Welcome to the Legion!

 

helen mirren fast and furious 8

Before we begin, can we all just get on the same page and agree that Helen Mirren is a complete and utter badass? The famously outspoken (and potty-mouthed) Oscar winner has long been a favorite of moviegoers, both for her dramatic work and her roles in more action-oriented fare like Red and its inferior sequel.

While most of Mirren’s resume is filled with the sort of performances that have made her a 4-time Academy Award nominee, she’s keen to take on more challenging roles. Last year, while chatting with Yahoo, Mirren revealed her desire to star alongside Vin Diesel in an upcoming Fast and Furious film:

“My great ambition is to be in a Fast and Furious movie. I so want to be a mad driver in a Fast and Furious movie. My claim to fame is I always do my own driving — I was on Top Gear, and I did [my lap] in a very good time. I keep putting it out there, and they never ask me. I’ll be in Fast and Furious 8. I have to say Vin Diesel is brilliant. I love Vin Diesel. He’s a great guy, smart — I love him. It’s partly because of him I’d like to be in one, but also the driving.”

At the time, it seemed like an adorable bit of whimsy, and something that would likely never come to fruition – but Diesel apparently took notice, telling MTV a few months later “I think everyone should do the franchise… be careful what you wish for, Helen.”

And now it seems that wish has been granted after all. While speaking with Elle about her latest role in Alan Rickman’s final film, Eye in the Sky, Mirren confirmed her involvement in Fast 8:

“I want to be making film and theater, but film is particularly relevant. I like it to be serious. Of course, having said that I’m about to do Fast and Furious 8. But that’s for the fun of it. So maybe that’s what I want as well, some fun and some relevant, serious, important movies… I’ve always rather loved driving. I said, ‘I’ll be in it, but only if I’m allowed to drive if I do drive in it.’ But we’ll see. We’ll see how it transpires.”

There aren’t enough words to express how giddy I am about the prospect of seeing Helen Mirren careening down the highway in an absurdly expensive automobile, trading gunfire with Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and the rest of the Fast and Furious crew. Is it too much to hope for that her character turns out to be a new love interest for Hobbs? Fingers crossed.

Fast 8 will hit theaters on April 14, 2017.

About author View all posts

Brent Hankins

Brent Hankins is a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle and co-host of the Drinks and Discourse podcast. He's also the proud owner of an Italian Greyhound named Sullivan. He's adorable (the dog, not the author).