Hollywood star Vin Diesel has shared a major update on Fast Forever, saying production on the concluding chapter of the Fast & Furious saga is expected to begin in December, bringing the long-delayed project closer to finally going before the cameras.
Diesel revealed the timeline while attending a special event marking the 25th anniversary of The Fast and the Furious, the 2001 film that launched what would become one of Hollywood’s biggest action franchises. He said filming could begin in December, subject to meeting a request from the studio. (Variety)
Fast Forever, the 11th mainline film in the franchise, is currently scheduled to reach theatres on March 17, 2028. It is being positioned as the conclusion to the central Fast & Furious storyline. (Межа. Новини України.)
Four years developing script
Diesel also offered an insight into the lengthy process of getting the final film's screenplay into shape.
According to the actor, the project went through four sets of writers during approximately four years of development before reaching a version that he believed was worthy of concluding the franchise. Diesel said he read the latest screenplay a few weeks ago and became emotional. (Variety)
The screenplay has been one of the biggest questions surrounding the project. Earlier this month, Diesel described it as among the best scripts he had read in decades and said it had moved him to tears. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Director Louis Leterrier, however, recently said he had not yet read the version Diesel was referring to, highlighting how the film remained a work in progress despite the star's enthusiasm. (Variety)
Final ride for franchise
The new film will follow Fast X, released in 2023, which ended on a major cliffhanger and was conceived as part of the concluding stretch of the franchise.
Fast Forever is expected to bring Dominic Toretto's long-running story to an end after more than a quarter-century. Diesel has previously indicated that the finale would move closer to the franchise's origins, with Los Angeles and street-racing culture again playing an important role.
The original The Fast and the Furious was released in 2001 and introduced audiences to Diesel's Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker's Brian O'Conner. What began as a relatively grounded film about illegal street racing subsequently expanded into a globe-spanning action franchise.
The series has since generated more than $7 billion at the worldwide box office. (Межа. Новини України.)
Emotional 25th anniversary
Diesel's production update came as members of the franchise reunited in Los Angeles to celebrate 25 years since the first movie.
Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez joined Diesel at the anniversary screening, while Meadow Walker, daughter of late actor Paul Walker, was also present. Cars associated with the original film, including the orange Toyota Supra and Dodge Charger, were displayed at the event. (Page Six)
The occasion also became an emotional tribute to Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013. Diesel spoke about his close relationship with his former co-star and reflected on how the actors and filmmakers associated with the franchise had effectively grown into a family over the past 25 years. (Page Six)
Long road to production
The final instalment has faced an unusually lengthy development process since Fast X arrived three years ago.
Although Diesel has repeatedly shared updates suggesting progress, cameras have yet to officially start rolling. As recently as July, a video posted by the actor created speculation that production had begun, but it was subsequently clarified that he was filming promotional material rather than the movie itself. (SYFY)
The December timeline is therefore the clearest indication yet of when principal photography could start, although Diesel himself attached a qualification concerning the studio's request.
If production proceeds as planned, the shoot will begin roughly 15 months before Fast Forever enters its final year ahead of the scheduled March 2028 theatrical release.
For fans who have followed Dominic Toretto and his extended “family” since 2001, the film is being developed not simply as another high-octane sequel but as the closing chapter of a cinematic journey spanning nearly three decades.