Members of the Fast & Furious “family” have been waiting some time now for the final installment in the blockbuster franchise to begin filming. Around the fall of 2025, it was reported that the film was in limbo due to financial variables. The series’ lead actor and producer, Vin Diesel, has been providing updates nonetheless and, back in January, he confirmed a date for the film as well as a title, Fast Forever. Now, with the film still waiting to leave the starting line, Diesel is sharing some words that are keeping him upbeat.
Beloved for his role as Dominic “Dom” Toretto, Diesel has long been a champion for this car-centric movie series and its offshoots. So the A-lister seemingly takes whatever opportunity he can to hype up the franchise and in turn, get fans excited about it. Diesel recently took to his Instagram to share a candid post about his body of work and provide some insight into being a creative force. The Saving Private Ryan alum also opened up about four words of wisdom his father bestowed upon him, which he’s taken to heart:
My father gave me four words of wisdom that I have gone back to time and time again... finish what you started. People think Tolkien just poured Middle-earth onto the page. Nope. He started with no idea where it was going, wrote it around his Oxford day job, put it down for YEARS at a time, pushed through a world war and paper shortages. Seventeen years for that whole saga. Ours has taken ten more than that, and we’re still in it.
“Finish what you started” is definitely a great mantra to live by, and it feels especially appropriate for Diesel at this point in his life as the co-shepherd of a massive IP. Diesel’s storied journey with the Fast franchise – which turned 25 this year – doesn’t seem to be something he takes for granted. Later in his post, the actor emphasized another point he’s previously made about Fast’s conclusion – closing it out with a worthy final chapter:
FAST. Wow. A year and nine months out, this one’s gonna hit hard… the fans who’ve stood by it deserve a proper finale. Almost three decades of fighting for every frame. Best fans in the world... every minute worth it. Whatever you’re building that’s taking longer than you anticipated… slow is fine, stalled is fine. Just don’t quit on it. Finish what you started…
It seems the actor can certainly recognize the starts and stops that Fast 11 has experienced during its road to the big screen. However, per the point he makes, what’s most important is that those in the driver’s seat finish out the journey accordingly. Check out the post in its entirety:
A post shared by Vin Diesel (@vindiesel)
A photo posted by on
As far as we know, the plan is for Diesel, Universal and co. to finish what they started with the Fast & Furious series, with the studio having marked a March 17, 2028 release date for Fast Forever. Plot details are unsurprisingly being kept locked away as tightly as Dom would secure one of his sweet vehicles. Something that’s been promised about FF11, though, is that it’ll return the franchise to “its roots” in LA street racing culture. That’s something that’s been sorely missed by fans as more recent installments have become more grandiose.
While work is reportedly being done on the film, it seems much of the cast is still in the dark about what the story is or when the cameras might start rolling. Tej Parker actor Ludacris recently revealed he hadn’t seen a script and that he wasn’t sure when principal photography would kick off. All the while, Jordana Brewster is already discussing what she wants in that final film – more agency for her character, Mia Toretto.
Die-hard Fast & Furious fans are surely champing at the bit for more insight into what lies at the end of the road for this blockbuster IP. There’s no telling when such details might arrive, of course, but I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Diesel were to keep fans in the loop (and keep them motivated) while they wait for the release of Fast Forever. In the meantime, stream the latest entry in the series, Fast X, with a Peacock subscription.
