Fast and Furious director Justin Lin quit franchise after ‘major disagreement’ with Vin Diesel, reports say

‘This movie is not worth my mental health,’ Lin is reported to have said, after he apparently didn’t see eye-to-eye with franchise’s lead star

Director Justin Lin exited his role on the 10th Fast and Furious film last month – and now inside sources have claimed it was due to a “major disagreement” with the franchise’s star, Vin Diesel.

In a statement released on the franchise’s official social media accounts last week, Lin shared that he’d made the “difficult decision” to step away from his position, just days into the production of Fast X.

Lin has directed five of the car-racing franchise’s lucrative movies, returning after a two-film break for last year’s ninth outing, F9.

He also co-wrote the latest instalment with Dan Mazeau, and will stay on as a producer for the film.

The Hollywood Reporter has now cited a source describing a “major disagreement” that allegedly took place between Diesel – who plays street racer turned special agent Dominic Toretto – and Lin, on 23 April.

The pair reportedly had a disagreement over the fact that the script kept changing – this was due in part to a key location no longer being possible to shoot in because of the war in Ukraine, and due to one of the villains not being cast yet.

Lin had reportedly believed he would have a finished script by the time the shoot commenced, while the film’s studio Universal and Diesel were backing more changes.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a four-person meeting began with Diesel having new notes, and “ended with a slammed door”.

One source said: “Justin finally had enough and said, ‘This movie is not worth my mental health.’”

Vin Diesel in ‘Fast and Furious 9’ (Universal Pictures)

A Universal spokesperson told the publication: “Any creative differences leading to Justin Lin’s exit were with the studio, not with fellow producers, cast or crew.”

The Independent has contacted Universal, Lin and Diesel for comment.

Louis Leterrier (Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and the Transporter movies) will reportedly be Lin’s replacement as director.

Lin isn’t the only person Diesel has reportedly feuded with on the set of the Fast and Furious films.

He has also been engaged in a longstanding war of words with former franchise star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who departed the film series last summer. “I wish them well,” Johnson said.