'Fast & Furious': Dwayne Johnson Reveals He 'Privately' Declined Vin Diesel's Invitation To Rejoin Franchise

Dwayne Johnson isn't returning to "Fast & Furious." The actor has revealed he "privately" turned down the invitation of Vin Diesel, who asked him to rejoin the franchise in a social media post.

Diesel made headlines last month after penning a lengthy post in which he publicly asked Johnson to return to "Fast & Furious."

"My little brother Dwayne... the time has come. The world awaits the finale of Fast 10," he noted. "As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don't send well wishes... but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo [Paul Walker]."

Many fans have been waiting for Johnson to confirm his return to the franchise since then. However, the "Red Notice" star clarified it isn't happening at all.

"This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly – and privately – that I would not be returning to the franchise," Johnson told CNN on Wednesday.

The 49-year-old actor further explained how he was "firm yet cordial" with his words and told Diesel that though he won't appear in the franchise anymore, he will always be supportive of the "Fast & Furious" cast members.

"I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return," he explained. "I privately spoke with my partners at Universal as well, all of whom were very supportive as they understand the problem."

Johnson also explained how he felt about Diesel's post.

"I was very surprised by Vin's recent post," he said, adding: "Vin's recent public post was an example of his manipulation. I didn't like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker's death. Leave them out of it."

Johnson said he wanted to end his journey with this franchise on a good note but unfortunately this post has "muddied the waters."

"We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding," he added. "My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible Fast & Furious franchise with gratitude and grace. It’s unfortunate that this public dialogue has muddied the waters."

Johnson will be next seen in the superhero movie "Black Adam," which is slated for release on July 29, 2022. Diesel, on the other hand, is working on "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."