Fast & Furious fans briefly believed the franchise’s long-awaited finale, Fast Forever, had finally entered production. As it turns out, they may have hit the gas a little too soon.
On July 2, Vin Diesel shared a video on social media standing beside Dominic Toretto’s iconic black Dodge Charger while telling fans he was “on set.” He thanked fans for their patience as the team worked toward delivering “the most amazing finale” while he balanced work on several other projects.
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The post quickly sparked reports that Fast Forever, the final installment in the Fast & Furious saga, had officially begun filming. However, it also raised a few eyebrows. Universal currently has the film scheduled for release on March 17, 2028, and even a production of that scale typically wouldn’t require nearly two years of post-production.
A Long Road to the Finish Line
The eleventh Fast & Furious film (not counting the Hobbs & Shaw spinoff) has experienced an unusually long road to production. The project was originally planned as a direct continuation of 2023’s Fast X, but development slowed following the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes before undergoing additional creative changes.
Fast Forever was finally greenlit in January 2026. However, rumors suggest the film will have a reduced budget and may return to the franchise’s original street-racing roots.
The Fast and Furious Family – The Fast Saga, YouTube
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Aside from Vin Diesel, whose passion for keeping the franchise alive has never been in doubt, there have been no official casting announcements. It also remains unclear whether Fast X director Louis Leterrier will return to helm the finale, though Michael Lesslie is reportedly working on the screenplay. According to World of Reel, he is the sixth writer to take a crack at the project.
With so many pieces still waiting to fall into place, Diesel’s message seemed to rev up fan excitement well before the green flag was ready to wave. Even so, one question remained: if Fast Forever wasn’t filming, what exactly was Diesel doing on set?
The Real Story Behind the Video
A few days later, TheWrap revealed that Diesel had actually been filming a promotional video tied to the FIFA World Cup. The commercial aired during the United States vs. Belgium match before later being released online.
Family.
Vin Diesel sets the stage for more Round of 16 FIFA World Cup action pic.twitter.com/P76bUdcNgU
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 5, 2026
This August, Universal is also rereleasing The Fast and the Furious in theaters to celebrate the original film’s 25th anniversary. While the franchise went on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest global box office successes, many fans have argued that it lost part of its emotional core following Paul Walker’s death during the production of Furious 7.
Paul Walker as Brian Connor – The Fast Saga, YouTube
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At NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation in May, Diesel also announced that a Fast & Furious television series is in development for Peacock. Once again, however, his comments created some confusion. Diesel suggested that four new series were being launched, but Variety later clarified that while multiple Fast & Furious projects are being explored, only one television series is actively moving forward.
Still Waiting for the Final Ride
For now, fans will have to wait a little longer before Dominic Toretto’s final ride officially begins. Despite Diesel’s optimistic update, the cameras have not yet started rolling on what Universal hopes will be the conclusion to one of Hollywood’s biggest action franchises.
Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto – The Fast Saga, YouTube
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Fast Forever may not be moving as quickly as either fans or Vin Diesel would like, but to borrow one of Dominic Toretto’s favorite sentiments, the finish line is still getting closer—one quarter mile at a time.
Are you looking forward to Fast Forever? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
