Producers of "Fast & Furious 7" are reportedly considering reshooting the film without Paul Walker, who played the franchise's title character Brian O'Connor, according to The Wrap.
The studio is insured and can afford to scrap production and start all over. Walker's death has left production at a stand-still as the movie was half-way finished with filming.
"The nearly $200 million-budget production has been frozen in its tracks since the tragic death of Walker, one of the lead actors in the film, on Saturday. The production is more than halfway finished, but many of Walker's key scenes remained to be shot," The Wrap reported.
According to multiple reports, producers and director James Wan have been meeting to discuss the future of the "Fast & Furious" franchise. The biggest concern is how to handle the sensitivity of Walker's accident; fans seeing his character defy death while driving a fast car in the film when they know that's how he died seems insensitive.
"The studio and producers have not yet made the decision to start over, and a final verdict on the direction of the project is still days away, according to the insider. Another insider said that a decision is more likely to take weeks," The Wrap reported. "Both stressed that the studio, producers and directors wanted to get the movie right and not rush a decision."
The "Fast & Furious 7" production crew has yet to comment about the fate of the film. The movie was set to hit theaters July 11, 2014.
Walker and his friend Roger Rodas, the driver, died in a car accident on Nov. 30. Rodas reportedly lost control of his 2005 Porsche Carrera GT during a "joy ride." The two friends were on their way to a Reach Out Worldwide event, a charity both Walker and Rodas were heavily involved with.
