The Greatest Showman #692 - Eerily Calm

It started as a typical piece of news, but the buzz surrounding Fast & Furious and Vin Diesel's comments quickly turned it into something far more intriguing. The reporters, like vultures sensing a story, circled in, ready to tear into any morsel of information.

At LaGuardia Airport in New York, just after Renly's arrival, the reporters swarmed around him. Instead of immediately addressing the rumors about Vin Diesel's remarks, they jumped straight into questions about Killing Samsara, the film Renly was about to star in.

Renly first confirmed the news that he would be part of Killing Samsara, sharing brief details about the plot and his excitement for the project. If Jeff had been there, he would have laughed, recognizing Renly's answer as a typical "press release" version—polished but light on substance.

The reporters, eager for more, didn't wait long before asking the next question: "Now that you've decided to star in Killing Samsara, what about Fast & Furious? What does this mean for your future in the franchise?"

It seemed like a simple question, but the atmosphere shifted. Every reporter held their breath, sensing a potential bombshell. And Renly, without skipping a beat, gave his answer:

"For me, the most important job right now is Killing Samsara." His words were firm, without hesitation, making it clear that this was his priority.

Then came the bombshell that left the reporters speechless:

"As for Fast & Furious, unfortunately, I won't be involved in the production or performance of the sequel. I've always hoped to be part of it, but life is like that—sometimes goodbye comes sooner than expected. I wish my friends all the best."

The silence that followed was deafening. The reporters were stunned, frozen in place, processing the news that Renly had just confirmed his departure from the beloved franchise. There was no dramatic buildup, no prior warning—just a straightforward admission that left them reeling.

For a brief moment, it was almost comical. About fifty reporters stood in stunned silence, staring at Renly with vacant expressions. It felt like an absurd pantomime from an old silent film, with thick, black humor hanging in the air.

A faint smile tugged at Renly's lips, amused by the scene. In his mind, playing with the reporters was far more entertaining than any fan's cheers. He looked around, waited for a moment, and when no one spoke up, he pointed forward, signaling his intent to leave.

"What happened with the crew?" someone finally managed to shout. Their voice trembled slightly—was it excitement or panic?

"Nothing happened, the crew is fine," Renly responded with a lightness in his tone, almost laughing at the situation. The reporters were more confused than ever. What was going on?

"But why aren't you continuing with Fast & Furious?" they pressed, clearly unsatisfied with his earlier answers.

Renly shrugged, unbothered. "In each of the five previous films, some actors were absent. This time, it's just the same. There's no special reason. Things just developed this way." He paused, adding with a wry smile, "In the Fast & Furious series, no one's indispensable unless they're one of the producers."

Then, one reporter, refusing to back down, asked the question everyone was thinking: "Is this because of Vin Diesel?"

Renly's response was blunt, throwing the reporters off balance. "Yes, we have a problem," he said, adding casually, "Vin doesn't like surfing. He's not a beach person, so we don't have much in common. It's hard to strike up a conversation with someone like that."

This wasn't the first time Renly had used this line. In the past, when asked about his relationship with Paul Walker, Renly had used the same humorous response, but today, in this context, it took on new, intriguing undertones. The contrast between Vin Diesel's earlier remarks and Renly's lighthearted delivery made the situation all the more fascinating.

"But in Toronto, you and Paul both said you were looking forward to the sequel," one reporter pressed, still unwilling to accept Renly's exit from the series.

Renly smiled, shrugging. "All I can say is it was a nice wish. I talked to Paul recently—we both regret not being part of the sequel. I was looking forward to racing again, and Paul was hoping for another showdown. But I guess that's something for the future now."

Renly added, almost as an afterthought, "Unfortunately, Vin doesn't surf, so there's no chance for us to chat about it on the beach while waiting for the waves."

His casual, almost playful tone suggested that this was just another typical Hollywood transition. Yes, there was regret, but no real disappointment. Vin Diesel's absence in the second series, Paul Walker's absence in the third, and now Renly's absence in the sixth—none of it seemed like a major issue. Hollywood moved on, as it always did.

"So, if the schedules line up later, would you still consider returning to the Fast & Furious series?" a reporter asked, still clinging to hope.

Renly smiled and avoided the core of the question with a clever sidestep: "We'll see after Killing Samsara is done."

The answer was indirect, leaving the door open, but it also raised suspicions: Between Vin and Renly, were the rumors true?

The reporters were left in a daze, each of them silently wondering: What's really going on between Renly and Vin Diesel? Was it really as simple as it seemed?

Renly, ever the enigma, gave them no answers—at least not the answers they were looking for. His calm demeanor only made the situation more perplexing.

One reporter, still struggling to understand the dynamics, finally stammered, "What does Paul think about all this?"

Renly smiled again. "He wishes me good luck. And I wish him the same," he said, before making his exit, surrounded by his team. The reporters were left to stare at each other, trying to piece together the puzzle.

"Good luck?" they murmured. That was the exact phrase Vin Diesel had used just the day before. Was this a coincidence, or was it intentional? Was there really no underlying tension, or was it all just smoke and mirrors?

As Renly disappeared into the distance, the reporters were left with more questions than answers. It was clear now: Renly had withdrawn from Fast & Furious 5, and the role of Luke Hobbs would not continue on the big screen.

And yet, this revelation didn't come from Universal Pictures, but from Renly himself.

The timing was odd. Just days ago, insiders at Universal had claimed negotiations for the sequel were progressing smoothly, with a rumored $8 million offer for Renly. What had happened to change things so suddenly?

Had Renly rejected Universal's offer? Was $8 million not enough? Had the previous leaks just been part of Universal's PR strategy?

It was unclear, but one thing was certain: in this showdown between Renly and the studio, it seemed that Renly was the one holding the upper hand.

As the reporters scrambled to uncover the truth, one thing became evident: Universal Pictures was now the subject of intense scrutiny. What happened behind closed doors? What role did Warner Bros. play? And, more importantly, what was Killing Samsara?

With so many questions left unanswered, the story was far from over.