Audiences have had their fingers crossed for Hobbs & Shaw 2, but the Rock’s involvement in Fast & Furious 11 makes this sequel much less likely.
Despite the fact that Hobbs & Shaw 2 was a highly anticipated sequel to the Fast & Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, the sequel seems totally unlikely now that the Rock has confirmed his Fast & Furious 11 return. The Fast & Furious franchise is an iconic action series that first began in 2001 and currently has ten movies, with more on the way. The films center topics such as street racing, espionage, heists, and family. Over the years, the franchise has collected a series of memorable actors that have grounded the series including Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
In 2019, the Fast & Furious franchise made an interesting move by releasing a spinoff film entitled Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, also known simply as Hobbs & Shaw. The film follows Dwayne Johnson’s character Hobbs and Jason Statham’s character Shaw as they form an unlikely partnership to take down an evil cyborg solider, Brixton Lorr. Though the film wasn’t considered the best of the franchise, it still garnered some praise, especially for the comedic tension between Johnson and Statham. Since then, hopes have been high for a Hobbs & Shaw 2, but unfortunately, that possibility has only grown slimmer.
The Rock’s Fast & Furious Future All But Confirms Hobbs & Shaw 2 Isn’t Happening
In the latest installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast X, Dwayne Johnson made a cameo in the end-credits scene, confirming his return to the franchise, and thereby canceling any chance at a Hobbs & Shaw sequel. Johnson has been notably absent from the Fast & Furious franchise since the series’ eighth installment, presumably due to a feud between himself and Vin Diesel. However, that all seems to be in the past, as Johnson is set to reprise his role as Luke Hobbs in Fast & Furious 11. Unfortunately, Johnson’s involvement with this newest film means that Hobbs & Shaw 2 probably won’t be happening.
The first Hobbs & Shaw was released in 2019, in the years between Johnson’s exit from Fast & Furious’s eighth installment and his return in the tenth. Jason Statham was also absent from F9 besides a brief cameo. The logical conclusion then is that, because Johnson and Statham were not working on the ninth Fast & Furious movie, they had time to star in Hobbs & Shaw. Now, the actors won’t have this luxury. If both Statham and Johnson are set to appear in Fast & Furious 11, then there will be no time for Hobbs & Shaw 2. Plus, with them both returned to the main franchise, there’s really no reason for a sequel.
Why Hobbs & Shaw 2 Was Not A Good Idea Anyway
Unfortunately, Hobbs & Shaw 2 wouldn’t have been the best choice anyway. Though the film is a fan favorite, it didn’t do incredibly well, so the success of Hobbs & Shaw 2 would be really up in the air. Dwayne Johnson has become one of the best paid actors in Hollywood, but that does not guarantee that a Hobbs & Shaw sequel would do well. If it flopped, it would not only hurt the franchise as a whole, but Johnson’s success as well. Overall, making Hobbs & Shaw 2 is too risky at this point. However, there is still a chance that the spinoff could return someday when it is most wanted.
