'Fast and Furious 8' spoilers, news: Late Paul Walker will be represented in sequel; next movie to be darker

(Universal Pictures/Official Facebook)

"Fast and Furious" fans still have a whole lot of waiting left to do before the next installation of the franchise hits movie theatres. Luckily, the people involved in the project are more than willing to share some updates every now and then to keep their fans happy.

In an exclusive report by Variety, "Fast and Furious" star and producer Vin Diesel, director F. Gary Gray, NBC Universal vice-chairman Ron Meyer and Universal Chairman Donna Langley talked to the publication and shared some key developments about "Fast and Furious 8."

According to Diesel, the creative team behind "Fast and Furious 8" is in the early stages of developing a new series of sequels. The 48-year-old actor shared that they have already developed story lines for the film's different characters while Langley revealed that there have already been discussions on how they can build on the franchise's story via sequels or prequels.

Reports claim that Langley hinted that the richness of the cast certainly gives them leeway to "bring characters in and out." Aside from Diesel's Dominic Toretto, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Kurt Russell are also set to reprise their roles as Luke Hobbs, Deckard Shaw and the enigmatic Mr. Nobody, respectively.

However, one fan-favorite who won't be returning is Brian O'Conner, who was portrayed by the late Paul Walker. "Furious 7" completed the actor's unfinished scenes with the help of body doubles and CGI, but Meyer definitively answered that Walker won't be in the franchise's eighth outing. However, he said that the actor would still "be represented in some form or another" and assured fans that the next movie would still be "Fast and Furious," only without Walker.

While the upcoming movie's plot is being kept under wraps, it's been said that Gray was chosen to direct "F8," as Diesel calls it, because the franchise is allegedly moving towards a much darker direction.

"Fast and Furious 8" will reportedly hit movie theatres in April 2017.

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