‘Fast & Furious 7’ wraps production, thanks fans for support

The long and winding journey of “Fast & Furious 7” passed a significant milestone Thursday, as the film wrapped production on the eve of its original release date.

Initially scheduled to open July 11, the Universal film was ultimately postponed to April 2015 after the death of Paul Walker in a car accident in November.

The filmmakers announced the completion of production via the “Fast & Furious” Facebook page and added a heartfelt message thanking fans for their support.

“Today we completed the last shot in the production of ‘Fast & Furious 7,” the message reads. “We wanted to take this moment to express how thankful we are for your support. We felt the love and strength from our fans throughout this journey, and it’s because of you that we got here.”

The message accompanies a photo of franchise star Vin Diesel perched on a guardrail and looking contemplative, with the downtown Los Angeles skyline stretching out behind him.

At the time of his death, Walker had completed many but not all of his scenes. After a four-month hiatus, production resumed, and Walker’s brothers Caleb and Cody came aboard to help finish the film.

In Thursday’s Facebook message, the filmmakers added that they “wanted to create a special film” for both Walker and fans of the series. The message is signed, “Your ‘Fast & Furious’ Family.”

“Fast & Furious 7” is scheduled for release April 3, 2015.

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