"The Fast And Furious" Franchise: Will The Last One Get Made?

I thought the Fast And Furious franchise should have ended with the seventh film after Paul Walker's death. His character has been sorely missing and the excuse for his absence from the life and death situations is laughable at best. While I enjoy the stunts the films are now video games with serious plot continuity holes. The ninth film had John Cena enter the series as Dom's brother who became a deadly spy to get under his shadow. His shadow of being a thug who stole VCR's? And in the tenth film he completely retconned into a wisecracking Uncle.

Vin Diesel has taken to Instagram to plead with Universal Pictures for an update on the much-anticipated sequel to Fast X. In his post, Diesel appealed directly to the studio: "Universal... Please tell the best fans in the world, when the next movie is coming out. Please."

His public plea has sparked speculation about the future of the franchise. Despite Fast X ending on a dramatic cliffhanger, there's been radio silence from the studio since its release in May 2023. With a staggering budget of $340 million and a worldwide gross of $714.5 million, the film underperformed compared to its billion-dollar predecessors.

Diesel's urgency seems to reflect a larger issue—potential delays and uncertainty. Though director Louis Leterrier initially confirmed a 2026 release, production was supposed to begin in early 2025. That timeline now appears unrealistic.

Adding to the confusion, Tyrese Gibson recently questioned whether the film would ever happen. Multiple writers have already taken a stab at the sequel’s script, suggesting internal challenges. Meanwhile, rumors suggest Universal might scale back the next installment’s budget and return to the series' "lean and mean" roots.

Whether this fan-favorite franchise will cross the finish line remains unclear. For now, Diesel—and fans—are still waiting at the starting line.

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Source: World Of Reel

Photo Credit: Universal