Actor Walker died from multiple injuries in crash, 'Fast 7' filming halted
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Walker's sister angered by racing rumours |
Autopsy results for 'Fast & Furious' star Walker may come Tuesday |
'Fast and Furious' actor dies in car crash |
The Vin Diesel-led "Fast & Furious" movies, which have grossed more than $2 billion at the global box office, are one of two major franchises, along with the animated "Despicable Me" films, that helped turn around Universal Pictures in recent years.
Universal may be able to rework "Fast 7" in time to keep to the July release date, a prime slot in the summer movie-going period when audiences flock to big-budget action films, said Matthew Harrigan, an industry analyst who follows Universal parent company Comcast for Wunderlich Securities.
If the studio decides to make major changes that prevent a July opening, the film could get pushed to the summer of 2015, Harrigan said.
"This is something that is an incredibly important franchise for Universal," he said. "They just need to figure out how to rework it and how to address his death in an appropriate manner."
The autopsies of Walker and Rodas were delayed as the coroner's office needed dental records to identify the bodies. Toxicology reports on the bodies will be completed in six to eight weeks, the coroner's office said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said on Sunday that speed played a role in the crash but has ruled out the possibility that the pair were street racing. Its investigation into the crash is expected to be completed in the coming days.
Walker became a symbol of street-racing and car culture in his role as law enforcement officer Brian O'Conner in the "Fast & Furious" series.
The actor, who played supporting roles in 1998's "Pleasantville" and 1999's "Varsity Blues," was in five of the six "Fast & Furious" films about illegal street racing, heists and organized crime.
Walker also starred in the Hurricane Katrina survival drama "Hours," which will be released on December 13, and the crime drama "Brick Mansions," which is in post-production and will be released next year.