Fast & Furious franchise to finally end after two more films, claims report

Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz in ‘The Fate of the Furious' (© 2017 Universal City Studios Productions LLLP. All Rights Reserved.)
Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz in ‘The Fate of the Furious' (© 2017 Universal City Studios Productions LLLP. All Rights Reserved.)

Universal Pictures has reportedly planned two final films in the Fast & Furious franchise, which will see Justin Lin return to direct.

The films will take the total number of entries up to 11, with the ninth Fast & Furious film, F9, scheduled for release next year.

According to Deadline, Lin is already in talks to take charge of the final two Fast & Furious films, which will feature some sort of two-part storyline.

Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel and Sung Kang are expected to return, along with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham.

The report does not offer details on when production is likely to begin. F9 is still currently in its post-production phase.

Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz in ‘The Fate of the Furious'© 2017 Universal City Studios Productions LLLP. All Rights Reserved.
Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz in ‘The Fate of the Furious'© 2017 Universal City Studios Productions LLLP. All Rights Reserved.

The franchise began in 2001, with The Fast and the Furious, which starred Paul Walker as an undercover cop who infiltrates a group of automobile hackers led by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel).

Later instalments added a roster of other recurring characters, and the plots escalated to involve international espionage and weapons of mass destruction.

While Fast & Furious 11 may be the final film in the saga, it’s possible that the characters could still come back in spin-off instalments, in the vein of 2019’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw.