Despite Fast & Furious 7 seemingly bringing the franchise to a saisfying and emotional close following the unfortunate death of star Paul Walker, the studio isn’t going to let the potential for hundreds of millions of dollars more go to waste.

We’re getting a Fast & Furious 8 for sure, with a further two already on the cards, and Dwayne Johnson has just confirmed that he’s going to be reprising his role of DSS federal agent and bounty hunter Luke Hobbs. In an interview with Collider, Johnson was asked about whether the character was going to feature once more. He replied with a simple: “Of course. It can’t go on without Hobbs.”

Johnson was brought into the franchise with Fast Five and gave it the NOS shot in the arm that is sorely needed, helping it to become the truly over-the-top, physics defying blockbuster series it was always meant to be. He didn’t feature in the $1.3 billion-grossing Fast & Furious 7 as much as some might have hoped – director James Wan said it was partly due to scheduling conflicts – but all the same he has become an integral part of what makes the movies so much fun now.

On top of his confirmation of returning for the eighth film, Johnson also hinted at a potential Hobbs spinoff movie. It was actually originally planned as a release between the sixth and seventh F&F movies before plans were seemingly put on hold. He had this to say about it:

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.

Could a Hobbs movie be a success if it didn’t have the Fast and Furious name to help sell it to audiences? I think so. In no way reaching the box office returns of the main series but Johnson is enough of a big name and the character has become a favourite among fans of the series so I reckon it’d do well. I’d personally love to see a spinoff where he goes head-to-head once more with Jason Statham’s villainous Deckard Shaw who [FAST & FURIOUS 7 SPOILER ALERT!), last we saw him, was locked up tight in a maximum security cell.

Johnson will next be seen on the big-screen in disaster blockbuster San Andreas, released on May 29th.

Source: Collider