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Paul Walker’s Death Complicates ‘Fast & Furious 7’ Filming
CALIFORNIA — Universal Pictures executives, still reeling from the weekend death of one of the stars of their “Fast & Furious” films, got down to the difficult business on Monday of figuring out how to salvage their No. 1 movie franchise.
But as they huddled in morning meetings on an unusually somber lot here, it was clear there were still far more questions than answers.
The death of Paul Walker, 40, would have presented substantial challenges for Universal under the best of circumstances. To finish “Fast & Furious 7” in time for a planned July 11 release, the company has been operating under an aggressive, little-room-for-delays production schedule. Filming is still only half finished, unusual for a movie of this size so close to release, and Mr. Walker played a leading role.
But the manner of Mr. Walker’s death — he died in a fiery car crash eerily similar to what the “Fast & Furious” movies present as entertainment — amplifies the challenges. Even if the script can be reworked, it could be hard to motivate a close-knit cast to quickly resume filming happy-go-lucky car chase sequences. It could be more challenging to sensitively market a film filled with fast driving and exploding cars.
“Because there is this horrible irony where life is imitating art, they have a very, very fine line to walk, both with revisions to the script and in the marketing campaign,” said Dennis Rice, a marketing consultant who has held top positions at Miramax, United Artists and Disney.
“They will succeed in the end, in part because they must,” he added. “As horrible as his death was, there is a business investment to protect.”
The “Fast & Furious” movies cost roughly $150 million to produce and at least $100 million more to market. The blockbuster franchise has taken in about $3 billion at the box office over the last 12 years, after adjusting for inflation. “Fast & Furious 7” is by far Universal’s biggest movie for 2014.
A Universal spokeswoman had no comment on Monday.
People with knowledge of the studio’s internal response, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of respect for Mr. Walker and his family, described a leadership team that put aside their own emotions and swiftly began to deal with the crisis.
When word reached the studio late Saturday afternoon of Mr. Walker’s death, executives were still scattered for the Thanksgiving holiday. The studio’s communications executive nonetheless managed to rush out a heartfelt public statement. “This loss is devastating to us,” it read in part. “Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family.”
Ron Meyer, who became vice chairman of NBC Universal, and his two top movie officers, Jeff Shell, chairman of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and Donna Langley, chairwoman of Universal Pictures, divided duties. Mr. Meyer personally called Mr. Walker’s family members, every “Fast & Furious” cast member, their agents and dozens of other production personnel.
Ms. Langley and her lieutenants began to assess how the production might be salvaged, poring through scripts and film already shot. Mr. Shell would sort out business and legal questions concerning production delays.
Still to be decided: Do they write his death into the film? Cut his performance? Hire another actor to finish his role? Universal is helped by the franchise itself, movie experts say, because the films have a history of mismatched story lines and also began relying more on crime stories, playing down dangerous street racing.
Public safety announcements to go with DVDs of the film were recorded. Mr. Walker recorded one. “All the driving sequences you see in the film are done by experienced professionals on closed courses. Be safe. Drive smart. Stay legal.”
Embattled Nigerian pastor and founder of SPAC Nation, Tobi Adegboyega, has defended his opulent lifestyle, claiming it serves to inspire young people rather than flaunt wealth.
This statement comes amid a UK Immigration Upper Tribunal ruling ordering his deportation over visa violations.
Adegboyega, 44, faced accusations of overstaying his visitor visa, which expired after he arrived in the UK in 2005.
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He had applied to remain in the country on human rights grounds. The tribunal, however, ruled against him, citing his failure to regularize his status.
The pastor’s luxurious lifestyle, including designer clothing and expensive cars, was a focal point of the case.
Addressing the tribunal, Adegboyega stated that his lifestyle is fully funded by his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually at AON.
He said, “I live with my partner, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 per year working for AON. I spend my time working for the church, for which I am unpaid. I am entirely supported by Mary. I have a first-class law degree from Nigeria, but I have ‘sacrificed’ my legal career to help those who cannot help themselves.”
Defending his appearance, Adegboyega emphasized the importance of projecting success to his young congregation.
The court noted, “For instance, people have pointed to the fact that he wears designer clothing and drives expensive cars. He was adamant that all of his personal possessions had been paid for by Mary.
“He believes it is important for him to dress the way that he does because he needs to inspire these young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance through entrepreneurship.”
Despite the ruling, Adegboyega dismissed the deportation concerns as insignificant.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. Naturally, I will dismiss things that have to do with retrogression; every Nigerian should be proud of me. Living in the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I have survived all sorts, so the matter that they are propagating is the smallest matter,” he said.
He further expressed confidence in his resilience. “No panic, I love London city, it is my city, and nobody can do anything. Of all the people of colour you know here – pastors and leaders – I have survived everything. I’m here, I am at home, nobody should panic for me.
“I succeeded well in this country despite all challenges, and I’m in the league of people you look up to. I have survived that well; nothing has changed, nothing will change,” he added.
Amid the growing controversy surrounding the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola has publicly addressed the defamation allegations leveled against Farotimi.
The legal action stems from claims made in Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which Babalola asserts contains false and defamatory statements about him and his law firm, Afe Babalola & Co.
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In a petition dated November 19 and submitted to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Babalola accused Farotimi of making “criminally defamatory” statements about him, his law firm, and two senior lawyers at his firm, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro.
The defamatory remarks are tied to the Supreme Court case Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
Babalola revealed that the allegations came to light when one of his lawyers purchased Farotimi’s book while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport.
After reading the book, the lawyer immediately brought its contents to Babalola’s attention.
Other members of his firm reportedly did the same, prompting the senior lawyer to take legal action.
In his petition, Babalola pointed to specific passages in Farotimi’s book that accused him of corruption and unethical conduct. The petition reads:
“I write to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co., and my lawyers, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro, by one Dele Farotimi in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, published by Dele Farotimi Publishers, in respect of Suit No. SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
“Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers, while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport, bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’. He read the book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the book and read it.”
“The defamatory statements are as follows:
- That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his client.
- That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro, and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had, when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation.”
Babalola strongly denies the allegations, claiming that they are false and damaging to both his personal reputation and the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
Nigerian author and activist Dele Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, has surged to bestseller status on Amazon amid a legal battle with prominent lawyer and businessman, Afe Babalola.
The controversy surrounding the book has captivated public attention, driving both online and offline demand.
The book, which critiques systemic corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary and highlights alleged misconduct by key legal figures, saw modest sales following its release in July 2024.
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However, Farotimi’s arrest on Tuesday, following a petition filed by the 93-year-old Babalola, triggered a wave of public curiosity.
By Thursday evening, it had climbed to the top of Amazon’s bestseller rankings, according to checks by Vanguard. Bookstores across Nigeria also reported a significant uptick in demand.
Biztellers reports that Farotimi was detained in Lagos by armed police officers and transported to Ado Ekiti, about 300 kilometers northeast of the city, where Babalola is based.
The senior lawyer alleged that the book accused him of compromising Nigeria’s judiciary—a claim that has sparked heated debates about freedom of speech and accountability in the legal profession.
On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in an Ekiti court, where the judge ordered his remand pending a bail hearing scheduled for December 10.
Farotimi’s legal team has vowed to contest the charges, framing the case as an attack on intellectual freedom.
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