One of the most anticipated roller coasters of 2026 is Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, and excitement has only continued to build as we’ve been able to witness its progress firsthand. It’s the first time Universal Studios Hollywood has gotten an outdoor coaster, and due to its location in the park, guests and neighbors have been watching it go up alongside the hill since they started building it. But while the ride itself has seemed ready to go for some time now, testing with ride cars full of people caused an uproar among the Toluca Lake neighbors on the streets below.

When ride testing began, it was done with empty vehicles, so things seemed relatively quiet. Since then, as employees started riding, a promotional commercial was shot, and technical rehearsals kicked off, the neighbor complaints grew and words like “disturbing” and “untenable” got thrown around. In an article in the L.A. Times, resident Patrick Nazari even said:

That certainly sounds like a problem, but it's one that Universal is actively working to do something about.

It’s been hard to discern whether the neighbors surrounding the theme park are being overly dramatic or whether the sound really is a problem for folks in the surrounding area. The complaints were first reported on social media, then made their way to local news networks and wider media outlets, as concerns grew. In that same L.A. Times article, one man joked that he “may forever have to blast loud music all day to mask rider screams.”

As someone who lives relatively close to this particular theme park, I have heard the coaster running while inside the park and from the neighborhood. When you’re standing next to it, you can definitely hear the ride running, and there is always at least one person screaming, if not more. But the sound walls, scream shields and pea gravel were meant to dampen that, as was the fact that the drifting vehicles would mean that the screams would not be pointed in the same direction at the same time. Below the theme park, on the streets in the surrounding area, I was surprised by how distant the screams actually sounded. I can also understand why you wouldn’t want to hear that all day long, day after day.

So, what is Universal Studios Hollywood doing about all of this? According to an Instagram post from L.A. City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, the theme park will install two additional sound barriers to mitigate the screams, and construction should be completed in early September.

Hollywood Drift still has a summer 2026 opening listed, so things should quickly move forward once the finishing touches are in place. The testing phase is expected to continue in the meantime, so while it’s not guaranteed to be operational on any given day, you could get lucky enough to take a spin on the new coaster.

Fans have been very excited about Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift since the coaster was first rumored, especially as they saw it go up over the Starway, the massive escalator between the upper and lower lots. Plus, 2026 is the 25^th anniversary of the launch of the Fast & Furious franchise, and it will also eventually have one final ride when its last installment, Fast Forever, drifts onto the big screen.

So, while the screams may be an issue, it's being solved, and overall hype is very high for this new ride.

The road to the final entry in the Fast and Furious movies franchise has somehow become almost as complicated as one of Dom Toretto’s plans. At this point, what we know about Fast Forever is still pretty limited. It has a title, a March 17, 2028 release date, and Vin Diesel has been sharing updates that make the finale sound increasingly real. Now director Louis Leterrier has offered an update that makes me wonder just how far along this movie actually is.

Leterrier was recently asked whether he was getting impatient waiting to make the follow-up to 2023’s Fast X. Speaking with THR while discussing his new Netflix release, The Last House, the director made it clear he remains committed to finishing the saga, but his wording certainly makes the current status sound a little less settled than I expected. He explained:

“I hope we get to finish” is not exactly the phrase I expected to hear from the man contracted to direct a movie that already has an official release date. That is especially confusing because Diesel appeared to suggest things were much further along just last month. The Dominic Toretto actor shared a video seemingly from the Fast Forever set thanking fans for waiting more than three years for the finale. He ended the message by saying, “Let me get back to this filming.”

The situation has gotten even stranger since then. Leterrier recently said he still had not read the latest screenplay from Michael Lesslie, the same draft Diesel praised as one of the best scripts he had read in decades. So, what exactly is filming?

For now, Fast Forever remains officially dated for March 17, 2028. Universal lists the movie among its upcoming releases, and Leterrier remains attached to direct. The production has also faced questions about its enormous cost. Leterrier acknowledged that the franchise has to adjust its budget to match the realities of the modern box office, while Fast X star Alan Ritchson recently discussed the financial “obstacles” involved in getting another movie of this scale made.

At least everyone seems to agree on where the franchise is headed. Diesel has talked about bringing the story back to Los Angeles and the street-racing roots that launched Fast & Furious in 2001, while Leterrier says he has already helped shape how the saga will end.

After the ending of Fast X left Dom and his family dangling from one massive cliffhanger, I’m more than ready to see them finally cross the finish line. I’m just increasingly unsure when everyone is actually getting back in the car.

We won't be getting the next film on the 2026 movie release schedule or even in 2027, and until we get some clearer answers, fans can revisit the tenth installment with a Peacock subscription.

Fast & Furious 11’s status has been widely discussed for a few years now, and there have been varying reports about when it’ll finally head into production. Something that’s remained consistent, however, is franchise lead Vin Diesel’s enthusiasm for the production. The actor has shared a myriad of social media posts, through which he’s shared updates on the film and, this weekend, he shared some thoughts on the series capper's script. Diesel has since followed that up with a lovely video including co-star Michelle Rodriguez.

