A month after Paul Walker’s death, another actor in the “Fast & Furious” franchise said the latest installment of the movie will continue to shoot in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
The film’s actor, Tyrese Gibson, said that scenes in the UAE will be filmed shortly.
“Right at the top of the year, we’ll be here for Fast 7,” he said in Dubai, according to a local media report. He said the filming will start next month.
“At this point, it’s all about being inspired by Paul,” he said. “I mean, he started the franchise, literally, one of my best friends ever, man.”
He continued: “Sometimes I find it hard to enjoy life because he’s not here, but me knowing him, he would want us to keep smiling, keep having fun. I’ve never seen him cry, I’ve never seen him sad. I’ve known him for 13 years, so you know, we gotta keep rocking. And we gotta keep this franchise alive. At this point, because it’s a multicultural film that has [had an impact] around the world, I know he would want us to continue doing this on his behalf.”
Walker died in a fiery crash on Nov. 30, essentially stalling the filming of the movie.
Last week, Universal Pictures said the film would get released April 10, 2005. It was pushed back from July 11, 2014.
The studio added that there would be scenes of Walker in the movie.
Universal Studios later announced Monday that the “Fast & Furious” sequel will be released in April 2015, instead of July next year. Shooting on the film was about halfway finished when the 40-year-old Walker died in a car crash outside of Los Angeles.
Walker still will appear in the film, though Universal has not said exactly how it will handle his unfinished performance.
Co-star Vin Diesel first posted the news on Facebook, telling his fans that, “He’d want you to know first.”
The franchise has been one of Universal’s most lucrative, grossing almost $2.4 billion worldwide since 2001. The last film, “Fast & Furious 6,” made $789 million.
Production on “Fast & Furious 7″ was on Thanksgiving break when Walker and his friend, Roger Rodas, died in a fiery crash in Valencia on Nov. 30. Rodas, 38, was driving his 2005 Porsche Carrera GT with Walker in the passenger seat.
Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have found no evidence of mechanical problems and have ruled out debris or other roadway conditions causing the car the slam into a light pole and tree. The investigation is ongoing, but law enforcement officials have said speed is believed to be the cause.
Shooting on “Fast & Furious 7″ had been planned to resume in Atlanta two days after the crash, but Universal suspended production indefinitely.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
