The One Punch Man movie is moving forward at Sony with Justin Lin at the helm. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Lin has signed on to direct the live-action adaptation as his first project since departing Fast X. Lin was originally set to direct Fast X and had even begun filming before suddenly departing the project amid rumors of friction with Vin Diesel.

In any case, Lin is back to work as the director of One Punch Man. The adaptation was written by Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner (Jumanji: The Next Level, Venom). Ari Arad of Arad Productions is producing. No cast members have been officially announced as of this point.

Originally developed as a web comic and inspiring an anime and a video game, One Punch Man tells the story of a superhero named Saitama who has the ability to defeat any opponent with a single punch, leading to him growing weary as he looks for a formidable opponent who can actually stand up to his super strength. Fans still might be skeptical that the movie is really going to happen, as there have been rumors of the One Punch Movie for years, but getting Lin involved is certainly a good sign that production is moving forward.

Related: Saitama Vs. Genos in Epic One Punch Man Live-Action Fan-Made Trailer

Justin Lin Left Fast X After Filming Already Started

Fast X
Universal Studios

Cameras were already rolling on Fast X when Justin Lin announced he was exiting the project. He did not specifically state why he was leaving but took the high road by expressing his gratitude for the time he had spent with the franchise and the diversity he had helped bring to it. You can read the director's statement below.

"With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X, while remaining with the project as a producer. Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases. On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family."

There were subsequent reports that Lin had departed the film due to friction on the set with Vin Diesel. In any case, Lin gave his blessing to everyone else involved to continue working on Fast X and he also stayed on board as a producer. With that movie now in his rearview mirror as a director, Lin had an opening in his schedule, and as it turned out, Sony needed a name director for One Punch Man, so perhaps everything worked out as it should.

One Punch Man does not have an official release date at this time. As for Fast X, that film is currently filming with new director Louis Leterrier. It is scheduled to be released in movie theaters everywhere on May 19, 2023.