It should be news to no one that a sixth film in the Fast & the Furious franchise is heading into production. The last film, Fast Five, is the highest grossing installment in the series, and regardless of the film’s quality that’s one hell of a feat. Happily, under the guiding hand of director Justin Lin, Fast Five actually managed to be a damn entertaining movie. (Stupid, but entertaining.)
Lin is returning to helm the sixth film, and many of the usual suspects are along for the ride including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Fast Five‘s MVP Dwayne Johnson. Previously announced newcomers include the charisma-free Luke Evans (Death Race 2) and Haywire‘s kick-ass leading lady Gina Carano. It’s assumed that both will be playing for the bad guys. If that assumption is correct, they’ve just found themselves a third team member.
Per Variety, Joe Taslim will be playing Jah, “a cold-blooded killer who uses his martial arts and parkour skills to fight the pic’s protags.” (As a huge parkour fan Robert Fure will be thrilled.) Taslim has already proved his abilities in this year’s best action import, The Raid: Redemption where he played the SWAT(like) team leader, Jaka.
Taslim’s a fantastic fighter, and seeing him get a big-budget opportunity like this makes the upcoming sequel even more promising. It goes without saying though that his casting as the villain is the equivalent of Jet Li‘s in the otherwise execrable Lethal Weapon 4. Just as the idea of Mel Gibson and Danny Freaking Glover beating Li in a fight was ludicrous so is the thought of Taslim being defeated by Diesel or Walker. But that’s the magic of the movies for you.
Fast Six (?) is set to open May 24th, 2013.