Dwayne Johnson is back in the Fast and Furious universe. Given the documented rivalry between Johnson and Vin Diesel, it was a welcome surprise that the two actors could put their differences aside and come together for the final film of the main franchise.
However, before Fast X: Part II is released, Universal confirmed that another Hobbs solo film will be made in between the two-part finale. Hobbs & Shaw was a fun diversion from the main Fast and Furious series, but there was never a true call for a sequel to be made. Sandwiching in a Luke Hobbs sequel before Fast X: Part II could be damaging to the final film.
Luke Hobbs Is A Great Character But…
There was never a true need for a follow-up on the Hobbs & Shaw spin-off. As previously mentioned, the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham film was a fun entry into the Fast and Furious canon; the actors had great chemistry, and their petty squabbles made for an entertaining affair. However, there isn’t much of a desire to continue their adventure because no intriguing questions are left when the film is all said and done.
Yes, there was a tease for another mission involving Hobbs and Shaw, but realistically speaking, there was nothing special about their spin-off. It was just over-the-top and absurd ways of Johnson and Statham kicking ass for nearly two hours.
Luke Hobbs is a great character. When introduced in Fast Five, the bounty hunter made a great foil for Dom Toretto as it was believable that his character could take him and Dom’s crew down. The love/hate relationship was a fun distraction throughout the series, though it would’ve been great if Hobbs did follow through on trying to take down Dom Toretto once and for all.
Hobbs Return To The Series Feels Forced
There’s no telling if the Hobbs sequel will pick up where the first installment left off. However, Hobb’s return to the series does feel forced. It’s cool that his return has ties to Dante’s quest for revenge, but how does that serve the main story? It could be a fun deviation to see Dante go after Hobbs, but does anyone truly expect the latter to be the man to get rid of Dante once and for all?
No. He’s not the lead protagonist of the main series, so it’ll feel like a waste of time giving the Hobbs/Dante arc any sort of energy when the outcome feels like a foregone conclusion. The solo Hobbs sequel feels the same way. Perhaps the history of Dante and Hobbs will be showcased here, but there’s no point in putting this much emphasis on a side quest that doesn’t serve a main purpose to the overall narrative.
A Luke Hobbs Sequel Overcrowds The Fast Series
Even before the announcement of the Hobbs sequel, the Fast series was over-exposed and bloated. Fast X isn’t an outright flop as it’s done better financially than the first five films, but this is surely the lowest entry of the series since Five. Audiences are simply tired of the series and it’s better to simply move to Fast X: Part II.
Adding an unnecessary sequel could damage the brand further. The action sequences are the coolest parts of the series. However, Hobbs will be in the final film, so the chances of him dying in the spin-off are incredibly slim. That means the stakes are very low because the outcome is a foregone conclusion.
Toss in the fact that Johnson will essentially play the same ass-kicking character that he’s branded himself with for the past decade. That act has become tiresome, and Hobbs lost most of his luster when he started teaming with Dom and his crew. The Fast and Furious franchise is on its last legs, and a Luke Hobbs could easily kill the box office run of Part II even further.
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