"Fast & Furious 8" is about to make history!
"Fast & Furious 8" could be the second Hollywood movie to shoot in Cuba since the United States imposed a ban on any relations with the Caribbean island nation since the 1960s, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sources of the publication claimed that "Furious 8" Director F. Gary Gray has gone off to Cuba recently to arrange necessary paperwork to gain permission for shooting.
Universal Pictures said via statement that it is "currently in the process [of] seeking approval from the United States and Cuban governments to explore shooting a portion of the next installment of the 'Fast & Furious' series in Cuba."
Universal's biggest franchise to date, previous "Furious" films have been known to take the cast to different locations around the world including the Canary Islands, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi and London.
Other details about "Fast & Furious 8" is that it will be part of a trilogy that's to be the franchise's last, but fans can expect more prequels and spin-offs, as Vin Diesel announced before.
In addition, a new character by the name of Cody Walker could be in "Fast & Furious 8," as previously seen on IMDb. While the website has taken down the name from the cast, according to Movie News Guide, Cody Walker could be part of the two sequels following "Furious 8."
In addition to Cody Walker, Paul Walker is also speculated to remain in the "Fast and Furious" cast, most likely through flashback scenes, said NBC Universal Vice-Chairman Ron Meyer.
In early 2014, indie film "Papa," which tells of the life of Ernest Hemingway, was filmed in Cuba, making it the first Hollywood film to shoot there since the embargo, according to the Christian Post.
However, "Papa" director Bob Yari said the lack of infrastructure and film equipment made it hard to film there.
"The crews are wonderful," he said. "They're very dedicated and passionate about what they do, but they're not used to the pace of U.S. filmmaking."
"Furious 8" fans don't need to worry though. Most of the film will reportedly be shot in Atlanta, while other locations set for filming include New York, Egypt, Iceland and Russia.
"Furious 8" is slated for release on April 14, 2017.
The U.S. re-established relations with Cuba in 2014, allowing for lightened travel restrictions in January 2015 for U.S. citizens. With an embassy now in the Caribbean island nation, it is quickly proving to be a favourite filming hotspot.
This week, the final episode of Season 5 of the U.S. TV series "House of Lies" will be shot in Havana after a permit from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), according to Fox News Latino.
Other U.S. shows that have shot in Cuba include "Late Night with Conan O' Brien" and "Cuban Chrome."
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