The kind of people who find themselves nursing a semi when browsing in an auto parts store rose to full-on tenting a couple of weeks ago, when it looked like the final Fast & Furious movie might have actually entered production.
It turned out that the image and video Vin Diesel posted in full Dominic Torreto costume, complete with Dodge Charger, was actually for a World Cup short.
The final Fast & Furious movie is still pencilled in for a March 2028 release, which means production has to start any time now. Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast this week, Reacher star Alan Ritchson cast some light on what is going on.
Ritchson appeared in Fast X. He indicated the issues that remain are still tied to budget. This was after the last instalment became one of the most expensive movies ever made, but underperformed compared to its predecessors:
“I know a lot, we have conversations all the time, I’m a big part of those conversations. There’s just a lot of obstacles. It’s expensive to make – it’s too expensive; it doesn’t make a ton of sense. There’s a more efficient way to shoot those shows.
And so there has to be a way to show restraint, while also honoring the fact that this world has expanded to something humongous. We are at the crossroads of something very hard to figure out, and everybody’s figuring it out. There’s going to be another one, and I think it’s going to be great. It’s just a matter of solving some big problems.”
Louis Leterrier is expected to return as director, with Michael Lesslie writing the script.
Universal seems to understand that the ground has shifted beneath Hollywood’s feet, even where mega-franchises like Fast & Furious are concerned. Maybe the producers, including Diesel, are yet to catch up?
