since first appearing in Fast Five. Universal is well aware of Hobbs’ following; in fact, there have been rumblings of a spinoff to be led by the character for years.
During the same Q&A, the actor provided an update on his thinking about a standalone Hobbs series:
“We all are interested in it. I just had a big conversation with the studio. So we’ll see. I still think for me personally we’ve created a little bit of space for him in 7 and the gauge is set for what the audience will want. That’s my take on it, you know, but a lot of other people have to have input.”
Johnson is of course referring to the introduction of Hobbs’ daughter Samantha (Eden Estrella). How has Hobbs’ career as a DSS agent impacted his daughter? Is she being groomed to follow in her father’s footsteps? And who’s the mother? These are all questions that a spinoff devoted to the character could answer.
What do you think? Is Hobbs better in small doses, or should the Furious franchise change gears after Furious 8 to let Johnson’s hero take center stage for a few entries? Sound off below.