Furious 7 made a surprise premiere at SXSW at midnight on Monday, and fans and filmmakers came together to pay tribute to the film’s late star, Paul Walker.

Furious 7 Honors Paul Walker At SXSW Premiere

The film, the seventh installment in the famed Fast & Furious franchise, was added to the SXSW lineup at the very last minute, and the premiere screening came as a surprise to fans attending the festival, who were only alerted to the screening via social media. Due to the last minute nature of the event, the only cast member able to attend was Tyrese Gibson, but he was joined by producer Neal H. Horitz, writer Chris Morgan and director James Wan.

Moritz, who has produced all seven Fast & Furious films, introduced the film to a packed house, and implored the audience not to flood the internet with spoilers, specifically ones involving Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner. Walker, who starred in all but one of the series, died mid-production in November of 2013, causing a production delay and a reworking of the film. Walker had reportedly shot a majority of his scenes prior to his death, and his brothers were brought in as stand-ins to complete the filming. The fate of Walker’s character, however, remains a well-guarded secret.

Producer Asks For No Spoilers Regarding Paul Walker

In his introduction, Moritz made sure to focus on honoring Walker’s contribution to the film, saying, “On a serious side: We obviously lost a dear friend, brother, comrade when we were making this movie. He was really the best guy I ever met in my world – in my life. When we decided we were going to continue this movie, we were determined to honor his legacy and our love for him forever. I just want to ask one big favor of everybody. You guys are going to see the movie tonight without knowing what happens to Paul’s storyline. Whatever you want to say after the movie is cool, but please let future audiences see it the way you’re going to see it tonight.”

One of my proudest moments introducing #FURIOUS7 my friends and more importantly my #FastFamily its love….. It’s a LOT of love out there…. Tonight we felt the love in Austin!!!!! South by Southwest thank you for the LOVE!!! #SXSW

A photo posted by TYRESE (@tyrese) on Mar 16, 2015 at 1:11am PDT

When Gibson got ahold of the mic, he too took the time to honor Walker, telling the excited crowd, “The reason that we kept this thing going became on behalf of our brother Paul Walker.” The film includes a tribute to Walker and his role in the Fast & Furious series, and closes with a simple dedication, “For Paul.”

Early reviews for Furious 7 have been positive, with many noting Wan’s ability to enter into the Fast & Furious world – he is making his FF debut – and continue to deliver a fast-paced action film with the fun, over-the-top, ridiculous car stunts that have become a trademark of the franchise.

“In taking over for longtime director Justin Lin (parts 3-6), horror auteur James Wan (The Conjuring) ably steps up to the big-action plate, orchestrating two-plus hours of increasingly outlandish vehicular (and aerobatic) mayhem that revs pulses and engines in roughly equal measure…Furious 7 provides both a satisfying chapter in the movies’ preeminent gear head soap opera and a tactful, touching memorial to Walker,” wrote Variety’s Scott Foundas.

The fan reaction on Twitter was equally favorable.

Furious 7 will be released in theaters on Friday, April 3.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.