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Fresh off his summer blockbuster in Straight Outta Compton, F. Gary Gray may have even more work over at Universal Pictures’ studio lot.

As the new director of the inevitable box office draw, Furious 8.

Various sources have confirmed with The Hollywood Reporter that the 46-year-old filmmaker beat out notable directors Louis Leterrier, Adam Wingard and William Eubank to keep the franchise pushing for the first time without the late Paul Walker to illuminate the screen. Gray will now enter exclusive talks to negotiate a deal.

The move will reunite Gray with Furious lead star Vin Diesel, who worked for his camera lens in 2003’s A Man Apart. Yesterday, October 5, Diesel had a sitdown with Gray and the two appeared to have an agreeable conversation, judging from his latest Facebook post that featured the two posing in front of several photos from the film series on a tagboard.

Although he’s obviously hot at the moment, Gray’s track record allude to action movies being his forte, having directed the female bank robber thriller Set It Off, heist-themed The Italian Job and cinematic drama Law Abiding Citizen before his N.W.A biopic.

F. Gary Gray will become the fifth director to join the Fast & Furious franchise, with Rob Cohen (1), John Singleton (2), Justin Lin (3-6) and James Wan (7) preceding his arrival.

Photo: Facebook/Vin Diesel