Vin Diesel promises street racing and return of Paul Walker's character for 'Fast and Furious 11'

Actor Vin Diesel has officially confirmed that the final installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, tentatively titled Fast 11, is set to hit theatres in April 2027.

Appearing at Fuel Fest, a car culture and motorsports event in Pomona, California, Diesel made a surprise appearance alongside franchise stars Tyrese Gibson and Cody Walker (brother of the late Paul Walker). According to Variety, Diesel, addressing an electrified crowd, dropped major hints about the future—and legacy—of the popular series that began in 2001.

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“The studio said to me, ‘Vin, can we please have the finale of ‘Fast and Furious’ [in] April 2027?'” Diesel shared. “I said, ‘Under three conditions.’”

Those conditions? A return to the roots that made Fast a global phenomenon.

“First, is to bring the franchise back to Los Angeles. The second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing. The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O’Conner,” Diesel said.

Diesel’s final condition—the reunion of Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner—is as tantalising as it is mysterious. Paul Walker, who played Brian, tragically died in a car accident in 2013 at the age of 40, midway through filming Furious 7. The filmmakers used CGI and his brothers as body doubles to complete the film, sending off Brian with an emotional, symbolic farewell.

Whether Fast 11 will feature a fully digital version of Brian, previously unseen footage, or a brief tribute-style appearance remains unclear. However, Diesel’s comment seems to confirm that Brian’s presence—one way or another—will play a role in the franchise's swan song.

Released in May 2023, Fast X brought in over $700 million globally, though it faced criticism for its bloated $340 million budget. Marketed as the first of a two-part saga, it ended on a cliffhanger with Jason Momoa’s flamboyant villain Dante Reyes threatening Toretto and his crew.

With such a large time gap between Fast X and Fast 11, it remains to be seen whether the upcoming film will continue from where Fast X left off or take a more standalone approach focused on legacy and nostalgia.

Fans of the franchise’s earlier films will no doubt be thrilled at the promise of returning to L.A. and the underground street racing roots that once defined The Fast and the Furious. Over the years, the franchise morphed into globe-trotting spy thrillers with flying cars and gravity-defying stunts. A shift back to asphalt and attitude may be just what fans—and the series—need.

Husain Rizvi

husain@khaleejtimes.com

Husain Rizvi is a Senior Features Writer who covers entertainment and lifestyle stories and has a profound interest in tech (games) and sports. When he’s not working, you can find him at the gym, or finishing a boss fight in a video game.