Universal Reportedly Hesitant to Greenlight Final ‘Fast & Furious’ Movie – Here’s Why

The future of the Fast & Furious franchise seems uncertain once again. According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Universal Pictures executives are reportedly hesitant to move forward with the next Fast & Furious movie unless the production budget is cut by at least $50 million.

The upcoming film, which is supposed to serve as the grand finale of the long-running franchise, has faced several setbacks over the past two years.

Originally announced in 2023, the project was meant to follow Fast X and bring the saga to a close. Louis Leterrier, who directed Fast X, was confirmed to return, and the movie was first expected to hit theaters in 2025. However, a series of delays, rewrites, and production halts have kept it from getting off the ground.

Vin Diesel, who has led the franchise since the beginning, previously claimed that the eleventh movie would be “a return to the roots” of the series and that it would feature the long-awaited return of Brian O’Conner, the character played by the late Paul Walker. In June, Diesel announced that the movie’s release had been pushed again to April 2027.

Despite Diesel’s optimism, The Wall Street Journal reports that the studio has not yet approved a script or finalized a release date. Most of the main cast members, including key returning stars, have not signed their contracts, and the creative direction of the story remains unclear.

Development on the project began shortly after Fast X hit theaters, with screenwriters Christina Hodson and Oren Uziel initially attached to the script. They were later replaced by Zach Dean in 2024. The film was described as a potential “throwback” to the original 2001 movie, focusing on a smaller-scale story and a single mission rather than another globe-trotting adventure.

The production also suffered delays during the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which put all major Hollywood projects on hold.

Since then, the studio has been cautious about investing heavily in another Fast & Furious installment following Fast X’s underwhelming box office performance compared to earlier films in the series.

If Universal does decide to move forward, the movie would mark the 11th entry in the main saga and the end of the storyline that began more than two decades ago. For now, though, the project appears to be stuck in neutral.

The Fast & Furious franchise has been one of the biggest box office draws of the 2000s and 2010s, but it’s clear the series has lost some momentum. Universal seems wary of spending too much on another massive production without a clear plan in place.

Still, it’s hard to imagine they’ll end the saga without giving fans a proper finale. What do you think? Should Universal move forward with one last ride, or is it time to hit the brakes? Share your thoughts in the comments.