David Ayer has shared his complex emotions about The Fast And Furious franchise in an interview with Variety. The director of Suicide Squad, who was also one of the credited screenwriters for the original 2001 film that launched the franchise, spoke on Jon Bernthal’s Real Ones podcast this week, expressing his frustrations.
Ayer voiced his discontent about the immensely successful multi-billion dollar film series, stating, “It’s the biggest franchise in Hollywood, and I don’t have any part in it. I have nothing to show for it, absolutely nothing, due to the way the industry operates.” Ayer, who has also had his own conflicts with Warner Bros. over his preferred version of Suicide Squad, went on to claim that he was responsible for key elements in the first movie, such as shifting the setting from New York to L.A.’s underground street racing scene and integrating authentic street racing aspects. He noted, “I told them, ‘I won’t take it unless I can set it in L.A. and capture the essence of the people I know here.’ So, I started incorporating people of color, street culture, and real elements of the culture. Back then, no one knew much about street racing.”
Ayer revealed that he feels excluded from the narrative surrounding the franchise, attributing this to unnamed “individuals” who control narratives. He explained, “The story is that I didn’t contribute anything, right? People manipulate narratives, control them, and create them to empower themselves. Because I’ve always been an outsider, I don’t attend parties or social events. Those who do control and shape narratives, because they’re ingrained in that system. I was never part of that, so I was always seen as the enigmatic creative type.”
While it’s true that the Fast And Furious franchise has evolved significantly from its original concept—shifting from a Point Break-inspired racing narrative to a Bond-esque series centered around automotive stunts—it’s hard to ignore that certain elements introduced by Ayer in the initial draft have endured in the current characters and storyline. The franchise’s success was kick-started by the original’s low-budget, high-profit performance, convincing executives to allow it to expand, evolve, and even venture into space.
In the face of this situation, Ayer is taking a proactive approach, stating to Bernthal, “I’m disregarding the intermediaries. I get it. It’s up to me, I have to rescue myself, right? Regardless of all the shots I’ve taken throughout my career—I have to self-rescue and create an environment where I can foster creativity. That’s what I’m doing now.”
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