Fast & Furious’ future after Fast & Furious 11 hints at a return to basics for the franchise, which highlights the problem with Fast X’s ending and the movie as a whole. Described as the first of a two-part finale, Fast X was heavily promoted as the beginning of the end of Dominic Toretto’s story. One of Fast X’s biggest selling points was the film’s cliffhanger ending, which would lead right into Fast 11, or Fast X, Part 2.

Fast X’s ending indeed included a major cliffhanger – the fate of Toretto and his son after Dante Reyes blew up everything around them. Still, with Fast & Furious 11’s release date most likely moving to 2026, much of the momentum that Fast X’s cliffhanger was supposed to create is gone. Additionally, the large Fast X cast, combined with everything the film left unresolved, means Fast & Furious 11 could be an even more convoluted movie than its predecessor. Interestingly, Fast & Furious may have finally decided to take a step back in terms of scale, but not until after Fast 11.

Fast & Furious’ Future Movies May Bring The Franchise “Back To The Streets”

Fast & Furious’ future after Fast 11 is unclear

Although Fast X, Part 2 has yet to start filming, NBCUniversal Studio Group Chairman and Chief Content Officer Donna Langle’s latest comment on the franchise suggests future installments will bring the series back to its roots. According to Langle (via Variety), Fast & Furious “may pivot another time and bring it back to the streets of L.A. and maybe make it a more intimate story.” It’s unclear what the studio’s plans for the Fast & Furious franchise after Fast X, Part 2 are, but any future films will likely see a tone shift compared to Fast X.

Where we go next is a question. We may pivot another time and bring it back to the streets of L.A. and maybe make it a more intimate story.

The most expensive Fast & Furious movie to date, Fast X reportedly had a production budget of $340 million. This explains why, despite having grossed over $714 million at the worldwide box office, Fast X was not as big of a hit as previous installments like Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious. Fast X proved that Fast & Furious had become too big for its own good, both cost-wise and from a story perspective. The earnestness and heart that made the first films so special had now been replaced by non-stop action and superhero-level third-act battles.

Fast & Furious’ Tone Shift Highlights Fast X’s Biggest Problem

Fast X was too big for its own good

Fast X ends on a cliffhanger, teasing an even bigger movie for Part 2. The fact that Fast X is the most expensive Fast & Furious film and also includes the biggest lineup of main characters and villains since the inception of the franchise highlights the mistakes the series has made over the last few films. Although it made sense for Fast & Furious to go bigger and bolder with each film after the commercial and critical success of Fast Five, the franchise reached a point where it was difficult to surpass what it had already done.

After Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw had a street fight that almost destroyed the city or Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs changed the trajectory of a missile with his bare hands, there were only so many things left for newer Fast & Furious to do in terms of action. Moments like Roman and Tej going into space mean that Fast & Furious has become a parody of itself, even though the saga has always been over the top and inherently funny. Fast X tried to be an Avengers-level event and set up an even bigger sequel.

Instead, the beginning of the end of Dominic Toretto’s story should have been a more intimate film that honored the franchise’s roots. Following the mixed reception to F9, Fast & Furious had in Fast X the perfect opportunity to bring the saga back to basics and set up an emotional, self-contained finale in Fast & Furious 11. Fast X’s problems, including the underwhelming ending, have now put Fast X, Part 2 in a difficult position. Fast & Furious has lost some of the momentum it acquired with hits like Fast Five and Furious 7.

What Fast & Furious Going “Back To The Streets Of L.A.” Really Means

Could Fast & Furious 12 reboot the saga?

More surprisingly than Fast & Furious going “back to the streets of L.A.” is the fact that there are plans for the franchise to continue past Fast 11, which has yet to be made official. Fast X and Fast X, Part 2 were originally expected to be the end of the Fast Saga, yet there is now at least one more project in development. Shortly after the release of Fast X, whose post-credits scene saw the return of Luke Hobbs, Dwayne Johnson confirmed that a Hobbs spinoff movie was in the works.

Not much has been revealed about the Hobbs movie, which will presumably take place between Fast X and Fast X, Part 2. It’s unclear whether this is still the plan, though, as Fast & Furious 11 is eyeing a 2026 release. Regardless, Fast X’s sequel is expected to wrap up the stories of Dominic Toretto and his family. Therefore, it remains to be seen what bringing the saga “back to the streets of L.A.” after Fast 11 could mean for the franchise. Fast & Furious already tried to move beyond Toretto and Brian, but it never worked.

It May Be Too Late For Fast & Furious To Go Back To Its Roots

Fast 11 can’t be the small-scale finale Fast & Furious deserves

The biggest problem with Fast X’s ending is that it made it difficult for Fast & Furious 11 to even try to bring the saga back to its street racing roots. Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes has yet to be defeated, the cast is larger than ever, and the stakes have never been higher. Between the returns of characters like Shaw, Hobbs, and Gisele, plus Dante teaming up with his brother to take down Toretto’s family, Fast & Furious 11 is expected to be as big as Fast X in terms of scale.

It’s too late for the Fast Saga to be about street racing, which is why this tone shift would only work for a potential Fast & Furious 12. Although Vin Diesel had hinted at the possibility of Fast X being split into three films, it is difficult to say whether a twelfth Fast & Furious movie would be a sequel to the current ones or a reboot. It would not be a surprise if Fast & Furious continues after Fast 11, but if it does, the saga should use it as an opportunity to reinvent itself.

Source: Variety