Fast X ended on a cliffhanger, which has made the extended wait for Fast Forever all the more noticeable. The grand finale of the franchise is currently slated for a March 17, 2028 release, which will be a five-year gap between movies, the longest of the entire series, and that’s assuming it actually hits that date. Despite some eternally hopeful updates from Vin Diesel, it feels as though we’re still a long way off, and Fast Forever director Louis Leterrier added that so much time has passed that the sequel needs to evolve with the changing box office landscape.
While speaking with THR, Leterrier clarified that he hasn’t run out of patience for Fast Forever, but he does need to keep working until the sequel is finally ready to go.
“No, I love Fast. I worked very hard in coming up with the idea for the end and everything. I was so lucky to be a part of the franchise. So I can’t wait, but I also cannot wait,” he said. “Directors don’t idle well, so I have to direct. I created a studio in Europe. We wrote and shot a season of Lupin, my show in Europe. I did two movies [The Last House and Liminal], and I’m doing another one. So I cannot wait. But I love this franchise, and I hope we get to finish in the best way possible.“
Leterrier confirms that he’s still contracted to direct Fast Forever, but he anticipates some budgetary changes. “We’re lucky to be having a great year [at the box office], but it’s different now,” he said. “Movies have evolved and tastes have evolved and the box office has evolved. So we have to align our budgetary needs to the reality of the box office. We know that, and it’s fine. Everybody does that. It’ll be fine.“
The Fast and the Furious will be returning to theaters on August 21 to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and Diesel recently shared the trailer for the re-release on Instagram. In the caption, he teased that he’s read the script for Fast Forever by Michael Lesslie, which left him in tears because it was just so good.
“You have no idea… When March 17th 2028 comes… I just read the ‘Fast Forever’ script by Mike Leslie. It is the best script I have read in decades. I am still crying.“
In a separate interview with Polygon, Leterrier said he hasn’t yet read the script which brought Diesel to tears.