‘Fast & Furious 7’ Cast Choices Could Cause January Restart, Justin Bieber Replacing Paul Walker

Recent Fast & Furious 7 cast choices could lead to a filming restart in January, following an announcement by Universal that they may be retooling the screenplay after the death of Paul Walker. Shortly after Walker had died in a fiery blaze, the studio had stated that the film would be finished to honor him, and it appears they were right.

Universal later stated that they were shutting down production on the film to allow the actors, fans, and family of Paul Walker to mourn his sudden and tragic death. As a result, the film is rumored to have been postponed, with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes allegedly being moved up to take advantage of the film’s delay. With Paul Walker dead, the film has hit a massive speed bump which could require drastic changes.

Universal is going through footage already shot of Paul Walker to see if they can’t retire his character with what they have. If not, the cast of Fast & Furious 7 may need to re-film everything with a new actor.

If the filming restarts, this could be the biggest insurance claim in Hollywood history. $150 million would need to be paid due to footage already shot before its star’s death. Universal is obviously not going to try face mapping to keep Paul Walker in the film, as was done with Brandon Lee in The Crow.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, if Paul Walker’s character Brian O’Conner must be in the film, the film may require a recast. Justin Bieber is rumored to be on the list of potential cast, as a suggestion from costar Ludacris. The possibility alone could cause an uproar among the film’s fans.

Justin Bieber appears to have a wild side evidenced by his Australia graffiti drama, alleged bodyguard abuse, and various reckless driving incidents. His alleged disregard for the law could make him a surprisingly effective replacement. However, Paul Walker was said to have done scenes in the Fast and Furious series which were close to his heart, and it’s doubtful that the “Baby” singer would have the same feelings about the role.

Justin bieber may be in fast and furious 7… No. no. no. no. no. no. And no. Just no.

— FaZe Linkzy (@FaZeLinkzy) December 11, 2013

The January restart is an optimistic goal for Universal as the studio considers the future of filming Fast & Furious 7. Recasting the role Paul Walker was known for could be the biggest chance the studio has taken since going a more serious route with the series in Fast and Furious. The studio is hoping it doesn’t come to that and the film will be released on time with the current casting intact.

The Fast & Furious 7 cast and filming future could see drastic changes leading to a postponed release and possible outrage among the fans.

What do you think about Justin Bieber possibly replacing Paul Walker for the next two films?

[image via carrie-nelson / Shutterstock.com, landmarkmedia / Shutterstock.com]