26 Aug – Thai action superstar, Tony Jaa, signs up for the seventh "Fast And Furious" sequel. The project has already gained much attention for the addition of Jason Statham as the new villain for the series. "I have been a big fan of the "Fast And Furious" franchise" says "Ong Bak" lead Jaa in an email to Screenrant website. Jaa, is not the only new addition to join stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayn Johnson. Three weeks ago, Variety reported that mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey will also be joining the project. Tony Jaa is best known for his role in the "Ong Bak" series, a title which translates as 'Muay Thai Warrior'. The stuntman-turned-actor stared in the original and went on to star, co-write and direct "Ong Bak 2" and "Ong Bak 3". "Fast And Furious 7" will be Jaa's first English-speaking role and could potentially lead him through a similar path as action stars Jackie Chan and Jet Lee in attaining a wider American audience. The sequel will be set where the franchise first began, Los Angeles. The sequel will also take on a new approach as 'a gritty 70's revenge thriller' under the directing of James Wan.
Director James Wan is also known for his latest horror films "The Conjuring" and the upcoming "Insidious: Chapter 2". The director signed up for the project after the "Fast and Furious 7" story managed to grab his attention. It is possible that director James Wan will take a similar approach on the "Fast And Furious 7" project as his past work. Fans may have to wait awhile to see what the director will conjure up for the big sequel as it is expected to be released on June, 2014.