Paul Walker 's death sent `` Fast & Furious '' producers to the editing room to find a way to salvage what they 've shot for the franchise 's seventh installment , a source close to the production told CNN . Walker 's ex-cop character , Brian O'Conner , has been central to five of the first six `` Fast & Furious '' stories and was returning to the next release set to hit theaters July 11 , 2014 . Many millions of dollars are at stake , considering the franchise has sold $ 2.6 billion in tickets around the world since 2001 . But the filmmakers have to be careful in deciding how they bring Walker 's character to an end in the series , unless they replace him with another actor . Walker , 40 , and the rest of the cast were on a short break for Thanksgiving when he stepped into a red 2005 Porsche Carerra GT for a short ride around a Santa Clarita , California , business park Saturday afternoon . Investigators believe the car , driven by Walker 's friend Roger Rodas , was speeding when it clipped a light pole and was engulfed in flames , killing both men . Man arrested for stealing part of Paul Walker Porsche wreckage . Universal Pictures confirmed Tuesday that they 've put production on hold `` for a period of time so we can assess all options available to move forward with the franchise . '' A well-placed source shared details with CNN about what 's gone on behind the scenes . Walker had been set to fly back to Atlanta by Monday for the resumption of filming . Filming , which began in the Georgia capital three months ago , was already behind schedule and only about 50 % completed , according to the source . His death left the producers , cast and crew in confusion , the source said . Editors began reviewing frame by frame what had already been shot with Walker , including outtakes , for footage that might be incorporated into a rewritten script , the source said . They were looking for ways to piece together new scenes with Walker , perhaps using computer-generated imagery , or CGI . The script writers have been considering how to rewrite the story to end Walker 's character . If O'Conner is killed off while street racing -- a key element in each film -- Walker 's fans could be offended . Stars who died during production . Without a creative answer , producers could be forced to start over without Walker 's character , possibly delaying the film that Universal counted on to be a tent pole for its summer releases . Universal Pictures executives flew from Hollywood to Atlanta where they met Wednesday night with the producers and crew to discuss the possibilities . Executives with the insurance company that bonded the production are also involved in the decisions , the source said . Until decisions are made , the production crew is out of work with no idea how long the shutdown will last . They will be paid until Friday , when they are suppose to leave Atlanta , the source said . The plan to send the cast and crew to Abu Dhabi for filming is also on hold , the source said . The appropriation of Paul Walker .
Walker ex-cop character has been central to 6 of the seventh 5 `` Fast & Furious '' films . Filmmakers have to decide how they bring `` Fast & Furious '' 's character to an end . Walker 's car crash death left producers , cast and crew in confusion , a source says . Insurance execs who bonded the production are involved in the decisions , source says .