The release of the latest Fast & Furious movie trailer not only shows off the upcoming action-adventure movie before it hits theaters next year, but it also serves as a bittersweet tribute to the series' star, Paul Walker, after his death last year.
Walker, who was 40 at the time of his tragic death, is featured prominently throughout the Furious 7 trailer, as it seems to not only serve as a showcase to his talent as an action star, but also act as a farewell. Walker died on November 30, 2013 in a single-car accident in Valencia, California.
Furious 7 also stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, and Jason Statham in what some are saying may be the final film in the seven-part series. It takes place after the events of Fast & Furious 6 when the crew defeated villain Owen Shaw. Owen's brother, Ian (played by Jason Statham) seeks revenge for his brother's death.
The new trailer shows Walker and his companions dropping in to overtake a heavily-armed bus and resuce a hostage. The film's action heavily revolves around death-defying stunts and plenty of the muscle car maneuvering that you've come to love in the Fast & Furious films.
"I don't have friends, I got family," Diesel's character says as a prominent shot of Walker fills the screen. The trailer is an obvious nod to Walker as Diesel's character also mentions the fact that this is "one last ride" for the crew. But the question is, will the Fast & Furious property continue without Walker?
The trailer has reportedly racked up over 100 million views in the first 48 hours of being online, which makes it one of the most viewed trailers of the year along with Fifty Shades of Grey (36.4 million), and the recent Avengers: Age of Ultron (50.6 million). This speaks highly of the aging franchise, although the buss have more to do with fans wanting to see Paul Walker in his final days.
Filming began in September of 2013, so at the time of Walker's death in November, production was already well under way. Universal announced that filming would continue after a delay, allowing writers to rework the script. Walker's character was rewritten to retire from the group, and certain scenes would need to be refilmed. Walker's brothers, Caleb and Cody, were brought in as stand-ins for the deceased actor, helping to complete the movie in time.
Furious 7 will release in theaters on April 3, 2015.
