By Gregg Kilday

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Indie director Justin Lin has jumped in the driver's seat for the third film in the "Fast and the Furious" franchise.

Lin, who established himself on the independent film scene with 2002's "Better Luck Tomorrow," will shoot the sequel to Universal's two previous car race movies in the fall on locations in the U.S. and Asia.

The new film -- tentatively titled "The Fast and the Furious 3" -- will be set in Tokyo amid the underground world of Japanese drift racing. Its plot centers on Shaun Boswell, who, to avoid jail, goes to live with his uncle, a military officer, in a cramped apartment in a low-rent section of Tokyo.

The first "Fast" movie, directed by Rob Cohen and released in 2001, grossed $207 million worldwide. Its sequel, "2 Fast 2 Furious," directed by John Singleton and released in 2003, took in $236 million worldwide. Together, both DVD titles have sold more than 20 million units.

Lin -- who was born in Taiwan, and raised in southern California -- directed, co-wrote and was one of the producers of "Better Luck Tomorrow," which revolved around Asian-American high school seniors who embark on a crime spree. He is in postproduction on Disney's "Annapolis," starring James Franco, Tyrese Gibson and Jordana Brewster, which is scheduled for a fall release.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

were the first two movies not horrible enough that theyve got to make a third one?

they were very horrible and un-realistic, but they are def. getting my money for the third time when this movie comes out..:)

Mark
95SE

they were very horrible and un-realistic, but they are def. getting my money for the third time when this movie comes out..:)

Mark
95SE

You'll have the best looking car in the parking lot at the movies that night. All the rest will be ricers with DX Civics with Altezza's and fart cans.

The first one was at least tolerable, the second one was a pure waste, who knows what to say about the third installment of this series.

damnit! the fad needs to die! its marking up car prices for alot of cars... and now we get like 5 more years of ricers running around until the fad dies... how GAY... they still get my money cuz i have to see any car movie good or bad... i love cars and i have 2 many. but why do people have to put shit on their cars like that... EXTREME body kits and the best ive seen is the FAKE pipes that u GLUE onto the side ur car that looks like dual side exhaust... OMG

i'm with ya on the fad needs to die... spartanburg is the worst place cause westside is full of nothing but rice... i travel to gville or columbia just to see real cars (talking about larger groups, i know there's some good cars in sptbg)...

they were very horrible and un-realistic, but they are def. getting my money for the third time when this movie comes out..:)

Mark
95SE

maybe we can throw in a vid of the cherokee beating a mustang :)

i'm with ya on the fad needs to die... spartanburg is the worst place cause westside is full of nothing but rice... i travel to gville or columbia just to see real cars (talking about larger groups, i know there's some good cars in sptbg)...

Speaking of Columbia, but have you ever hung out in 5 Points?

tru i have heard its pretty bad over there...

everyone these days wants to be a riiiiice car driver...