In a move that is unsurprising and painfully necessary, Universal Pictures has released an official statement announcing the ceasing of production on Fast & Furious 7, at least in its current form, following the tragic death of actor Paul Walker in a car crash on Saturday.
“Right now, all of us at Universal are dedicated to providing support to Paul's immediate family and our extended Fast & Furious family of cast, crew and filmmakers,” said the studio in the statement. “At this time we feel it is our responsibility to shut down production on Fast & Furious 7 for a period of time so we can assess all options available to move forward with the franchise. We are committed to keeping Fast & Furious fans informed, and we will provide further information to them when we have it. Until then, we know they join us in mourning the passing of our dear friend Paul Walker.”
The news marks a forgone conclusion on a suspended production, which for obvious reasons has not been at work this week. It is currently unclear if this delay will effect the next film’s intended July 11, 2014 release date, as the film’s current script obviously heavily involves Walker’s work as Brian O’Conner. At the moment, it seems best to respect the grief and mourning of those involved.