Vin Diesel cried over Fast Forever, but its director hasn’t read it
Fast & Furious director Louis Leterrier has confirmed he is still attached to helm Fast Forever, the long-awaited final instalment of the franchise, despite three years having passed since Fast X's 2023 release without the sequel entering production. Speaking to Polygon while promoting his Netflix film The Last House, Leterrier said delays stemmed from a combination of factors, including the Hollywood strikes and his decision to direct other projects, rather than any doubt over the film going ahead.
Leterrier's comments are among the clearest confirmations yet that Fast Forever's development has stalled since 2023, even after Vin Diesel announced a March 2028 release date earlier this year with scant further detail. Notably, Leterrier revealed he has not read the latest script by Mike Leslie, which Diesel recently described on Instagram as moving him to tears, and hinted there were details about the production he was not free to disclose. He maintained that the franchise "will have an ending" and that he still expects to direct it, though he stopped short of explaining the full picture behind the delays.
In short
- Director Louis Leterrier still attached to Fast Forever finale.
- Vin Diesel says new script left him "still crying".
- Leterrier hasn't read that script and can't reveal full details.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Delays in major franchise productions are commonplace, and the Hollywood strikes legitimately disrupted many projects. Leterrier's continued attachment to direct, his statement that the franchise will have an ending, and the confirmed 2028 release date all indicate genuine intent to proceed. Directors juggling multiple concurrent projects often don't have scripts in hand until active pre-production begins, making his unfamiliarity with the latest draft unremarkable rather than alarming.
The case against
Three years without production movement following a successful sequel is noteworthy, and a director's unfamiliarity with the current script when publicly discussing the project raises questions about developmental maturity. His hints about undisclosed details and deliberate vagueness regarding the full picture suggest either contractual sensitivity around problematic information or genuine uncertainty about the project's viability and path forward.
Explained simply
Fast & Furious is a film franchise about Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, and a close-knit group drawn into car racing, heists and action adventures. The films have continued for more than two decades, and Fast X, released in 2023, set up another instalment.
Louis Leterrier directed Fast X and is attached to direct the planned final film, Fast Forever. Vin Diesel is the franchise’s leading actor and producer, while Mike Leslie is the latest reported screenwriter.
The series’ ending matters to its long-running cast and audience, but the next film has not begun production. Hollywood strikes and Leterrier’s other projects have been cited as factors in the delay; the gap has left questions about when and how the franchise will conclude.
Celebrity Entertainment Software Technology