While the cast of Fast X made it abundantly clear that audiences could expect just about anyone to show up in the octane-fueled franchise, Van Damme’s brief yet matter-of-fact comments about his near-casting reveal that some major exceptions have been made. Without getting too deep into the details, the Bloodsport star stated that the studios were interested in bringing him into the Fast & Furious franchise, but that Diesel said, “No, I don’t want him.” A bitter pill to swallow, but given the modernity and trends of the Fast & Furious movies’ casting of big stars, there’s some validity to Diesel’s decision.

Fast & Furious Doesn’t Need Nostalgic Stunt Casting

The Fast & Furious franchise has done well enough without needing to rely on unconventional or stunt casting, even from major action stars. Looking back on the series’ timeline, each movie has had interesting and modern casting choices such as R&B singer Tyrese Gibson or John Cena, but these casting decisions still felt natural and were a good fit for the movies. Van Damme is one of the best action stars around and would no doubt provide his own flare and brand of martial arts to the series, but it ultimately wouldn’t be a good fit.

Further proving that the movies don’t require nostalgia casting to succeed, the closest the franchise has come to a true action star nostalgia casting is Kurt Russell, who snubbed The Expendables in favor of Fast & Furious. The actor joined Furious 7‘s cast as Mr. Nobody, yet Russell’s role didn’t even feature him fighting or driving in any big stunt-packed action sequences. Otherwise, the series has primarily relied on casting more recent action stars from the last 20 years with the likes of John Cena, Gal Gadot, and Jason Statham.

One Expendables Actor In Fast & Furious Is Enough

Another reason why Van Damme’s casting would likely do more harm to the franchise than good is that his inclusion would mark the second time an Expendables actor appeared in the series. Jason Statham’s presence in the Fast & Furious movies already bridges the gap between the driving series and Stallone’s franchise, and including more actors from the muscle-bound spectacles would feel like overkill. Additionally, The Expendables 3 faced criticism on account of its inclusion of many tanks and jeeps, suggesting the franchise was trying to emulate Fast & Furious too much.

While Van Damme’s appearance in The Expendables amounts to one movie, he left a very strong impression on audiences. To see him appear in Fast & Furious would create too many links between the franchises that ultimately have very little in common, and should try to remain distinct entities. As disappointing as the news might be for some, Diesel vetoing Van Damme’s inclusion from the Fast & Furious was the right move.