Ben Stiller has denied rumours that he is joining the cast of ‘Fast and Furious 9’.
It had been reported in the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column that the ‘Zoolander’ star would appear in the latest installment of the action franchise but Ben has taken to social media to reject the report.
He posted on Twitter: "Reports of my Fast and Furiousness are greatly exaggerated. Meaning not at all true, sadly. Though I wish them well with the franchise. Fingers crossed it takes off. #FastAndFurious #PageSixIsAmazing."
The original Page Six report suggested that Ben would have a small part in the flick and would begin shooting scenes "soon". An appearance would have marked a change in style for the 54-year-old actor, who is known for his comedic roles such as ‘Dodgeball’ and the ‘Night at the Museum’ trilogy.
‘Fast and Furious 9’ is slated for release in May and features a cast including Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Charlize Theron. WWE superstar John Cena will also make his debut in the franchise as Jakob Torretto, the brother of Vin’s character, Dominic Torretto.
Cena previously suggested that he had a desire to "earn the respect" of the ‘Fast and Furious’ team and admitted that there was pressure on him to deliver a good performance for fans of the franchise.
He explained: "It really is a family atmosphere, there’s a lot of respect for the franchise, there is that expectation to deliver for the fan base, and it’s been like no other experience I’ve been on.
"You kind of have to earn your respect in so many ways, but once you do you are absolutely, unexpectedly welcomed into the family. It’s been really, really special, and I’m very fortunate."