Fast X Director Louis Leterrier Worried The Film Could End His Career

One might recall that Louis Leterrier was not the original director of "Fast X." As reported by /Film back in April of 2022, Justin Lin stepped away from the project due to "creative differences," and the production had to scramble to find a new director. Lin, it should be noted, directed the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth entries in the series. Shooting briefly continued without a director — the fight scene between Michelle Rodriguez and Charlize Theron was reportedly overseen only by the second unit — before Leterrier, the action director behind films like "The Transporter 2," and "The Incredible Hulk," stepped in. 

Luckily, Leterrier took to "Fast X" very quickly, and one would not be able to tell that there was any turmoil. The finished film is slick, dumb, and just as exciting as any of the previous chapters in the saga. 

Even though he was dropped into production very quickly, essentially at a disadvantage in not being part of the production from the start, Leterrier knew that he would be given no special dispensation from audiences. Rushed or not, the director had to make a good film. It was this philosophy that buoyed and aided him through the work. In a recent interview with Uproxx, Leterrier understood that no one seeing "Fast X" would be stroking their chins and giving careful consideration to what the director wasn't able to fully accomplish. Leterrier figured that no one would say, "'Keep in mind, we don't have this, but it's good enough.'" He added, "No one cares."

Of course, if he did mess up, he felt that his career could conceivably be adversely affected.

Leterrier was of two minds when coming on board "Fast X" in medias res. On the one hand, it was a challenge to see if a great film could be made on such short notice. On the other, entering a production mid-stream is a great way to assure disaster. It seems that Leterrier's wife, actress Cameron Richardson, encouraged him to think more of the former. The director said:

"[T]hat's very scary when you do this. I was like, okay. Well, it could end my career or I can do what I've always wanted to do and raise [sic] to the challenge, and actually get that and do it. I thought about it and, well, my wife pushed me. I mean, literally, I was dipping my toes in, and she pushed me into the deep end, and I was on the deep end."

Leterrier understood that directing an installment in one of the most successful film franchises of all time was both an opportunity and a risk. While the director was familiar with large-scale studio productions and high-octane action, a "Furious" movie was a level far beyond. Some reports have the film's budget as the eighth largest in cinema history. Leterrier, once again, was of two minds, saying:

"Well, sure, you want to do the 'Fast and Furious' movies, but you don't want to do the worst one of the franchise. You know? You want to do the one that kills it all? The one that sort of says, 'They were great, and then this Frenchie came.'"

Leterrier was born in Paris. 

The Uproxx interviewer, Mike Ryan, had interviewed other "Fast & Furious" directors in the past, and he pointed out to Leterrier that they all seem utterly exhausted after the experience. Given the elaborate stunts, enormous casts, and exotic locales, one can see how it would wear out a single director, as well as an enormous crew. Leterrier, however, only found the enormity to be exhilarating. It seems he did indeed see "Fast X" as a fun challenge. In his words: 

"It was the greatest. I'm not B.S.-ing you, this was the greatest experience of my life. I had the greatest time. Best crew, best cast, best studio. Everything was like, 'Wow, I'm having the time of my life.' [...] I think you can see it in the movie. There's a sense of fun and excitement and everything, so I brought it forward. Immediately Vin and I clicked. The rest of the cast and I clicked. And we just got to work. And we just work, work, work, work, work."

It seems that if a director and the film's cast are copacetic, and everyone is willing to put in the hard work, then a good film can be made in a pinch. Now that he's comfortable, perhaps Leterrier will make a more controlled, less frantic "Furious" movie next time. The director has already signed on to make the next — and (maybe) final — film in the series. As of this writing, the title has not been released. 

"Fast X" is playing in theaters everywhere now.