The final part of the “Fast & Furious” franchise gets a title and a new release date
The “Fast & Furious” saga is finally approaching its last stop, but not without another delay. The eleventh and final film of the franchise has been titled Fast Forever. According to lead actor Vin Diesel, the premiere is now scheduled for March 17, 2028. This is significantly longer than fans expected, as it was previously reported that the series would conclude as early as April of next year.
Reasons for the date shift and change in concept
It seems the delay is intended to give director Louis Leterrier more time to prepare the finale. Initially, the continuation of Fast X was to be called Fast X: Part II and would directly continue the events of the tenth film, which was released in May 2023.
Last year, Vin Diesel unexpectedly announced that the final film would return to street racing — the roots of the franchise. He also reported that the film’s action would take place in Los Angeles. Moreover, the actor stated that the film would reunite his character, Dominic Toretto, with Brian O’Conner, a role played by the late Paul Walker.
A publication from Vin Diesel on social media.
The return of a legendary character
Walker’s last on-screen appearance was in Furious 7, released in April 2015, almost two years after his tragic death in a car accident in 2013. Although most of his scenes were filmed before the accident, the remaining episodes were completed with the help of his brothers, Cody and Caleb, together with CGI technology.
For now, Diesel has not clarified how prominent Walker’s character’s role will be in Fast Forever, or whether it will be limited to just a small cameo. However, it can be confidently assumed that the film will have a particularly strong emphasis on the deep friendship and family bonds between the franchise’s key characters.
Fan expectations and pressure on the creators
Despite the fact that many car enthusiasts have grown tired of the series, especially after its controversial departure from car culture starting with the fifth film in 2011, the team behind the 11th installment will be under pressure to create a worthy finale.
The longest pause in the series’ history
This will also be the longest gap between “Fast & Furious” films. With the exception of the three-year break between the second installment, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, each new film traditionally came out two years after the previous one. By the time Fast Forever is released in March 2028, almost five full years will have passed since the premiere of Fast X.
Announcing such a significant delay is likely to evoke mixed feelings among fans. On one hand, it gives the film crew the opportunity to carefully think through the finale of a cult series that has lasted over twenty years. Returning to street racing and Los Angeles could be a nostalgic gesture for those who appreciate the early parts of the franchise. On the other hand, an almost five-year wait is a test of inspiration, especially after the previous film left many plot lines open. The question of how exactly Paul Walker’s character will be incorporated remains one of the most emotional and technically challenging tasks for the creators. The success of the finale will depend on whether they can find a balance between honoring the past, meeting modern viewer expectations, and logically concluding the global story of the “family”.