If this Fast & Furious casting had gone through, it would have completely avoided a major feud between franchise staples Vin Diesel and The Rock.

Although the Fast & Furious franchise has an iconic and expansive cast, it isn’t entirely free of problems, and one such issue likely could have been fixed if this one casting choice had been different. The Fast & Furious franchise first began in 2001 with the original film, The Fast and the Furious. Since then, nine more main movies have been made along with a spinoff film. Over so many years, it is inevitable that cast members would stop seeing eye to eye, and one stand-out feud between Vin Diesel and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson might have been avoided if the Fast & Furious movies had gone with their original casting choice.

The Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson feud has been going strong since 2016. Johnson first joined Fast & Furious in 2011 during the franchise’s fifth installment, Fast Five, and has portrayed the bounty hunter Luke Hobbs in various movies since. However, in 2016, Johnson made a now-deleted post on Instagram that dissed members of the Fast & Furious franchise, and many believed he was targeting Diesel specifically. In a later post, he thanked some of his Fast & Furious castmates by name, and pointedly left Vin Diesel out. Though the feud has seemingly lost steam with Johnson’s return in Fast X, much of this drama may have been avoided with this casting change.

Tommy Lee Jones Was Meant To Play Hobbs Before The Rock

It may seem like something of a surprise, but the Dwayne Johnson’s Fast & Furious role was originally written for Hollywood legend Tommy Lee Jones. Some of the best known Tommy Lee Jones movies include No Country For Old Men, Men In Black, and The Fugitive. Allegedly, when the character Luke Hobbs was first conceived for Fast Five, the role had been crafted specifically for the actor. However, Vin Diesel later revealed in a video that, after seeing a fan suggest that he should work with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, they gave Hobbs to the former wrestler instead.

While many may find it hard to imagine Luke Hobbs being played by anyone other than Johnson, it actually makes a sort of sense. Hobbs is a bounty hunter and authority figure in some senses, and Tommy Lee Jones has often played soldiers, agents, and officers. Though Jones is older than Johnson, this was likely part of the original Hobbs character as well. Jones likely would have off-set the more youthful cast of criminals in Fast & Furious, and added a more serious and respectable air to the action series. Though Hobbs was written for Tommy Lee Jones, it is unclear whether the actor would have actually accepted the role.

Tommy Lee Jones’ Hobbs Casting Would’ve Prevented The Franchise’s Stars From Feuding

While Tommy Lee Jones’ casting in Fast & Furious would have changed many aspects of the franchise, one of the biggest diversions is that Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel would not have had their feud. If Jones had actually taken the role of Hobbs, then Diesel and Johnson would not have worked together in 2011. Then, presumably, they wouldn’t have had their falling out either in 2016. Theoretically, Johnson and Diesel might have never worked together at all, as Diesel is consumed by the Fast & Furious franchise and Johnson might not have joined at all without the Hobbs role.

Then again, their rivalry might be inevitable. Whether it is Fast & Furious or some other project, perhaps Johnson and Diesel simply have personalities or priorities that do not mix. Even if Jones did become Hobbs, there is a chance that Johnson and Diesel could have crossed paths and fell into the same issues they did in 2016. Also, because Johnson is such a prominent action star, it makes sense that he could have joined the Fast & Furious franchise as a different character if Jones had played Hobbs. Overall, it is hard to say how things might have gone.

How Fast & Furious Would Be Different If Tommy Lee Jones Was Cast As Hobbs

Overall, if Tommy Lee Jones was cast as Luke Hobbs, many aspects of Fast & Furious would have been different. Namely, Jones would have brought an entirely different energy to the franchise than Johnson. Because of his wrestling background, Johnson has a very charismatic and performative style that makes Hobbs somewhat campy. Meanwhile, Jones’ career feels a bit more serious, as evidenced by his role in Men In Black. This addition of a more serious actor may have moved the entire franchise into a new direction. Plus, Hobbs & Shaw likely never would have happened. Overall, Tommy Lee Jones would have made waves in the Fast & Furious franchise.