At the end of F9: The Fast Saga my friends and I were joking around about how in the upcoming sequels the filmmakers will try to find a way to bring back Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner. Well, it turns out those conversations are actually happening for real.
Director Justin Lin recently told CinePOP Brazil that he is actually considering bringing him back for the Fast and Furious sequels. He says:
“Obviously, Paul and his character Brian are the soul and heart of how we’re able to move forward. Bringing him back is something I think about every day. As we approach the end of the franchise, it’s a conversation I’m having. And I think about this possibility every day. But I know the decision to keep the character alive in the franchise was made while I was gone. So I have to be respectful about it. I need to feel good and confident in what happens.”
It’s really not out of the realm of possibility to bring Walker’s Brian back. After his tragic, untimely death in 2013, Walker’s brothers Cody and Caleb stepped in to help recreate his likeness for his unfinished scenes for Furious 7. The film gave the character and proper sendoff and the character lives on in the franchise.
With the VFX technology that Hollywood is working with today, it’s totally possible to bring Brian back. Obviously, if Lin and the team get the blessing from his family to do it, the ability to move forward with it would be a lot easier, and it seems like they are. Both Cody and Caleb have said that they are open to returning to help bring Brian back if that’s something they are asked to do. The question is, should Lin bring him back?
If this is something that they end up doing, they better do it right. As a fan of the franchise, I wouldn’t mind one last goodbye from Brian before the franchise comes to an end. What do you think?