Paul Walker as Brian O’Conner in Fast Five
The return of Brian O’Conner, along with a return to street racing in Los Angeles, means that the franchise is headed back to its roots, although it is currently unclear how Brian will be brought back for Fast & Furious 11. Due to Walker’s passing,some of Brian’s scenes in Furious 7 were created through a combination of visual effects and stand-ins, which included Walker’s brothers Caleb and Cody.
The April 2027 release window has still not been officially announced, but Diesel seems confident in the update that he shares with fans. If the sequel does release in April 2027, it will debut almost four years after the previous movie, since Fast X came to theaters in May 2023.
Returning to Los Angeles is another extension of how the sequel will be more aligned with the franchise’s earlier movies. Los Angeles was the original home of the series, and many of the movies have been filmed there as well. It is a great sign for the film industry there, especially in the wake of the devastating fires early in 2025 and as many other projects opt to film overseas.
Street racing in Los Angeles gets back to the series’ original premise, which will inevitably make it feel very different from Fast X and the other more recent sequels.
The full-circle nature of the sequel is further cemented by the return to street racing. Over time, the Fast & Furious movies have raised the stakes and made the plots increasingly over-the-top. Street racing in Los Angeles gets back to the series’ original premise, which will inevitably make it feel very different from Fast X and the other more recent sequels.