Universal Unsure About Moving Forward with ‘Final Fast & Furious’ Film – Here’s Why

The final chapter of the Fast & Furious franchise is facing uncertainty. According to The Wall Street Journal, Universal Pictures executives are reportedly hesitant to move forward with the next film unless the studio can reduce the budget by $50 million.

The eleventh installment of the franchise has had a complicated development. Louis Leterrier, who directed Fast X, was announced as director back in April 2023.

Screenwriters Christina Hodson and Oren Uziel were initially attached to the script, but they were later replaced by Zach Dean in mid-2024. Vin Diesel has described the movie as a return to the roots of the series, promising that the story would focus on a simpler, character-driven mission rather than globe-trotting chaos.

Diesel also teased that Brian O’Conner, his late co-star Paul Walker’s character, could make a return.

The film has been delayed multiple times. It was first slated for release in 2025, then pushed to 2026, and Diesel later announced a new release date of April 2027. Part of the delays were caused by the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which stalled production across Hollywood.

Despite these plans, the project has yet to secure a finalized script, an official release date, or signed deals from most of the main cast. According to The Wall Street Journal, the lack of progress contradicts Diesel’s public statements about the film’s readiness and future.

The final Fast & Furious movie was always meant to serve as a conclusion to the long-running series, which has spanned more than two decades. While previous films like Fast X underperformed at the box office compared to earlier entries, the studio hopes the finale can recapture fans’ excitement.

It’s clear Universal wants to be careful with such a major franchise. The Fast & Furious films have a huge fan base, but budgets and box office expectations are important. Cutting costs might be necessary to make the final film feasible.

Still, fans have been waiting for this conclusion for years, and it would be disappointing if it never materializes. Do you think the studio should move forward and make the movie, or is it better to rethink the project? Share your thoughts in the comments.