Justin Lin

A new report has revealed director Justin Lin's reasons for stepping down from Fast 19, the upcoming tenth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise.

THR recounts a meeting on April 23 that started with Diesel presenting new notes on the script and ended with a slammed door. According to The Hollywood Reporter, multiple sources told the publication that Lin had "had enough." As well as directing, Lin was also handling writing duties and reportedly believed that the script was finalized when filming began, but it seems Diesel and Universal had other ideas.

While things were said to be amicable, a new report from The Hollywood Reporter seems to suggest otherwise for the former Fast X director.

Lin also reportedly gave his blessing to the crew of the film to stay on despite his departure, with Transporter and Lupin director Louis Leterrier announced as his replacement shortly after. “Justin finally had enough and said, ‘This movie is not worth my mental health,'” said the source. Other issues with the script also arose, with the report mentioning that Lin eventually tried to “draw lines in the sand.” Things reportedly came to a head on April 23, 2022, when Lin had a “major disagreement” with Vin Diesel that led to a four-person meeting occurring after Diesel had new notes for the film.

Justin Lin's departure from Fast X is reportedly to do with conflict over the script, and clashes with series star Vin Diesel.

Although Lin's departure from the director’s chair was abrupt, the filmmaker remains attached to Fast X as a producer. As THR explains, Lin was fed up with the constant meddling from both Universal and Diesel by the time of his departure. Although Lin just came back to the franchise for F9, the filmmaker had previously directed every installment of the saga from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift to Fast & Furious 6, which turned the franchise into the blockbuster monster it is today.

Ever since Justin Lin announced he was leaving Fast X, people have assumed it was because of a fight with Vin Diesel, and sources say this is true.

The already extortionate budget for Fast X will continue to spiral for every day that it remains without a director. According to the Hollywood Reporter, when Lin started on the film, the script was still unfinished, locations had to be moved, and some of the casting wasn’t finalised. Unsurprisingly, reports have already started to surface that it was, in fact, due to a disagreement between Lin and Diesel that led to the shakeup.

Last week Lin parted ways with his longtime franchise amidst rumors of a rift with Vin Diesel.

On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. And he shows up out of shape.” (Vanity Fair has reached out to reps for Lin and Diesel for comment.) Louis Leterrier, whose credits include The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans, and Now You See Me, is poised to take Lin’s place, multiple outlets reported on Monday.

Louis Leterrier is the front-runner to replace Justin Lin as director of 'Fast X,' the next 'Fast & Furious' movie.

Insiders add that Universal chief Donna Langley has had a great relationship with Leterrier over the years, and he quickly was put at the top of the list of directors to approach following Lin’s departure. Second-unit footage on Fast X is wrapping up, and once a deal closes for Leterrier to replace Lin, the studio should still have no problem making the film’s May 19, 2023, release date. Just days after the news Justin Lin was exiting as director of the next Fast and Furious installment Fast X, sources tell Deadline that Louis Leterrier is the front-runner to step in to helm the Universal film.

US film director Louis Letterier arrives for the World Premiere of his latest film, 'The Clash of the Titans ' in London's Leicester Square, Monday March 29 ...

Bringing on Jason Momoa (star of the $1.148 billion-grossing Aquaman) and Brie Larson (star of the $1.128 billion-grossing Captain Marvel) won’t hurt. The ten Fast Saga films (counting Hobbs & Shaw) have grossed $6.615 billion worldwide on a combined $1.4 billion budget, so keeping the train on the tracks was obviously Universal’s biggest priority. Fast X is going to earn whatever Fast X is going to earn when it opens next May 19, 2023 regardless of who is in the director’s chair. He helmed the first two of Jason Statham’s star-making Transporter films (Olivier Megaton directed The Transporter 3), the terrific Jet Li actioner Unleashed and the first Now You See Me in the summer of 2013. Ironically, The Incredible Hulk was Marvel’s first flop ($268 million on a $155 million budget) before Eternals and is usually considered one of the MCU’s worst movies. That “FBI versus stage illusionists who are secretly thieves” romp earned $350 million on a $75 million budget for Lionsgate and is still among the bigger-grossing “not based on anything” live-action grossers over the last decade.

Justin Lin reportedly quit Fast 10 earlier than was announced, just one day after Vin Diesel posted a video with the director hyping up the movie.

Interestingly, Lin's departure was just one day after Diesel posted a video with Lin hyping up Fast and Furious 10, and many noted how uncomfortable the director looked. Shortly after the news that Lin departed Fast 10, it was reported that Universal was looking at past Fast & Furious directors to take over, like James Wan (Furious 7), F. Gary Gray (Fate of the Furious), and David Leitch (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw). However, all of the directors were busy on other projects. Universal took it seriously, and by April 25, a day before the announcement was made, the studio and the director reached a settlement for Lin to exit the production.

Louis Leterrier, director of Now You See Me and The Incredible Hulk, will replace Justin Lin behind the camera for Fast X with Vin Diesel.

Diesel returns to Fast X as racer Dom Torretto, along with series regulars Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, and Ludacris. New to the cast are Brie Larson and Jason Momoa. Sung Kang and Charlize Theron also return. A New York Daily News report suggests Lin departed after clashing with star Vin Diesel. This announcement comes right after the news that longtime Fast and Furious director Justin Lin departed from Fast X. Lin is still set to remain onboard as a producer.

Where Lin considered the script finished, Diesel and Universal apparently disagreed. The conflict apparently came to a head when Diesel showed up with ...

Meanwhile, Fast X's budget continues to grow, with THR reporting that it is already near the $300 million market even without the marketing and publicity spend. Lin apparently also didn't take kindly to the studio sending in another writer to polish the dialogue. It was only a matter of time before the real story behind Fast X director Justin Lin's departure came to light.