Vin Diesel Reunites With Michelle Rodrigeuz For A Cute Video

As mentioned, Diesel has an affinity for staying connected with F&F fans, and that’s certainly been evident in recent weeks. Many of the actor’s posts involve nods to his blockbuster franchise, while others may include a simple message. The longtime Dominic Toretto portrayer opted for the latter with his most recent post. Diesel took to Instagram to share a video, in which he thanked his followers and wished them a “Happy Creative Sunday.” Also, at the unknown location was Rodriguez, who made a cheeky little cameo:

It’s hard not to smile at the sight of Diesel being reunited with Rodriguez, who plays his on-screen girlfriend, Letty Ortiz. Also, I’m chuckling a little at Rodriguez whipping out that sweet camera and preparing to get a snapshot before the clip cuts off. While I’d love more context for this outing between colleagues, what is clear to me is that these two buddies still have love for each other. To that point, Diesel shouted out Rodriguez in a social media post last fall, in which he referred to her as a true “ride or die.”

Although Rodriguez has thrown a little shade at some of the more recent Fast & Furious installments, she, like her co-star, seems set on reaching the end of the proverbial road with Diesel and co. by way of Fast 11. That particular race has definitely taken longer than most likely expected, but Diesel’s latest comments on the project may perk up fans.

Vin Diesel Drops Thoughts About The Fast 11 Screenplay

Via social media posts, Diesel has shared a myriad of details on the final Fast movie and, this past January, he confirmed the official title, Fast Forever. The Riddick star garnered significant attention this past Saturday when he posted a trailer for 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, which is set to be re-released in theaters for its 25th anniversary on August 26 amid the 2026 movie schedule. As part of that Instagram message, Diesel also made a massive claim about the franchise’s closing installment:

Vin Diesel talks a big game, but for him to call Michael Leslie’s script the best he’s “read in decades” is really something. Based on his comments about “crying,” reading the script was apparently an emotional experience for him as well. No specifics are shared, of course, but this might be just the update some Fast fans have been waiting for.

There are still plenty of questions to ponder in regard to Fast Forever, though, as the film was in limbo (in great part) due Universal Studios’ seeking to reduce production costs. Even cast member Alan Ritchson acknowledged those “obstacles” during a recent interview. As it stands, the movie is still scheduled to be released in March 2028, but it’s unknown when filming will begin.

Still, Vin Diesel appears excited, and both he and Universal head Donna Langley have promised that Fast 11 will mark a return to the franchise’s street-racing roots. In the meantime, I’d expect Diesel to continue sharing updates online (and I hope Michelle Rodriguez pops up in a few of those theoretical posts as well).

Alan Ritchson was born to be an action star, so it felt like a no-brainer to see him join the Fast & Furious franchise with Fast X (streaming with a Peacock subscription), alongside Vin Diesel. As Aimes, the actor got in on the stunts and fistfights and clearly had a great time being a part of it all. But it’s been three years since the film came out, and with no release date on the 2026 movie calendar, fans are wondering when the final installment of the franchise will finally hit theaters. And they’re not the only ones.

The Fast and Furious movies first revved onto the big screen 25 years ago and the scope and scale has only gotten bigger and wilder with each release. Over two decades of the action-adventure empire has been building toward this moment. But following Fast X's cliffhanger ending and the excruciatingly long Fast Forever delay, questions continue to arise about when we’ll finally get to learn how it all ends. The Reacher star recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast to promote his latest action flick, Motor City, and of course, the conversation turned to what he’s heard about the status of the Fast franchise. He said:

When it comes to putting seemingly impossible things out into the world and making them happen, there is no better manifester than Vin Diesel. Unwilling to give up on anything, it’s admirable to witness his unwavering grind, and I’m sure Alan Ritchson and the cast appreciate the push to get Fast Forever into production.

After defying the laws of physics countless times, even launching a car into space using a rocket in F9, it’s hard to scale things back down. And all of that comes with a hefty price tag. But Ritchson, who has described his franchise character as “disarmingly unflappable with a down home charm,” is right that there has to be a more efficient way to shoot and to pull things back while still honoring what the Fast and Furious world has become. And really, it comes down to family. Smallville’s Aquaman is optimistic that it will happen, and reassuringly said:

Fast and Furious has become one of the most popular action franchises of the 21^st century, encompassing not just movies, but an animated series, theme park attractions, video games and more. It has also embraced some of the biggest names in the genre, counting Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren and Gal Gadot among its cast ranks.

But honestly, as long as the character dynamics stay true and their bonds remain strong, I know I’d be down to see a conclusion that recalls where it all began. A final chapter that stays more grounded and pulls back from all of the over-the-top stunts bordering the absurd and takes things back to Los Angeles to honor the franchise’s roots would definitely get me into a theater to see the final film that’s currently slated for March 17, 2028.

There are two truths we hold to be self-evident: Fast & Furious: Supercharged is closing at Universal Orlando, and the new Hollywood Drift Coaster is under construction in both the California and Florida parks. It’s no surprise we’re finally getting a date for the last day Supercharged will be operable, but I was extremely surprised by the news that’s running around.

