'Fast And Furious 8' Plot News: Director Says Sequel Won't Just Be 'More Of The Same'
F. Gary Gray, who is set to helm the highly anticipated "Furious 8," the latest installment in Universal Pictures' "The Fast and The Furious" franchise, has spoken up about the approach he is taking for the film and said that he wants it to feel "fresh" and "different."
Acknowledging the fact that he can't disclose too many details about the forthcoming "Fast & Furious" sequel, Gray told Collider, "All I have to say is I'm extremely excited about the direction we're going in, and we're really pushing to make sure the audience feels like it's not more of the same."
The "Straight Outta Compton" director stressed that he wants the film to have what fans of the franchise have come to expect, but, at the same time, he also wants to give it some new flavor. "They feel like it's fresh, they feel like the characters they've come to know and love are there, but this is gonna be different, and that's probably the most I can give you right now," Gray said.
With the upcoming film being the eighth in the franchise, there is a real risk of it looking - and feeling - stale. Fortunately, the ending of "Furious 7" gave the producers the chance to do something different for the next installment. And with a new director whose previous films include "The Negotiator" and "The Italian Job," at the helm, things are looking good for "Furious 8."
In the interview with the website, Gray referred to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" as an inspiration for his work on "Furious 8." He cited J.J. Abrams' technique of expanding the action scenes and providing the spectacle while also exploring the characters, the narrative, and the plot, as things that he wants to do for the next "Fast and Furious" film.
"You amp up everything, you work on the performances, you work on the story, you work on the action; it's just not one thing," he said.
"Furious 8" lands in cinemas on April 14, 2017.