Entertainment Movies Justin Lin Announces He Will No Longer Direct 'Fast and Furious 10' Days Into Production on 'Fast X' "With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X," Justin Lin said in a statement via Instagram on Tuesday By Shafiq Najib Published on April 27, 2022 01:20 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Justin Lin, who was set to direct Fast X — the 10th installment of the Fast & Furious franchise — has announced he will no longer serve in that role for the upcoming film. On Tuesday, Lin, who co-wrote the film with Dan Mazeau and directed five other films in the franchise, shared the news via a statement on the movie's Instagram account. "With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X," the statement read, adding that he will remain working on the project in a producer capacity. Jason Momoa Teases His Fast & Furious 10 Villain Role: A 'Very Flamboyant Bad Boy' "Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases," he continued. "On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history." "I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family," he concluded. Fast X began filming last week, with longtime stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Sung Kang, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Nathalie Emmanuel expected to return. Also returning is rapper Cardi B, who had a much-talked-about cameo in F9. Kevin Mazur/Getty Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Lin directed five previous movies in the franchise, joining the series in its third installment, 2006's The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. He later went on to direct Fast & Furious (2009), Fast Five (2011) and Fast & Furious 6 (2013). He did not direct the 7th and 8th installments, but returned for last year's F9, which earned more than $720 million worldwide. Earlier this month, Diesel, 54, announced that Brie Larson had joined the cast of Fast X, sharing a selfie with the Academy Award winner on his Instagram grid. RELATED: Vin Diesel Asks Dwayne Johnson to Return to Fast and Furious Franchise After Feud: 'Time Has Come' "Yeah yeah yeah … you see this angel over my shoulder cracking me up, you say to your self 'That's captain Marvel,' " he began his caption. "Clearly there is love and laughter in this image. What you don't see however, is the character you will be introduced to in Fast10." Diesel added, "You have no idea how timeless and amazing she will be in our mythology. Beyond her beauty, her intellect … her Oscar, haha is this profound soul who will add something you might not have expected but yearned for. Welcome to the FAMILY Brie." In addition to Larson, 32, Jason Momoa will join the 10th installment alongside Charlize Theron, who will reprise her role as Cipher in the franchise. Fast X is scheduled to hit theaters on May 19, 2023.