Here’s what we learned. To note, Supercharged closed as part of the Universal Hollywood studio tour back in March of 2025.

When Will Fast & Furious: Supercharged Close?

Thanks to a notice in an Annual Passholders Instagram channel, the expected closing date for Supercharged will be on August 16, 2026. We’ve known the ride was closing for a while, so why is this date notable (if accurate)? Well, that’s significantly earlier than we expected it to happen.

Of course, the new Fast & Furious coasters are coming together quickly at both the Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida parks. However, when Universal Orlando Resort did make the official confirmation the original Fast-themed ride would be closing, the expectation was that would happen in 2027. Now, if this new date is accurate (and we know sometimes dates aren’t), it’s being pushed up significantly. Like months in advance of when it was expected to close, and well before the busy holiday season.

Is It A Bad Thing It’s Closing Early?

To be honest with you, a lot of folks who regularly go to theme parks do not love the Supercharged ride. You’re essentially sitting on a crowded bus and going on a Fast-themed adventure. In that way, it’s kind of similar to the Skull Island: Reign of Kong ride. While it has a nice Paul Walker tribute, it’s missing the really cool storyline and the awesome animatronic Kong that ride offers. It’s never been super popular since it opened, and most of the common refrains have had to do with people wishing there was a legitimately “fast” ride in its place.

Those parkgoers are equally snarky after this announcement, with X (Twitter) threads dropping such takes as:

• I legitimately thought it had already closed. That post in the FB group surprised me. -Paul L
• Supercharged so bad they’re closing it 6 months earlier than they announced-Alicia Stella
• When I was just there I thought it was already closed. Oh my. -Ebanius
• And nothing of value was lost. -Raingoons
• Oh no, I'm devastated. -queso bandido

I assume that last one is sarcasm, as most regular theme park commenters seem to be celebrating the exit of the ride, which actually opened less than 10 years ago. The fact the parks are closing a full ride after only eight years should tell you pretty much everything you need to know about Supercharged; I probably didn’t need to even include the snarky comments above.

That said, Fast & Furious is still popular as a franchise, and Universal is busy getting Fast Forever, the final movie starring Vin Diesel and co, off the ground. It’s expected to hit the movie release schedule on March 17, 2028, and by then the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coasters will hopefully be incurring regular and long lines.

The Fast and Furious movies has been occupying the big screen (and theme parks) since back in 2001, so it's already been well over two decades of the action/adventure property. Following Fast X's ending, fans have been looking forward to the 11th and final movie of the beloved IP. But Fast Forever has taken a long time, and Vin Diesel recently posted a video from the set thanking the fandom for their patience. Hey, that's what family is for!

What we know about Fast Forever has been limited, but fans are excited to see how Dom and the rest of the crew conclude their story... especially after the Fast X credits scenes brought back multiple characters. But cameras are finally up, and Diesel took to his Instagram to share a video of love for the fandom. Check it out below:

While hardcore Fast and Furious fans might be looking to the background to try and glean what might be going on in the eleventh and final chapter in the franchise, it's also heartening so see how much the Guardians of the Galaxy director appreciates the audience. Moviegoers have grown up with Dom Toretto and the rest of The Family, and are seemingly invested in Fast Forever despite the wait.

With a car (appropriately) in the background, Vin Diesel shared how much it's meant to have the support of the Fast and Furious community over the years, but especially in the wait since Fast X hit theaters. In his words:

Fast X (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription) planed some thrilling narrative seeds, which is a big reason why the wait for the next movie has felt so long. At the end of the movie Gal Gadot's Gisele surprisingly appeared, and is the latest seemingly dead character who has turned up alive. But the cherry on the top was Dwayne Johnson, who returned to to the flagship series after starring in his spinoff Hobbs & Shaw.

Later in the same clip, Vin Diesel shared even more love for the fans, saying:

The pressure is definitely on for Diesel and company to land the plane, and give the Fast and Furious saga a satisfying ending. The franchise has come a long way over the years, going from a movie about street racing to a full-blown action extravaganza. I mean, they even went to space. So it should be fascinating to see what the final adventure ends up being, and if the whole Family survives.

All will be revealed when Fast Forever hits theaters on March 17th, 2028. Since it's not on the 2026 movie release list or even 2027's the fandom is going to have to continue being patient. Luckily Vin Diesel appreciates them.

Members of the Fast & Furious “family” have been waiting some time now for the final installment in the blockbuster franchise to begin filming. Around the fall of 2025, it was reported that the film was in limbo due to financial variables. The series’ lead actor and producer, Vin Diesel, has been providing updates nonetheless and, back in January, he confirmed a date for the film as well as a title, Fast Forever. Now, with the film still waiting to leave the starting line, Diesel is sharing some words that are keeping him upbeat.

