Fast X: Part 2 / Fast & Furious 11 Movie Preview

Flash cars, tough guys and lots of cool lines! For over 24 years, the "Fast & Furious" franchise has stood for pure adrenaline, incredible stunts and above all: family. We have accompanied Dom Toretto and his crew over the course of ten movies – now the series is heading towards its finale. With "Fast X: Part 2", the series is supposedly finally coming to a close – and so there's a lot of talk: What can we expect in the final installment? Who will be back this time? And is this truly the end? We'll bring you up to date. So fasten your seatbelts: here comes all the information you need!

Back to the Roots – And Pretty Cost-Effective Please

Whether "Fast & Furious 11" really remains the grand finale depends heavily on the box office results. Actually, a trilogy was planned for the conclusion. But after the moderate success of part 10, Universal Pictures is probably not willing to take any risks. However, if the new part performs well at the box office, the distributor certainly will not rule out further movies.

In terms of story, Diesel reportedly wants to get back to the roots: less world-saving, more down-to-earth action on the streets – hopefully with one or two quarter-mile races! Actor Jason Momoa has already promised more traditional racing action – something he felt was missing in "Fast X". That would not just be fan service, it would be smart, too: it could keep the budget in check.

Over the years, the costs associated with the film series had continually risen: part 9 already cost 200 million US dollars, part 10 a whopping 340 million dollars. At the same time, there was a drop in box office revenue: the last movie, for example, was already a financial tightrope act with box office takings of around 705 million dollars worldwide. Movies often have to earn two to three times their budget in order to be lucrative. For part 11, the budget is therefore expected to be reduced to a maximum of 200 million dollars again. It's still a lot, but significantly less than last time. We are interested in finding out in which areas we will see the savings.

The Bad Guy in Fast & Furious 11

The series is known for its meanwhile huge cast. And even if someone happens to disappear, they tend to reappear a few movies later. A big talking point for the ending of the "Fast & Furious" saga is: who will be the villain? In "Fast X", Jason Momoa impressed as the crazy villain Dante Reyes – a true highlight for many fans. But a return is currently doubtful. There are rumors that film distributor Universal Pictures is considering to replace him with a new opponent.

There are mainly two reasons for this: firstly, Vin Diesel was reportedly unhappy that Momoa was stealing everyone else's show. Disputes behind the scenes are nothing new in the franchise – just think of the feud between Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. On the other hand, there's also the cut in the budget: those responsible behind the scenes are probably wondering whether they can even afford a star like Jason Momoa. After all, there are already a lot of other well-known names that need to be paid for, such as Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson. However, there are no official confirmations regarding the cast at the moment. So get the KinoCheck app to be informed immediately as soon as the first big names for the project are finally announced.

The studio's cost-cutting measures also speak against another casting option: in an interview, Diesel wanted Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. to play the new antagonist. According to the leading actor, he could play a rich tech mogul who believes in AI-controlled vehicles – in stark contrast to Dom's human "family" mentality. But this casting will probably remain wishful thinking: Downey Jr. is of course very busy with the new "Avengers" movies at the moment and is definitely anything but low budget.

So the question of who the villain will be is still entirely open. Despite all the rumors, the cliffhanger of part 10 naturally suggests that things will proceed with Dante Reyes. Yet, the casting problem could be one of the reasons why things have gone oddly quiet around the production in recent months. Nevertheless, there are some ideas as to how this problem could be solved.

Planned Fast & Furious Spin-Offs for In Between

Dwayne Johnson announced another spin-off film in 2023 called "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Reyes". It is supposed to be a sort of transition between parts 10 and 11. This would at least be one way of removing the role of the villain from the action within a smaller movie before the big finale. However, we haven't heard any news about the project since the announcement. So if it is indeed meant to segue into part 11, production ought to start soon.

Vin Diesel also brought another project into play: likewise a precursor for the final film in the saga. He had already directed a short prequel for part 4 with "Los Bandoleros". Now he was asked whether he would do another such short film. Diesel hinted at a possible desert setting. They had already filmed in the Middle East for part 7, but had never ventured into the depths of the desert before.

If you ask us: it's highly unlikely that these spin-off projects will actually be realized – especially before part 11. They sound more like mind games to gauge fan reaction. The biggest priority right now is probably the conclusion of the big saga.

The Fate of Dom Toretto

The ultimate question is: what does a definitive finale mean for the main series? We can see one possibility in particular: Dom Toretto dies in "Fast & Furious 11". That would be an emotional shock, but also a fitting conclusion in some way. Dom has always risked it all for his family – a heroic exit would suit him. So after the end of Paul Walker's character, Dom's journey would also come to an end. And the numerous other characters could still have their separate adventures – just outside of the main series, like "Hobbs & Shaw".

Production and Delays – Why Is It Taking So Long?

The director of "Fast & Furious 11" is once again Louis Leterrier, who has already taken over from Justin Lin in the previous movie. However, a lot of time has passed since the release of "Fast X" and filming for part 11 is still a long time coming. A theatrical release in March 2026 was originally under discussion. But experts are doubtful: a blockbuster of this magnitude needs at least a year's lead time and filming has still not begun. Leterrier himself has already given a new release date: June 22, 2026 – exactly 25 years after part 1. So what's the problem? "Reacher" star Alan Ritchson spoke to Screen Rant about it and said:

"One of the biggest challenges that the franchise faces is that you've got a lot of guys like Dwayne and Vin and Momoa and myself and everybody's super busy."

Well, Vin Diesel at least posted a picture from the set back in November 2024. While there were probably just initial test shots, it nonetheless signals that something is happening. The actor is known for skillfully beating the drum on social media. In April 2025, he urged Universal Pictures to finally announce the release date for the new film on Instagram. To us, this seems a little as if the actor is trying to exert pressure on the reluctant film distributor and win the fans over to his side. As we said, public shaming is nothing unusual for Vin Diesel.

When Will Fast & Furious 11 Be Released?

The eleventh installment is officially titled "Fast X: Part 2" and therefore stays true to the series' quirky approach of coming up with a new spelling for each sequel. March or June 2026 are still being considered as potential release dates. But to be frank, we don't think the movie will be out before 2027, and we'd be genuinely surprised if it was. But the current plan is to start filming in Los Angeles in the summer of 2025. So let's hope that production will finally get underway.

What We Think

Our opinion: the chaos surrounding the supposedly last "Fast & Furious" movie is perfectly on brand for the whole franchise. Bigger and bigger, more and more. And in the end we wonder: where is this supposed to lead? On the one hand, the franchise continues to provide us with wonderfully crazy spectacle. On the other hand, the eternal mantra of "family" has increasingly degenerated into a running gag. For the finale, we hope the series can really shift down a gear and remind us where the journey once began. Hobbs can simply take care of everything else. Or Shaw. Or Reyes. After all, there are plenty of suitable spin-off candidates.