Jean-Claude Van Damme says Vin Diesel put the brakes on him appearing in Fast and Furious
The Bloodsport star opens up about the F&F rejection
Vin Diesel apparently said no to Jean-Claude Van Damme appearing in Fast and Furious – according to the Bloodsport star, that is.
"They want me in Fast and Furious," Van Damme told The Telegraph. "But Vin Diesel said, ‘No, I don’t want him'."
Van Damme doesn’t explain how he would have fit into the Fast Family or in which Fast instalment he would have appeared, but there’s no doubt he would have felt right at home in the adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster that seems to follow Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto everywhere.
The actor, best known for ‘80s and ‘90s action flicks such as Kickboxer, Double Impact, and Timecop, did have a latter-day resurgence in another larger-than-life franchise, appearing in an all-star cast as part of 2012’s The Expendables 2. He also starred in a Kickboxer sequel in 2018.
Fast and the Furious, meanwhile, is about to hit the end of the road. Confusion reigned, however, after Vin Diesel suggested Fast X would be followed by two more movies despite originally being billed as the first in a two-parter.
"This summer is only the beginning of Fast X," Diesel previously told the crowd at this year's CinemaCon (via Entertainment Weekly). "And with all of your effort and with all of your love and the fact that you are a part of our family, Fast X will continue. And after this explosive summer, I will have the privilege of coming to you for Part 2 in 2025."
Fast X: Part 2 will race into cinemas on April 4, 2025. A spin-off, starring Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs, is also in the works.
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For more speedy shenanigans, check out the best Fast and Furious movies, plus a look at the best movies on Netflix.
I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.