There has been a lot of speculation regarding the release date of Fast & Furious 7 since the sad passing away of lead star Paul Walker, who essayed the role of Brian O'Conner. Reports had been surfacing in the media that said that Universal Studios, the production house, was pondering over what to do with Walker's character in the film. However, all speculations and rumours were put to rest when action hero Vin Diesel posted the release date of the film on the official Facebook page of the franchise. As per this update, Fast & Furious 7 will hit theatres on the 10th of April, 2015. Diesel posted a picture of him and Walker, which incidentally was the last scene they filmed together. “The last scene we filmed together. There was a unique sense of completion, of pride we shared. In the film we were now completing. The magic captured and, in just how far we've come. Fast and Furious 7 will be released. April 10th 2015! P.s. He'd want you to know first,” said the post.
According to sources, Paul Walker had finished filming for all scenes before he met with the horrible accident in Santa Clarita, California. As everyone knows now, Walker and his friend Roger Rodas were inside a Porsche Carrera GT, which crashed into a light pole and consequently, burst into flames, claiming the lives of both. Before the actor had passed away, this film was set for a 2014 release and excitement levels were quite high as new additions had been made to the star cast. It is being said that the delay in release is quite logical as the producers would have to make adjustments to the script. Although replacing Walker with another actor for future editions is a perfectly plausible scenario, it would be too risky, considering the fan following and attachment fans have with the original Brian O'Conner.
A report in Deadline suggests that Universal has given some sort of hint as to what might happen in the next instalment of this franchise. “Continuing the global exploits in the franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead the returning cast of Fast & Furious 7,” a statement from the studio said. The actor's demise happened on the Thanksgiving weekend and after the incident, the production house stalled the shooting to give space to the cast and gather its emotions. Some reports also claim that Universal has Walker's brother to step in and shoot remaining scenes. However, Universal, on its part, has refrained from answering this question, leaving a lot to pure speculation. The alterations made to the script would be interesting to see and are likely to generate tremendous curiosity among fans.
Fast & Furious 7 had already gained a lot of prominence before the death of Paul Walker as the makers had provided an excellent twist in the climax of the sixth edition. The introduction of Ian Shaw, which will be played by Jason Statham, took everyone by surprise. Also, the seventh part of the high-octane franchise is being directed by James Wan and will see the entry of Tony Jaa, the famous Southeast Asian action star. Unlike all other films of this franchise, Fast & Furious 7 is expected to connect with fans on an emotional level, thereby taking Paul Walker's legacy to another level. The seventh film is going to be a fitting tribute to a truly skilled actor and a superb guy, who was loved by his colleagues and fans.
