If you think Paddington’s got the art of the hard stare on lock, wait ‘til you see whatDwayne JohnsonandJason Stathambring to the mean-mugging table. After stealing the show inFate of the Furious(#JusticeForHan notwithstanding), the fan-favorite duo are set to headline their own spinoff adventure withHobbs and Shaw.
Atomic BlondeandDeadpool 2directorDavid Leitchis helming the action pic from a script byFast and FuriousmainstayChris Morgan, with an impressive cast of newcomers joining the Fast-adjacent fray, includingVanessa KirbyandIdris Elba.The film will follow Johnson’s former Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs and military veteran turned mercenary turned Han-murderer Deckard Shaw on a new high-octane adventure of their own, however plot details have been kept pretty tightly under wraps.
However, when we caught up with Statham forThe Megearlier this summer, the actor teased a darker, more adult spin on the Fast and Furious-verse.
“I think Dave Leitch’s taste is a little more grounded and a little darker. If you seeAtomic Blonde, and it is just superb, his taste is definitely in a [different world],” the actor said. “I think he’s looking to do something that doesn’t look exactly like aFastmovie although it’s theFastcharacters. He’s trying to do his own thing with it and give it a real sense of credibility… I think Dave is going to get this one gritty, real, and fucking hard core.”
And while we don’t know exactly what to expect from that gritty take on the Hobbs and Shaw dynamic, Statham also teased a deeper dive into Deckard’s family of criminals, including his sister, played byMission: Impossible - FalloutandThe Crownstandout Kirby. “We’re trying to build out my relationship with my sister and with my mother and what that means,” Statham said. “What my relationship is with Idris and all these other things. [David] really cares a lot. He’s on the phone all the time and he’s always there and we’re trying to do something really good.”
From the looks of things, we can also expect some battles of the bros between Hobbs and Shaw. “We either gonna get along or we gonna get it on. Fuck getting along,” Johnson said in his first look image reveal, adding a little smiling devil face. I’m pretty sure that means they’re going to fight, but if this is unexpectedly a romance, I’d be into that too. “We’re havin’ a blast disrupting the norm to deliver something fresh, cool, fun and bad ass for the fans,” he added with his signature movie star zeal.
Check it out for yourself in the first look image below. Hobbs and Shaw is set to punch a hole through movie screens on July 29, 2025.
