Overview
- An IndieWire excerpt from Barry Hertz’s forthcoming book reports that Lin’s exit followed a heated closed‑door meeting early in the shoot.
- The reporting describes pandemic‑era Zoom development marked by a swelling cast, rising costs, and constant script changes.
- Universal is portrayed as highly hands‑on and uninterested in Lin’s originally envisioned visual‑effects‑driven climax.
- One disputed idea involved a major character‑parentage twist that Lin explored and Vin Diesel opposed, according to the book.
- Lin left days into filming in April 2022, urged his core team to stay, and was swiftly replaced by Louis Leterrier, with plans for a follow‑up film still stalled.