New ‘Fast & Furious’ Series on Peacock: What We Know
Universal has found another way to keep the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise alive between theatrical releases. While fans await the film ‘Fast Forever’ in 2028, which is meant to conclude the saga, the streaming platform Peacock is developing a live-action television series connected to this blockbuster story.
“Over the last decade, we’ve realized that fans want more,” said Vin Diesel at NBCUniversal’s presentation in New York on Monday alongside ‘Tonight Show’ host Jimmy Fallon. “The news I have today is that Peacock is launching four shows from the ‘Fast & Furious’ universe.”
There is only one small problem. According to Variety, only one show is currently being actively promoted. Other projects are reportedly in various stages of planning, but NBCUniversal insiders say the four series have not yet been officially approved.
Why Television Became the Next Step
Nevertheless, it is clear that Universal sees more opportunities for the franchise. Diesel said the move to television finally became possible after NBCUniversal’s entertainment division head Donna Langley took over oversight of the studio’s broader operations. According to Diesel, she helped protect the “integrity of the characters” and the global appeal of the franchise.
For now, specific plot details are virtually nonexistent. The official description reportedly boils down to “more to come later.” Nonetheless, at least the production team has serious experience within the ‘Fast & Furious’ universe.
Production in Good Hands
Mike Daniels, whose past work includes ‘Sons of Anarchy’ and ‘Shades of Blue,’ will serve as co-writer and co-showrunner alongside Wolf Coleman, Variety reports. Diesel serves as executive producer alongside several longtime producers of the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise. The series will be produced by Universal Television.
This will not be the first television spin-off of the franchise. Netflix previously launched the animated series ‘Fast & Furious: Spy Racers,’ which lasted six seasons between 2019 and 2021. Clearly, there is always room for ‘family.’
The Final Film and a Return to Roots
‘Fast Forever,’ the eleventh and supposedly final film in the long-running franchise, was originally set for a theatrical release in 2027 but is now scheduled for March 17, 2028. In 2024, Diesel stated that the farewell will return to the team’s roots — street racing in Los Angeles. He also hinted that the film will feature a CGI version of Brian O’Conner, the character immortalized by actor Paul Walker, who died in a fiery Porsche Carrera GT crash in 2013.
This move by Universal demonstrates that the studio does not plan to end the ‘Fast & Furious’ story with just one film. Expanding into television allows for a deeper exploration of secondary characters and storylines that do not fit into the runtime of theatrical blockbusters. Given the success of the animated series on Netflix, live-action on Peacock could attract both old fans nostalgic for the atmosphere of the early films and a new audience that prefers the series format. The question remains whether the series can maintain the same ‘family’ vibe and outrageous action scenes that made the franchise iconic.