'Fast 8' release date, latest news: Vin Diesel pays tribute to Paul Walker with throwback photo

"The Fast and the Furious" franchise star Vin Diesel took a break from filming "Fast 8," the series' eighth installment, to honor his late co-star Paul Walker.

It can be recalled that Walker died in a car crash in November 30, 2013 while "Furious 7" was in the middle of filming. The actor's death sent shockwaves through the film's cast, many of whom had been working with Walker for many years.

In an emotional Instagram post that also featured a photo of himself with Walker, Diesel wrote, "Many of the crew members who have worked on several of the past 'Fast' films are here again to help us make something special."

He added: "One of them at the end of the week came up to me and said wow what we are capturing on film is excellent... And then looked at me and said Paul would be proud. #wemakethemwithourhearts"

"Fast 8" will be the second film in the franchise in which Walker does not appear. The actor was also not in the third film, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," which was released in 2006.

The latest installment will have Diesel's Dominic Torreto and the rest of his crew facing off against a new villain called Cipher, played by "Mad Max: Fury Road" star Charlize Theron. It will also feature Scott Eastwood as a law enforcement agent.

In April, Eastwood, a close friend of Walker, also paid tribute to the late actor in an Instagram post. "He was an older brother to me," Eastwood wrote. "For me to be able to add to the F&F story, Paul's story, and the FAST family is like a dream come true."

"Paul – I am going to make you proud," he concluded his post.

Apart from Diesel, Theron, and Eastwood, "Fast 8" sees the return of franchise main cast members Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Lucas Black, and Elsa Pataky.

"Fast 8" will be followed by two more installments. "Fast 9" will be released on April 19, 2019 and "Fast 10" will be released on April 2, 2021.

"Fast 8" hits theaters on April 14, 2017.