When “Fast & Furious 7” comes to theaters next year, Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Connor, will return to the big screen with the help of his two younger brothers.
Universal Studios announced today that Walker’s brothers Caleb and Cody will stand in for the actor to help complete small gaps in production.
Walker passed away last November in a car crash, leaving major scenes in the sequel left unfilmed.
As a result, the film’s release was pushed back from 2014 to April 10, 2015 as production took time to grieve and figure out how to rework the sequel.
The film, which resumed shooting earlier this month, will reportedly use a mix of CGI and body doubles to stand-in for Walker.
Earlier it was rumored Walker’s brother Cody was approached to fill in for scenes.
Here's Walker with his brother Caleb at Caleb's wedding six weeks before his death.
You can read the full release below which was posted on the official “Fast & Furious” Facebook page:
A Note to the Fans of FAST & FURIOUS
The FAST & FURIOUS saga is about family. The characters are connected by the bond of family, and it is how all of us who have worked together for more than thirteen years feel about each other. It certainly defines how we feel about our fans.
Our family experienced an unthinkable shock in November. We had to take time to grieve Paul, the brother we love and lost, and to figure out if we should move on with our film.
We came together and all felt the only choice was to continue. We believe our fans want that, and we believe Paul would want that too. Paul had already shot his dramatic scenes and most of his action for FAST & FURIOUS 7, and it’s among the strongest work of his career.
We have resumed shooting and now welcome Paul’s brothers, Caleb and Cody, into our FAST family. Caleb and Cody are helping us complete some remaining action for their brother and fill in small gaps left in production. Having them on set has made us all feel that Paul is with us too.
We are just under a year away from the release of FAST & FURIOUS 7, and this film is the most important we’ve ever done together. It will allow the character of Brian O’Conner to live on and let us celebrate Paul in his most defining role.
We wanted to take a moment to speak to our fans directly and thank you for the love and support you always show us as we resume our work.
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