The Fast & Furious franchise is steadily riding towards the end of its cinematic road. Much of the movie-loving public has known for some time now that the franchise is set to end after two more installments, the first of which being this year’s Fast X. Fans seem to have a lot of feelings about the fact that the long-running movie series is nearing its conclusion. But while plenty of longtime devotees have been getting candid, the cast (and even some of the crew) have been opening up on the matter as well. With that in mind, we’re going to dive into the sentiments that Vin Diesel, Ludacris and more have shared.
One might be tempted to assume that there’s just utter sadness on the part of the cast and crew, because of the fact that they’ve worked together on these movies for so long. However, their thoughts on the prospect of FF coming to a close are a bit more nuanced than that, which is all the more reason for us to discuss them. So at the risk of wasting more time, let’s shift this discussion in gear and look over the comments.
Vin Diesel Shared Diplomatic Thoughts On The Conclusion Of Fast & Furious
It’s safe to say that Vin Diesel has pretty much taken the helm when it comes to stirring this car-centric series. Diesel – who’s played the role of righteous ex-convict Dominic Toretto – has quite a bit of influence at this point in his career. So if he wanted the box office-breaking saga to continue, the execs at Universal Pictures probably wouldn’t mind it. However, Diesel explained to the Associated Press back in 2021 that it’s time to put a nice bow on this series:
Every story deserves its own ending. I know people are going to feel like it doesn’t have to end, but I think all good things should. There are reasons for a finale. I think this franchise has deserved it.
That's a level-headed way to look at the situation, that’s for sure. Realistically, the finale had to come at some point and, at this point, how much more can the producers honestly do? (I mean, FF characters have even been to space at this point). So with the final installments on the horizon, the leading man is making plans for what could be a send-off that should please loyal fans. Something that he's been incredibly candid about is honoring his late co-star, Paul Walker, who played the role of Brian O’Conner in the first seven movies. Brian is now an unseen character within the fictional universe, and the Riddick alum recently confirmed that fans will truly get to bid farewell to him before the series’ closes:
That moment in 2013 when the world was struggling with his loss, the studio made a very bold and righteous, and daring decision to keep Brian O’Conner alive. I will give you this without spoiling anything: I couldn’t imagine this saga ending without truly saying goodbye to Brian O’Conner.
This is all starting to sound definitive, but one still can’t help but wonder if Vin Diesel would return as Dom after the final two flicks. When answering that question a while back, the star played coy, saying that “there is nothing that is off the table.” Whatever the case, it would seem that Diesel is currently going into this pair of productions with the notion that they’ll be the end all, be all.
Ludacris Is Choosing Not To Be Sad About FF Ending
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges – who plays Tej Parker – has been with this property since the second installment, 2003’s 2 Fast 2 Furious. So like many of his co-stars, he’s been heavily invested in this cinematic endeavor. The fan-favorite rapper is a straight shooter, typically giving honest responses when asked for his opinion on a topic. So when it came to the imminent conclusion of Fast & Furious, he had no problem explaining why he’s “not sad” about it:
They just announced that we're going to end on 10 and 11. Personally I thought we were going to end on 10 but I'm not at all sad about it because you got to think about, I came out in 2 Fast 2 Furious. We never knew we would get a callback from 5, now I've been in 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. And now they're telling me there's going to be two more? I'm happy! To hell with being sad, don't be sad! Be happy.
It’s long been said that one shouldn’t be sad when something is over but that they should be happy that it happened. Kudos to Ludacris for looking on the bright side of things, and he’s right. He and his colleagues have certainly made their mark (and a whole lot of cash), thanks to FF. So why not walk away from the work with a smile?
Michelle Rodriguez Is Still Having A Ball As She Prepares To Close The Book On Letty
The Fast & Furious franchise wouldn’t be the same without Michelle Rodriguez, as she brings the right kind of badass energy to Letty Ortiz. As of this writing, the fan-favorite actress hasn’t gotten too candid about the prospect of saying goodbye to her character. However, she has been hyping up Fast X in a big way and in the process, has showered praise on director Louis Leterrier. Not long ago, she reflected on her journey a bit while explaining what Leterrier brings to the fold:
He came with all this energy of love. We haven't had that in Fast and Furious for a very long time where we get somebody excited who's a real fan and who really wants to take it places that it hasn't gone before. We've been at it for 20 years, bro. After all that time, you get jaded and kind of forget what you do it for [until] a director like Louis comes in and reminds you, 'This is beautiful. Let's go make magic.' We're so lucky to have him bro.
Additionally, Michelle Rodriguez teased something massive for the ending of Fast X. She told Inverse that “diehard fans in the audience are going to be there with their mouths open.” There’s no telling what she’s referring to exactly, but I’d wager that whatever it is, it’ll factor into the 11th and final movie in a big way.
Director Louis Leterrier Shared A Major Tease That Sums Up Fast X And The End Of the Franchise
Louis Leterrier was put into a difficult position with this gig, as he essentially had to step in and pick up the pieces after the departure of OG director Justin Lin. However, it sounds like the Incredible Hulk director managed to rise to the occasion and deliver something special. He also seems to understand that the stakes must be high when it comes to the franchise’s grand finale. When asked about the end, he teased an impending “war”:
There’s a war brewing. It’s coming to an end, and it is a race to the finish. There will be some tremendous casualties.
That’s a sweet tease and, based on the first trailer (which connects Jason Momoa’s villainous character to Fast Five), a major battle is certainly on the horizon. It’ll be exciting to get more insight into what’s going down, and I’ll be looking out for more comments from the stars in regard to the end of the saga.
Fast X opens in theaters on May 19 as part of CinemaBlend's loaded schedule of 2023 new movie releases.
