For nearly 25 years, the adrenaline-pumping action franchise Fast & Furious has dazzled audiences all around the world. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker memorably headlined the original 2001 hit The Fast and the Furious as undercover LAPD officer Brian O’Conner and professional street racer Dominic Toretto, a film that kickstarted the enduring series and spawned a whopping nine sequels and a spin-off.
Since its explosive debut, countless Hollywood superstars have joined the franchise, like Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, John Cena, and Charlize Theron, with Aquaman alum Jason Momoa being the latest big name to appear in Dom’s orbit as the vengeance-seeking Dante Reyes in 2023’s Fast X. After endless car chases, gravity-defying stunts, and engrossing storylines, the series is looking to bid farewell to fans with its upcoming final installment Fast X: Part 2; let’s check out everything we know so far about the sequel.
What Cast Members Are Returning For ‘Fast X: Part 2’?
While the full cast list for Fast X: Part 2 is being kept under wraps, fans can expect franchise staples like Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, and the rest of Dom’s crew to be back for one last hurrah in the upcoming sequel. Though Fast X’s vengeful villain, Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), seemingly shot down a plane carrying Roman (Gibson), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), and Han (Sung Kang) at the end of the film, no one every truly stays dead in the rip-roaring franchise, and it’s expected all these actors will be reprising their respective role.
Speaking of resurrected characters, a scene at the end of Fast X revealed that the presumed dead Giselle Yashar (Gal Gadot) is also alive and was heading to Antarctica to rescue Dom’s lady love Letty (Rodriguez) and the reformed cyberterrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron), indicating they too will be back for the grand finale. After his infamous feud with Diesel, Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs shocked audiences when he appeared in a mid-credits scene during which he is threatened by Dante, setting the stage for his epic return as well.
One cast member fans are downright perplexed to hear is coming back for Fast X: Part 2 is the late Paul Walker, who tragically passed away in 2013 at 40, yet whose character Brian O’Conner remains alive in the franchise but completely off-screen, with Diesel wanting to reunite the duo for the last film. This controversial decision and how it will be executed have garnered some blowback from longtime audiences, though we’ll have to wait and see how Diesel and the studio handle Brian’s “return.”
What Will the Final Installment Be About?
Like with its many cast members, the plot for Fast X: Part 2 has yet to be revealed, though Zach Dean (The Gorge, The Tomorrow War) was announced to be taking over writing duties from Oren Uziel and Christina Hodson following their departure in June 2024, while Louis Leterrier will be back to direct. Diesel has also previously hinted that the final installment “will go back to the roots of the franchise” and will come full circle by returning to Los Angeles, the location of the first Fast & Furious film. The series staple recently revealed at Fuel Fest:
“The studio said to me, ‘Vin, can we please have the finale of ‘Fast and Furious’ [in] April 2027?’ I said, ‘Under three conditions.’ First, is to bring the franchise back to L.A.! The second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing! The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O’Conner.”
After the explosive events of Fast X, it looks as though Dom and his crew will once again come face-to-face with Momoa’s devious Dante to settle the score once and for all, with some familiar faces joining in the fight to take the villain down. Fans will be happy to learn that the franchise plans to go back to where it all began in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious and will return to the streets and focus on car culture and practical stunts instead of relying on one over-the-top sequence after another.
When Will ‘Fast X: Part 2’ Premiere?
Fast X: Part 2 was initially slated for an April 4, 2025, release date, but following production delays, the film will now be roaring into theaters in April 2026, just in time to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary. With such big blockbusters, there are bound to be many hiccups and hurdles so only time will tell whether the tentative release date holds up.
Is ‘Fast X: Part 2’ Really the Last ‘Fast & Furious’ Movie?
When it comes to Hollywood and the silver screen, money talks, and oftentimes, franchises keep on chugging along when they’re dominating the box office. Despite Diesel initially teasing that the final films would be a trilogy, it truly looks like Fast X: Part 2 will mark the end of an era and will in fact be the last entry in the series. But fear not, as there are multiple spin-offs in the works, like Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Reyes and a standalone female-led film.
Back in February 2024, the actor took to Instagram to confirm that he had a meeting with the creative team and studio, writing: “…This grand finale is not just an ending; it’s a celebration of the incredible family we’ve built together…Hope to make you proud!”