The headline is no joke. Denzel Washington was offered a role in Fast & Furious 7 and its follow-up, but ended up turning it down. If this is the kind of talent that Universal is aiming for, the confirmed actor for the James Wan-directed film should be in or around the same tier. But don’t be surprised if it’s not.

Those who stuck around for the end of the Fast and Furious 6 (or Furious 6 as it was seen on its title card), saw that Jason Statham had killed a member of Dom Toretto’s crew and was seeking revenge on the rest for what they had done to his brother, Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), in the film.