Done waiting? Vin Diesel says Fast Forever finally rolls cameras in December

If you've been following the high-octane saga of the Fast & Furious franchise, you don't need me to tell you it's been a proper slog getting this last film off the blocks. The previous one, Fast X, arrived back in 2023, left us dangling on a cliffhanger, and since then, news about its follow-up has been mostly waffle and confusion. Vin Diesel’s been teasing production with selfies and video clips, but for ages, it seemed like absolutely none of it was real. The attached director, Louis Leterrier, apparently hadn't even clapped eyes on a script at certain points, no matter what Diesel was telling the world.

Filming for Fast Forever (the eleventh and supposedly final core instalment) is now set to kick off in December 2026, according to Vin Diesel.

That’s the headline today: after months of vague updates and more false starts than a rain-delayed Grand Prix, Diesel has finally pinned down an actual date. Speaking to Variety at the 25th anniversary screening of the original The Fast and the Furious (yes, it’s really been that long), Diesel said they're aiming for a December start. Course, he threw in a caveat worthy of any Hollywood negotiation: if the studio plays ball.

Four Writers, Four Years

Getting even this far wasn’t what you’d call straightforward. Diesel reckons he had to battle through four different writers and a frankly ridiculous four-year development haul to get a version of Fast Forever that’s worthy of sending off the mainline franchise. He told the crowd at the anniversary screening just how gruelling that was, not least on his tear ducts. Here’s what Diesel said before the film started rolling:

‘I’m going to tell you something personal. It was after four different writers, four years of development, and after I read the script, halfway through, one tear. By the end of the script that we crafted and worked so hard to make right for you after four years, I was crying. I couldn’t hold it back, and I had to tell everyone. And my sister said, “No more crying, bro.” So I just want to say that sometimes, even the toughest guys in the world need to cry.’

So yes, the man who jumps cars between skyscrapers and occasionally saves the world admits the script made him weep—repeatedly. I’m not quite sure if that’s encouraging or mildly concerning, but given the journey, maybe he’s earned it.

The Budget Problem

But before anyone starts queuing up for midnight screenings, keep in mind Diesel’s bit about 'making good on the request from the studio.’ Translation: there’s still some boardroom wrestling to sort out, most of it apparently related to the film’s price tag. Alan Ritchson, who joined the cast with admirable energy, hasn’t been shy about what's holding everything up. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he lit up the room with this:

• Making Fast Forever is expensive. Frankly, too expensive by Ritchson’s reckoning.
• He reckons there’s got to be a more efficient way to film something this scale, even as the franchise balloons into ever-madder territory.
• Ritchson remains firmly confident the film will still happen—eventually—but admits there are 'big problems’ that need sorting first.

So, the fate of Fast Forever is now hanging not on the street, but more in the meeting rooms. If they pull it off, expect more fast cars, wild stunts and, apparently, a fair bit of emotion this time round.