On December 4th, Universal Pictures announced the studio had shut down production for a period of time on Fast & Furious 7 following the death of Paul Walker.
According to a new article at The Hollywood Reporter, Universal had already poured about $150 million into the production and about half of Walker’s filming was done. The actor was scheduled for considerable work on the film the week following his death.
The trade adds that the studio is trying to find a way to salvage footage already shot for Fast & Furious 7 instead of starting fresh. Screenwriter Chris Morgan is said to be doing revisions that Universal executives hope can retire Walker’s character from the series using scenes already shot. If he succeeds, the cast and crew could return to the set by late January to finish the film.
If Morgan can’t, the scrapping of the current version of the film could lead to the largest insurance claim in Hollywood history. The $150 million bill would have to be paid by the studio’s insurance firm, Fireman’s Fund. The report goes on to say that the studio does intend to release “Furious 7” and is planning an eighth film as well.
As was reported yesterday, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was already moved up a week to “Furious 7’s” July 11, 2014 date, indicating that it is already known behind the scenes that Universal won’t make that date.
