It’s been five years since Furious 7 debuted in the theatres. Originally set to release in July 2014, the film was delayed an entire year to accommodate the unexpectedly tragic passing of Paul Walker in a fiery car crash.
There was a lot of uncertainty as to what would happen next. The film producers offered to scrap the movie entirely; but instead, with the Walker family’s blessings, the film was released in 2015.
Was The Third Act Changed?
Upon release, the film was positively received by the audiences and became the highest-grossing film in the series; with a worldwide cume of $1.5 billion. It wasn’t just that though, the film was also lauded for its handling of Paul Walker’s passing; with his brothers, Cody and Caleb standing in for the actor.
The actor’s loss is felt to this day in the franchise; as the series continues to honor Walker’s presence in spirit. Furious 7 ended with Paul Walker’s character retiring with an emotional tribute in the end.
Some would say that Vin Diesel is milking the death of his pal for every penny he can. And frankly, there are times where it feels like that is indeed the case.
So, just what would have happened in Furious 7’s original ending if Paul Walker didn’t pass away? We are now learning that the original ending would have set up another mission for the Family. Brian, on the other hand, would be contemplating just what to do next, given how he had a family to think about now.
Instead, Walker’s final scenes were altered to retire Brian and give an emotional sendoff to the actor. The film’s third was still focused on the team trying to get back God’s Eye, yet at the same time, there were changes made to Brian’s arc and frankly, I wish the series ended there. It was a beautiful sendoff but hey, money matters more, amirite?
