According to Deadline, there’s a new tough guy joining the cast of Fast And Furious 9, with Michael Rooker signing on to play a guy named Buddy in a “last minute addition” to the cast. Rooker is best known for playing Yondu in the Guardians Of The Galaxy movies, and before that he played the mean brother Merle on The Walking Dead (until he came back for a minor redemptive arc that was actually pretty good). Deadline also points out that he once earned a “Choice Scene Stealer” nomination at the Teen Choice Awards for his work in Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2, which is certainly almost an accomplishment.
We don’t know much about Fast And Furious 9, so it’s hard to guess what this Buddy guy will be up to, but—given nearly every other role Rooker has played—he’ll probably be a bad guy, but not a top-level bad guy. We’re thinking he’ll be a glorified henchman, but the kind that has a signature weapon or a memorable look. Maybe he has a mask, or a trucker hat that says “Buddy,” or a big anti-car hammer that he can use to smash up Vin Diesel’s car. Rooker is joining all of the usual stars you’d expect to be in this movie (except for Dwayne Johnson), as well as UFC fighter Francis Ngannou.
Fast 9 is set to come out on May 22, 2020.