Fast & Furious actress Michelle Rodriguez contemplates the future of the franchise after Fast X. Rodriguez has played Letty in the Fast movies ever since The Fast and the Furious was released in 2001. In Fast X, she stars alongside a mix of new and returning franchise actors, including Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Rita Moreno, Cardi B, Helen Mirren, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, and Brie Larson. Fast X is directed by franchise newcomer Louis Leterrier and is currently set for a May 2023 release.
Fast X is the first of two films that will supposedly end the main Fast saga. The finale of the series will be Fast & Furious 11, finally marking the end of the over two decades-long action franchise’s central story. According to actor Gibson, Fast X will return the franchise to its roots. While it is unclear how exactly that will manifest, it nonetheless suggests that Fast X will attempt to pay fan service to those who have been following the series for years.
Though these last two films mark the end of the main storyline, Rodriguez offers a different message regarding the Fast franchise’s future. In an interview with Deadline at San Diego Comic-Con, Rodriguez was asked various questions about the series and its conclusion. Rather than discussing Fast X and Fast 11 as the end of the central saga, Rodriguez said they will need “to pass the baton” to others and alluded to the cast’s own kids maybe taking that on. Check out the quote from Rodriguez:
At some point we’re going to have to pass the baton on to the younger generation. Don’t worry, we’re popping out kids! It’ll happen.
Though Rodriguez is likely joking with her mention of the cast’s kids, the statement nonetheless bodes well for what’s to come in the Fast franchise. Rodriguez’s co-star Ludacris recently made a similar comment regarding Fast’s future, also pointing to his and other actors’ kids potentially playing a role in the series going forward. Ludacris expressed hope that the franchise, even if it takes on a new form, will “live on forever,” comparing its potential to what the Jurassic films did.
With two actors openly rooting for the Fast films to continue, the franchise’s future is looking more and more hopeful. Fast X and Fast & Furious 11 will likely still be the end of Dom Toretto’s arc, but that does not mean that the entire series will stop there. Given the end of the Toretto era, it seems unlikely that a new installment would come in the form of a Fast 12, but rather that the series could spin off with new characters and arcs, as it did with 2019’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw. As Fast X’s May 2023 release date nears, perhaps more concrete plans for a Fast follow-up will be revealed. Until then, audiences will have to rely on these comments from franchise actors like Rodriguez to fuel their excitement.
Source: Deadline
- Fast X / Fast & Furious 10 (2023)Release date: May 19, 2023