Beloved for his role as Dominic “Dom” Toretto, Diesel has long been a champion for this car-centric movie series and its offshoots. So the A-lister seemingly takes whatever opportunity he can to hype up the franchise and in turn, get fans excited about it. Diesel recently took to his Instagram to share a candid post about his body of work and provide some insight into being a creative force. The Saving Private Ryan alum also opened up about four words of wisdom his father bestowed upon him, which he’s taken to heart:

“Finish what you started” is definitely a great mantra to live by, and it feels especially appropriate for Diesel at this point in his life as the co-shepherd of a massive IP. Diesel’s storied journey with the Fast franchise – which turned 25 this year – doesn’t seem to be something he takes for granted. Later in his post, the actor emphasized another point he’s previously made about Fast’s conclusion – closing it out with a worthy final chapter:

It seems the actor can certainly recognize the starts and stops that Fast 11 has experienced during its road to the big screen. However, per the point he makes, what’s most important is that those in the driver’s seat finish out the journey accordingly. Check out the post in its entirety:

As far as we know, the plan is for Diesel, Universal and co. to finish what they started with the Fast & Furious series, with the studio having marked a March 17, 2028 release date for Fast Forever. Plot details are unsurprisingly being kept locked away as tightly as Dom would secure one of his sweet vehicles. Something that’s been promised about FF11, though, is that it’ll return the franchise to “its roots” in LA street racing culture. That’s something that’s been sorely missed by fans as more recent installments have become more grandiose.

While work is reportedly being done on the film, it seems much of the cast is still in the dark about what the story is or when the cameras might start rolling. Tej Parker actor Ludacris recently revealed he hadn’t seen a script and that he wasn’t sure when principal photography would kick off. All the while, Jordana Brewster is already discussing what she wants in that final film – more agency for her character, Mia Toretto.

Die-hard Fast & Furious fans are surely champing at the bit for more insight into what lies at the end of the road for this blockbuster IP. There’s no telling when such details might arrive, of course, but I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Diesel were to keep fans in the loop (and keep them motivated) while they wait for the release of Fast Forever. In the meantime, stream the latest entry in the series, Fast X, with a Peacock subscription.

Universal Studios’ resorts are among the theme parks getting some major improvements in 2026, and both the California and Florida-based parks are getting a seriously high-octane addition. It was announced earlier this year that the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift was being constructed for both parks and would serve as a successor to Fast & Furious: Supercharged. Fans have been eagerly awaiting an opening date for the Hollywood version of the ride, and a date was just accidentally dropped, prompting an apology from Universal.

What Happened With The Fast & Furious’ Release Date Snafu?

Near the end of this past week, an apparent news release was shared to Universal Hollywood Studios’ website, and it seemed to confirm that Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift would open to the public on June 26. That announcement was later shared on X by a few users, who expressed excitement over the roller coaster’s supposed opening. Sometime after that, however, Universal itself took to Instagram to release a formal statement on the supposed leak. The company sought to clear up the situation, saying:

So fans may want to pump the brakes on their hype just a smidge in the aftermath of that update from the theme park. Regardless of when any kind of announcement was meant to go up, though, it’s unclear as to whether that June 26th release date is accurate to begin with. It’s worth mentioning, though, that back in February, it was rumored that the California iteration of Hollywood Drift could open sometime this summer, and ride testing was apparently taking place by April. Still, fans will just have to wait for further details.

How Does Hollywood Drift Compare To Supercharged, And Where Do Things Stand With The Florida-Based Version Of The Ride

Fast & Furious: Supercharged is a motion-based dark ride, and it opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2015 and at the Florida park in 2018. The premise of the attraction involves riders being drawn into a conflict between Dominic Toretto and his crew and Owen Shaw and his forces. Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Luke Evans, Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson reprise their roles from the F&F films for both versions of the ride, while Ludarcis and Jordana Brewster appear in the pre-show for the one in Florida.

Ultimately, Supercharged received negative reviews, and the not-so-stellar feedback to the one at the Florida resort led to the cancellation of another version of the ride at Universal Studios Beijing. As it stands, the Hollywood Studios iteration of the attraction has been closed since March 2025, and its east coast counterpart is shutting down for good in 2027.

The first look at Hollywood Drift was released in June 2025 and, at the time, fans were treated to a digital rendering of what the ambitious coaster would look like. Another promo was released earlier this year, and it teases the drifting feature that each of the railcars will have. Check it out:

It’s easy to understand why fans are excited for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, as it looks like it’ll provide some serious thrills. While the Orlando-based ride won’t open until 2027, it’s hard to say exactly when an official opening date will be unveiled by Universal Studios Hollywood. At the very least, though, fans can take comfort in knowing that it’ll definitely open sometime this summer.

Since The Fast and the Furious first hit the scene in 2001, we’ve come to expect a new movie from the timeline-jumping franchise pretty consistently every couple of years. However, it’s been three years since the last movie, Fast X was released and we won’t see another one until 2028! As the Fast & Furious “grand finale” revs up, Ludacris just gave an update on Fast Forever that I was not expecting to hear.

The rapper and the movie series regular Ludacris was asked on the red carpet for the 2026 American Music Awards about the upcoming Fast and Furious movie. Here’s what he had to say:

While Ludacris also said he’s “sworn to secrecy,” he looked pretty matter of fact while speaking to Variety. So it seems like we can trust his word on the matter.

