David Ayer Has ‘Nothing to Show’ for Writing ‘The Fast and the Furious’: ‘The Narrative Is I Didn’t Do S—’
24.08.2023 - 14:41
/ variety.com
Ethan Shanfeld As a co-writer of 2001’s “The Fast and the Furious,” David Ayer helped launch one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time. Yet, the “Suicide Squad” and “End of Watch” director says he has “nothing to show” for his contributions to Universal Pictures’ high-octane racing series. “Biggest franchise in Hollywood, and I don’t have any of it,” Ayer said on a recent episode of Jon Bernthal’s “Real Ones” podcast (via EW).
“I got nothing to show for it, nothing, because of the way the business works.” With 10 mainline movies plus a “Hobbs & Shaw” spinoff, the “Fast & Furious” franchise has grossed over $7 billion. A follow-up to 2023’s “Fast X,” as well as another standalone movie focused on Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs, are already in the works. “The narrative is I didn’t do shit, right?” Ayer continued.
“It’s like people hijack narratives, control narratives, create narratives to empower themselves, right? And because I was always an outsider and because, like, I don’t go to the fucking parties. I don’t go to the meals, I don’t do any of that stuff. The people that did were able to control and manage narratives because they’re socialized in that part of the problem.
I was never socialized in that part of the problem so I was always like the dark, creative dude, beware.” Co-writers Gary Scott Thompson and Erik Bergquist had written previous drafts of “The Fast and the Furious,” based on a 1998 Vibe magazine article titled “Racer X.” But Ayer says he came in and completely changed the setting, grounding the story in authentic Los Angeles street racing culture. “When I got that script, that shit was set in New York, it was all Italian kids, right?” Ayers said. “I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m not gonna take it unless I
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