Vin Diesel Says ‘Fast & Furious 11’ Brings Back LA Street Racing and Teases Paul Walker’s Return

Vin Diesel gave “Fast and Furious” fans something to talk about after showing up at Fuel Fest in Pomona, California. The event was packed with car lovers, and Diesel took the stage with Tyrese Gibson and Cody Walker to share some major updates about the next “Fast” movie—what’s expected to be the last one in the franchise.

He told the crowd that the movie is now aiming for an April 2027 release. He said the studio asked him to make that happen, but he agreed only if they met three conditions.

“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,” Diesel said.

That last part surprised everyone. Brian O’Conner is the character played by Paul Walker, who died in 2013. Diesel didn’t explain exactly how they plan to include Brian in the movie, but his comment hints that the character might return, possibly through CGI, past footage, or a tribute scene. There are no official details yet.

The franchise started in 2001 as a movie about street racers in Los Angeles, but it quickly grew into something much bigger, with global action scenes and wild stunts. Diesel’s comments suggest the final movie will go back to the original vibe, less globe-hopping, more racing in the streets of L.A.

The last movie, “Fast X,” came out in May 2023 and earned over $700 million around the world, according to box office reports. But it also cost a lot to make—about $340 million. That film had a huge cast, including Jason Momoa, Michelle Rodriguez, Alan Ritchson, Brie Larson, and Rita Moreno. It was promoted as the first part of a two-part story, but it’s not clear if the next movie will pick up right where that one left off.

The eleventh movie has been through some delays. Back in 2023, director Louis Leterrier was confirmed to return, and writers Christina Hodson and Oren Uziel were working on the script. But the writers’ and actors’ strikes put the project on hold. In 2024, screenwriter Zach Dean took over, and the release date was moved to 2026. That’s now been pushed again to 2027, according to multiple outlets.

Diesel has said before that this will be the final chapter of the series. Some reports said the story will be more focused, with a single mission and a new bad guy instead of continuing with Dante, who was the villain in “Fast X.” It’s also supposed to be a throwback to the original film’s style.

It’s still too early to know exactly how the story will end, but if Diesel sticks to his word, it sounds like fans can expect a return to fast cars, LA streets, and maybe even a moment that brings Dom and Brian together one last time.

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