Why Ludacris' Update Confuses Me

Back in 2023, Vin Diesel announced that the eleventh Fast & Furious movie would come out in 2025. Sure, the SAG-AFTRA strikes ended up delaying the movie not long after his comments, but then it was delayed until 2026 before being pushed back to 2027 before finally getting its current 2028 release date in January of this year.

I thought something might have been filmed in all that time, but according to Ludacris, it’s still early days for the sequel. He also shared this:

I’m so confused… What's been going on for the past four years, then? On one hand, I know that Vin Diesel has expressed there being a “weight” to ending the series, but I’m pretty surprised about the lack of work that’s reportedly been done on the movie. Ludacris specifically saying “hopefully” in association with the movie is also wild given Fast Forever has been so hyped by Vin Diesel in recent years.

Now, there was a rumor this past October from the Wall Street Journal that a script had yet to be locked in for the movie and studio executives were working with the filmmakers to make the upcoming movie more affordable than before – especially after Fast X made $705 million globally against an alleged production budget of $340 million.

Vin Diesel has previously teased that he’s aiming to shoot Fast Forever in Los Angeles in order to bring the movie back to its roots. Ludacris is certainly right that the movie will have to start shooting this year if it’s going to make its March 17, 2028 release date. Given all the delays, I’ll be pumping my brakes on anticipating the film until we get some concrete details! But hey, maybe they’re hard at work to make sure it’s the best Fast movie it can be.

It’s been a few years since a Fast & Furious film raced into cinemas, though it finally seems that the eleventh and final installment in the car-centric saga is officially on track. With that, franchise lead Vin Diesel and the cast are looking towards reprising their respective roles. Series veteran Jordana Brewster also seems to be looking forward to playing Mia Toretto again. However, Brewster also has one big desire when it comes to that final movie – which is called Fast Forever – and, personally, I really hope this comes to pass.

Brewster recently reunited with some of her F&F cohorts at the Cannes Film Festival, where The Fast & the Furious was screened in honor of its 25th anniversary. At some point during the festival, Brewster sat down with Variety and discussed her time with the franchise as well as its impending final film. On a previous occasion, the fan-favorite actress shared her hope for Fast 11 to take the series back to its “roots” in the LA street-racing scene. During this recent chat, though, Brewster said her “biggest wish” involved Mia:

Mia – the younger sister of Diesel’s Dominic Toretto – appears in the vast majority of the films, though the size of her role varies by movie. In many cases, Mia can be ancillary to the main action and, as Brewster notes, she mostly reacts to what’s linked to the danger her brother and the other members of their “family” get into. The character does have a fun fight scene in Fast X (which is streamable with a Peacock subscription), but even that serves as her simply “reacting” to what occurs around her.

With all of that in mind, I can certainly see what Brewster means about wanting more for Mia and, over the years, the star has been candid about having to “fight” for more material. It would be great to see Mia really get in on the action again as she’s done in the best Fast & Furious movies. To that point, the Heart Eyes alum spoke about her appreciation for Mia’s role in 2011’s Fast Five (which some fans think is the best F&F movie):

Of course, there’s more to Mia than her ability to drive fast cars and kick butt whenever necessary. She’s also a mother to two children she shares with Brian O'Conner (who was played by the late Paul Walker). It would seem that’s another aspect of Mia’s characterization that Brewster would also like to see more of:

Jordana Brewster seems to be an ardent fan of this franchise herself as evidenced by her willingness to share her own hopes for it. During a previous interview, she didn’t hold back her hope that the long-rumored, all-female Fast spinoff would still come to fruition. She also revealed several years ago that she wanted Fast alum Eva Mendes to return as Monica Fuentes. While I’d be down for all those developments, let’s just hope that right away, Mia gets her due in Fast Forever, which hits theaters on March 17, 2028.

It seems it’s becoming increasingly commonplace for massive movie franchises to branch out into TV in one way or another. The Fast & Furious series did that several years ago with an animated series, Spy Racers (and it’s streamable with a Netflix subscription). However, it seems F&F is about to roar onto the small screen in an even bigger way, as it’s been announced that Vin Diesel is producing a live-action show based on the IP. With that, there’s one TV pitfall I hope Diesel and co. will shy away from amid development.

Vin Diesel Confirms His Intention To Expand The F&F Franchise With A TV Show

Diesel made the announcement during the NBCUniversal upfront presentation on Monday. At the time, the A-lister asserted that four Fast & Furious TV shows were being created, but a source for Variety has since clarified that only one – which will be available to Peacock subscription holders – is in the works at this point. Still, Diesel’s comment suggests that he envisions multiple small-screen offshoots for the billion-dollar franchise he’s spearheaded for well over two decades now. At the event, he shared the following sentiments:

No specific plot details on the upcoming show were divulged, though Diesel did allude to fans’ desire for stories about the core characters that make up Dominic Toretto’s “family.” That’s far from a confirmation about what’s to come with the confirmed F&F series or any future ones. Nevertheless, I’m going to say now that instead of focusing on established characters, there may be a better way to go.

