‘Fast X’ spoilers: How that shocking cameo actually happened

The following post contains major spoilers for the end of “Fast X,” the 10th installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise

He’s back.

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For the first time since 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious” — and following a years-long public feud with star Vin Diesel — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has returned to the “Fast” franchise mothership. The actor, who starred in the “Fast” spinoff “Hobbs and Shaw” in 2019, once again plays law enforcement agent Luke Hobbs in “Fast X,” appearing in a post-credits scene cameo that sets up the potential for Johnson to have a key role in the 11th “Fast and Furious” film.

Johnson’s return likely came as a shock for many “Fast” fans who followed his public war-of-words with Diesel – or at least those who missed that the sequence was spoiled last week by an online media outlet.

How did Johnson end up returning to “Fast X”? Director Louis Leterrier told The Hollywood Reporter that brokering the peace was a group effort helped by the film itself.

“I didn’t know Dwayne, personally, but we reached out to Dwayne and Dwayne’s team. We sort of looked at each other from across the room and winked a few months back, saying, ‘We should work together.’ And then I had this idea and I presented it to the producers and the studio. And then we reached out to Dwayne and his team and said, ‘Just come and watch the movie. You have to love the movie first,’” Leterrier said in an interview published Friday. “So he came to see the movie and really loved it, and then we started talking. It was very smooth.”

Johnson isn’t the only former “Fast” actor to return for “Fast X.” In the film’s closing moments, Gal Gadot reappears as well – a truly shocking reveal considering her character, Gisele, died in the franchise’s sixth installment. For those who are keeping score at home – and assuming Gadot is playing Gisele and not her twin sister or some other melodramatic twist – this is the third time the “Fast” series has brought a previously deceased character back to life, following Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and Han (Sung Kang).

“Frankly, as a fan, I could not conceive of continuing the franchise without either Dwayne or Gal Gadot,” Leterrier, who is returning to direct “Fast 11,” said. “This franchise was built by actors and characters. The set pieces are wonderful. They keep you entertained and keep you shoving popcorn in your mouth, but the characters make this franchise what it is.”

But while Gadot had to overcome her character’s mortality to come back for the presumed “Fast” finale – although Diesel has suggested there could be a 12th film coming eventually – Johnson’s return was more unexpected. Johnson and Diesel memorably clashed on the set of “The Fate of the Furious” and while their characters shared scenes together onscreen, Johnson previously confirmed that neither he nor Diesel were physically on set together during production. A further indication of their frayed relationship came when Johnson didn’t appear in “F9.” 

In the years that followed the release of “The Fate of the Furious,” Diesel said that he perhaps goaded Johnson on set in an effort to cull a better performance from the star. In July 2021, Johnson dismissed that notion and said he was done with the franchise. “I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on ‘Fast 9.’ And I wish them the best of luck on ‘Fast 10’ and ‘Fast 11’ and the rest of the ‘Fast & Furious’ movies they do that will be without me,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

Despite that statement, Diesel refused to give up. In the fall of 2021, Diesel took to Instagram to all but beg Johnson to return – while also invoking Paul Walker, a.k.a. “Pablo,” who died during the production of “Furious 7.” 

“My little brother Dwayne… the time has come. The world awaits the finale of ‘Fast 10.’ As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best ‘Fast’ in the finale that is 10!” Diesel wrote. “I say this out of love… but you must show up, do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play. Hobbs can’t be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny.

In response, Johnson told CNN he was “surprised” by Diesel’s post and had previously told the star he had no interest in returning to the franchise. 

“This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly – and privately – that I would not be returning to the franchise. I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return. I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem,” Johnson said.

“Vin’s recent public post was an example of his manipulation,” he added. “I didn’t like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker’s death. Leave them out of it. We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding. My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise with gratitude and grace. It’s unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters. Regardless, I’m confident in the ‘Fast’ universe and its ability to consistently deliver for the audience, and I truly wish my former co-stars and crew members the best of luck and success in the next chapter.”

But now he’s back and with the potential for more. The conflict in “Fast X” is driven by events that took place in “Fast Five,” the first film where Johnson played Hobbs. In the “Fast X” post-credits scene, the villain, Dante (Jason Momoa) – who has enacted revenge on Diesel’s Dominic Toretto because Toretto and his crew were responsible for the death of Dante’s drug-dealer father – threatens to come after Hobbs. In turn, Hobbs welcomes the conflict. Fans will have to find out what happens next when “Fast 11” hits theaters in 2025.

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