By Ben Travis | Posted 29 Apr 2019

When Fast & Furious duo Hobbs and Shaw go off on their own adventure in Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw this summer, the rest of the Toretto gang will be going full steam ahead into production on Fast 9 – which, lamentably, means a film without Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson or Jason Statham. Of course, that leaves a vacancy in the former-wrestler-turned-screen-action-star mould – and it appears Vin Diesel has found someone to plug that gap. Bringing yet more brawn and brio to the Fast-iverse will be John Cena – as confirmed in a video on Diesel’s Instagram.

“I’m always thinking Fast, and thinking about the responsibility, and making something iconic and deserving of your loyalty,” he said, before going on to mention late Fast star Paul Walker. “I know this sounds crazy, but every blue moon I feel like Pablo up there sends me someone. Another soldier for the fight for truth. Today, someone came by the Toretto gym that speaks to what Pablo would have brought me. All love, always.” Cue a shot of a dapper-looking John Cena, ready to join in the carnage. He's a good shout for Fast – he put in a decent performance in Bumblebee, and proved his comedy chops in Trainwreck and Blockers. If he's on the heroic side, it could even mean Johnson and Cena sharing the screen in Fast 10 when the Hobbs and Shaw guys rejoin the main franchise.

Fast & Furious 9 is due to arrive next summer from director Justin Lin, behind Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast 5 and Fast 6. As well as Diesel and Cena, this one will also bring back Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, and Michelle Rodriguez, with production due to begin in June. Here’s hoping the franchise can stay just as big, dumb, and ludicrously fun without Johnson and Statham around…

Keep up to date with all the latest movie news, click here to subscribe to Empire on Great Magazines and have the latest issue delivered to your door every month.