How The Fast & Furious’ TV Branch Can Avoid A Growing TV Trend

Like so many people, I’m someone who doesn’t mind an interconnected franchise, though even I can admit that they can become somewhat tedious. The past few years alone have seen the likes of Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe spread their TV wings, to mixed results. What can sometimes bog these franchises down on the small-screen side is being beholden to events that occur in corresponding films. On that note, I would love to see any Fast & Furious shows launch new corners of this universe.

I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t see the appeal of a spinoff series focusing on the adventures of Tyrese Gibson’s Roman Pearce and Ludacris’ Tej Parker or a show about Letty Ortiz. A series about Sung Kang’s Han Lue also might have appeal. However, I think it’d be far more interesting to shift the focus to new characters within this continuity. With that, the creative team(s) wouldn’t be tethered to any pre-established lore, and a show could speed off onto its own path.

A standalone series could also potentially prevent any further questions regarding the Fast & Furious’ timeline. Let’s be real, not everything within this universe aligns smoothly, and it may be smart to avoid any kind of hiccups. To that end, the show could take a note from Spy Racers, as that show features original characters and only rare appearances from Dom.

Of course, aside from any kind of TV spinoff, there’s still the matter of the final film in the F&F franchise. There were varying reports on Fast & Furious 11’s status following Fast X’s release in 2023, but it’s since been confirmed that the movie will open in theaters on March 17, 2028. Diesel has been open about ending the series on a high note and, all the while, Universal’s CEO is backing up the actor’s “promise” that the saga capper will take the series back to its LA street-racing roots.

I’m curious as to whether this Fast & Furious TV show will be released before or after the eleventh film installment. If the series is being planned to debut after the film, though, I’d say that’s even more reason for the former to be a self-contained piece of work. We’ll have to wait and see how that all shakes but, while you wait for both projects to reach the finish line, stream Fast X and other installments on Peacock.

There are plenty of highly anticipated theme park attractions coming in 2026, but chief among them has to be the Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift roller coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood. We don’t know exactly when the ride will open, beyond a general date of sometime this summer. However, we are getting that much closer to the ride as actual living humans are currently riding it, for testing purposes at least.

A video posted to TikTok was taken over the weekend from the Starway of Universal Studios Hollywood that shows a few people on board the Hollywood Drift coaster. One person has got the front seat while a couple more are sitting in the back, seemingly getting a feel for the attraction's current state.

One thing noticeably missing from the video of Hollywood Drift is any, well, drifting. The cars are designed to rotate left and right as the coaster takes corners, simulating the concept of drifting in cars. More than likely, the cars have been locked in place here as the testing is being focused on other areas of the attraction.

Theme parks traditionally shoot to have major new attractions open by Memorial Day Weekend, as that’s when summer crowds start to hit theme parks as vacations get underway. At the same time, those parks have to give people enough time to plan those vacations around ride openings, and with Memorial Day barely over a month away, it seems unlikely the coaster will make that date.

Still, the fact that the coaster is in a state that people can be on it, even if only for testing purposes, indicates the coaster will be ready for crowds sooner rather than later. Expect to see the number of people filling the coaster increase as the attraction undergoes load testing. Universal Team Members will likely also get access to previews prior to the ride opening, but by the time that happens, we should know when Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is going to be open for the rest of us.

The fact that the coaster actually loops around the Starway escalator is going to make this a truly unique ride experience, not only for those who are on it, but also for those who are walking by. It may be the best advertisement for a theme park attraction ever when a roller coaster goes over your head as you're riding between the upper and lower lot.

Fans closer to the other Universal theme park in the U.S. won’t have too long to wait for their own Hollywood drifting, a version of Hollywood Drift is currently under construction in the place where the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit! Coaster once stood. That coaster is set to open sometime next year.

2026 is already a big year for the themed entertainment industry. Dollywood has an incredible new ride coming that I can’t wait to see. Walt Disney World’s new The Magic of Disney Animation building looks magical. But for fans looking for a bit more of a thrill, the most anticipated roller coaster of they ear has to be Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. The coaster will be a first-of-its-kind design that will be the big attraction that such a high-octane franchise truly needs, and even Vin Diesel can’t wait to ride it.

Diesel recently posted to Instagram about the upcoming roller coaster, where he seemingly got a very up-close view. He was carrying a hard hat and vest, which indicates that he got to walk the grounds of the still under-construction ride and get a personal look at Hollywood Drift, ahead of its official opening this summer.

Diesel refers to the fact that 2026 is the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Fast & Furious franchise, which is honestly still a little tough to wrap my head around. Still, that does make it the perfect year for Hollywood Drift to open. It will be a perfect place for fans to celebrate the franchise, considering that the next Fast & Furious movie, while it’s finally back on track, is still a couple of years away.

I’ve been excited about Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift since the coaster was first rumored, and not because I’m a major fan of the increasingly outrageous franchise, but because I’m excited about the way the ride has been constructed. It will make use of the Starway, the massive escalator between the upper and lower lots of Universal Studios Hollywood, and even loop around it, making for a pretty impressive experience from either perspective.

Hollywood Drift was recently given a summer 2026 opening window. While that covers a lot of potential time, we can expect it to open as early in that period as possible. There’s a safe bet it will actually open before summer technically gets underway, as most theme parks include anytime from Memorial Day Weekend forward (and sometimes even earlier) as “summer.”

