The sixth Fast and the Furious movie starts shooting this month, ahead of a release in just over a year’s time, meaning that it’s hardly surprising that director Justin Lin and producer Neal Moritz are racing (sorry) to secure their cast. Many of the actors are franchise returnees, although there are also some new faces being added, including (if rumours are to be believed) Rihanna and Luke Evans.

Having razzed round Rio last time out, Universal’s Fast and the Furious franchise is visiting the rain-sodden British Isles for its new outing – hence an apparent need for a Brit villain.

And with Jason Statham having previously said “Nah, can’t do it, mate”, an offer has reputedly gone out to Luke Evans, star of Immortals, The Raven, and what is sure to be this Christmas’s biggest movie, The Hobbit.

Possibly joining Evans is popstrel Rihanna, who actually gives a pretty decent account of herself in another Universal production, Battleship (certainly far better than Mrs. Andy Roddick, but that is another matter entirely). She, like Evans, will apparently also play a villainous role, thereby potentially pitting her against returning stars Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez and, of course, Vin Diesel.

And there could be yet another fresh presence joining Fast Six too, with MMA fighter-turned actress Gina Carano having recently confirmed that she is in line for a cameo appearance:

We’re still in negotiations for it, but that was a really good phone call to get… my role would be kind of a small role – I don’t think it would be too big or anything, but it would still be a great experience to be a part of something like that.

Sources: Twitch, The Sun, Starpulse