Check out that opening window announcement video below.

To "be fair to Florida" crowd need not be too disappointed that Holllywood drift is coming to the Hollywood theme park. A version of the ride has also been announced for Universal Studios Florida. Based on its location and description, the Florida ride will be a little different than the one in California, giving theme park fans and Fast & Furious fans, plenty of reason to bring the family check out both coasters.

Acting is a tough profession. Sure, those who enter the field aren’t exactly digging ditches for a living, but they also are usually without steady jobs and even if they do hit what most of us would consider the big time and end up starring in, say, films on the 2026 movie schedule or new TV premieres, there’s always the pressure of choosing the right projects for their future career hopes. In fact, history has shown that lots of actors have left gigs in movies or shows that went on to become long-running franchises, and fans have been calling out the ones who “stupidly” left eventually beloved parts.

Actors Fans Are Calling Out For Leaving Hit Franchises

Obviously, whether an actor is well-established or new to the business, they’re going to have thoughts about how they like to work, their particular talents, and how those things should coincide with the projects they appear in. Sometimes, this means saying no when offered a part, or deciding not to return to a role for future movies or seasons of a television show.

Well, fans are now taking to Reddit to throw some shade at the actors and actresses who, seemingly, had it made, but turned down or left what went on to become major franchises. The question posed to those in the AskReddit group was, “What actor or actress stupidly left a movie franchise or tv series thinking they were too good for it, only to be never popular again?” And, man, people had a lot of answers:

• Ja Rule was offered $500,000 to reprise his role as Edwin in 2 Fast 2 Furious but turned it down.
• The original actor for the Mountain in GoT left to be the lead Orc in the Hobbit trilogy, then they replaced him last minute with a shitty CGI character
• Mike Butters was originally going to play Jigsaw in Saw, but turned it down because the role was too small. He was then cast to be the first victim, Paul Leahy, with an accumulative screentime of 10 seconds in the first film.
• Stuart Townsend was originally cast as Aragorn in LOTR. He didn't want to play nice with the cast and refused to learn how to ride horses and train with sword, etc. They fired him and replaced him with Viggo Mortensen, and the rest is history.

From what I can see, all of these tales are basically true. Ja Rule did turn down the chance to reprise his role, but when he spoke with 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony last year, he said that there was a period of time where The Fast and the Furious sequel was in flux, because both the director of that original and Vin Diesel had stepped away. During that time, the rapper set up a tour which was set to make him $14 million, and that’s why he turned down 2 Fast.

As for Stuart Townsend’s part in Lord of the Rings, he was fired, with most reports noting that Peter Jackson simply decided late in the pre-production process that he looked too young for Aragorn. Sean Astin had a very different take in his autobiography (via SlashFilm), where he said that while he and his family liked Townsend, he clearly had a lot of trouble figuring out what he needed to do in the all-important role, and ended up as “a black hole of negative creative energy.”

There is one more tale of an actor turning things down, which might be one of my favorites just for the wild ripple effect it had, and it involves the legendary original star of the James Bond movies, the late Sean Connery. Look at this exchange between Redditors:

• I remember hearing that Sean Connery had been the first choice for Gandalf, but he turned down the role because he didn’t understand it.
• You're half right. It's true that Connery had that reaction to the script for Lord of the Rings. But it was not understanding the script to The Matrix (he was offered Morpheus) and then seeing how successful it was that made him think, ‘Okay, I clearly don't know what's successful anymore, I'll just say yes to things I don't understand,’ and then he signed onto League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. And then when nobody liked that film, he said, ‘Okay, I clearly don't understand this industry anymore,’ and he retired.

Yes, Connery turned down Gandalf in LOTR, but he did the same with Morpheus/the Architect (some reports note he was offered both). While that might seem bad enough, his confusion over what might actually become successful led him to sign on for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was a huge flop and also reportedly not great to film (he eventually said he hated the movie), so he retired afterward.

There is no shortage of actors who’ve left franchise roles, and whether we understand the reasons or not, sometimes it’s for the best.

There are a lot of great theme park attractions coming in 2026 that are worth getting excited about. Dollywood has a brand new ride that looks like nothing we’ve ever seen. Disney World is making new updates to some popular rides. Silver Dollar City is transforming its park with a brand new resort. However, at the top of any list has to be Universal Studios Hollywood’s upcoming Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster.

After the Fast & Furious franchise’s first theme park attraction was a bit anticlimactic, Vin Diesel and family are finally getting the ride they deserve. The drifting roller coaster has always been an exciting prospect, and now we have a better idea when we’ll get to ride it. A new promo was just dropped by Universal Studios, indicating a Summer 2026 opening, and they even brought in Vin Diesel for it. Check it out.

The timing of this new 30-second spot is no accident. Universal Studios Hollywood confirms we'll be seeing this during the Super Bowl this weekend, as well as during the Winter Olympics and other major events. Universal is clearly investing a lot in promoting this ride.

There had been some hopes that Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift might be closer to opening than the summer. Some rumors had indicated there might have been a plan for a spring debut. That apparently wasn’t the case, meaning Hollywood Drift won’t be open when Fan Fest Nights returns later this year.

Still, it should be pointed out that seasons at theme parks are really only suggestions that have no relationship to what an actual calendar might say. “Summer” in a theme park usually starts around Memorial Day Weekend, a full month before the season actually arrives. The ride could, and likely will, open close to that weekend, and if it can open earlier, it will.

The promo is obviously all CGI, but it certainly does the job of making the coaster look pretty incredible. We do see how the individual cars will drift as the coaster goes through each turn. We also see the major inversion on the coaster, which will actually loop around the starway, the series of escalators that take Universal Studios guests between the upper and lower lots.

The coaster's opening season comes alongside indications that the long-awaited Fast & Furious 11 movie may finally be moving forward again. The movie, apparently titled Fast Forever, was just recently given a brand new release date in 2028.

I can’t wait to bring my family to ride Hollywood Drift this summer. And if you can’t make it to Universal Studios Hollywood in the near future, that’s ok. Universal Orlando Resort, which will also see a version of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift opening in 2027.

We finally got some news about the last Fast and Furious film, and it's big. After quite a bit of waiting, Vin Diesel revealed the official release date for the franchise's finale, and he seemingly shared the title too.

Posting a photo of Paul Walker handing him a set of keys, Vin Diesel took to Instagram to share this big update about the long-awaited final Fast and Furious movie. Writing about how these flicks have "defined us and become our legacy," the Dom actor closed out his update by revealing the movie's release date and what seems to be the title:

Well, there you have it. As we work through the 2026 movie schedule, it's been revealed that the eleventh movie in the Fast and Furious franchise is seemingly titled Fast Forever, and it will premiere a little over two years from now, on March 17, 2028.

Now, Fast X was released back in 2023, which means five years will have passed between it and Fast Forever. Back in 2024, Louis Leterrier, who directed the last movie, said he thought Fast 11 would come out in 2026, to honor the 25-year anniversary of the franchise. However, in 2025, reports came out about alleged reasons why Fast Forever was in limbo. So, the release window for this movie had become a little unclear.

However, now it’s solidified. According to Vin Diesel, who is constantly hyping up the Fast movies, it will be released a little over two years from now.

This comes about seven months after Diesel said that the late Paul Walker's character Brian might return for the final Fast movie. According to the actor (via THR), he said he'd make the film under the conditions that it brought the franchise back to LA, returned to "car culture," and reunited Dom and Brian.

Now, while it's unclear how exactly Brian will come back, we do know that the final Fast and Furious movie will be filmed in LA. Back in early 2025, amid the tragic LA wildfires, the Dom actor pledged that “Fast will finally return home.”

Considering The Fast and the Furious took place in LA, this feels like the perfect place to close out the story. And using the title Fast Forever feels perfect too. Diesel told the AP back in 2021 that “all good things should” come to an end, and he noted that this franchise’s conclusion felt like a “deserved” one. So, I’m sure they have something very special planned.

Now the wait is really on for Fast Forever, and as we learn more about it, we’ll keep you posted. However, if there’s one thing I know about all this, it’s that family is forever.

While Universal Orlando resort has been wowing theme park fans with Epic Universe, it hasn't forgotten about the other two parks at the incredible resort. Universal Studios Florida has been working on improving itself in a big way and is a much better park since it dismantled the Rip Ride Rockit! roller coaster. But what would replace it.

Evidence indicated a new roller coaster was going to replace the dismantled one, but nothing had been confirmed. Now Universal Orlando Resort has revealed what's coming, and another ride that's going to join Rip Ride Rockit! on the scrap heap.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift Is Coming To Universal Studios Florida

There were many rumors about what sort of roller coaster might replace the one that's torn down. The most prevalent was that Orlando would get a version of the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster that's set to open at Universal Studios Hollywood later this year. In a brief press release, the resort officially confirmed that's exactly what's going to happen. The new coaster will open in 202.7

Normally I don't love seeing two theme parks get the same ride, but in this case I'll make an exception. Because while the Orlando ride will certainly include the same ride vehicles that "drift" around the track at high speed, the ride will otherwise likely be quite different. The Hollywood version of the ride is set to hap a loop that circles that parks Starway escalator, but since the Florida park doesn't have that, the environment of the coasters will be quite different. The Florida park is advertising a 170-foot vertical “spike” that hasn't been mentioned as being part of Hollywood version.

A roller coaster is exactly the attraction that the Fast & Furious franchise has always needed. It's one that will surely make the current franchise attraction at Universal Studios pale in comparison, which is probably why it's going away.

Fast & Furious: Supercharged Is Closing In 2027, And It Can't Come Soon Enough

The news of one ride opening comes alongside the news of another closing. The same year Hollywood Drift opens, the current Fast & Furious attraction, Supercharged, will close for good.

Back in 2015, Universal Studios Hollywood opened Fast & Furious Supercharged as part of the iconic Universal Studios Backlot Tour. It was a fun little activity that broke up the experience of the tour, but it was limited in the way it could make you feel like you were on a thrill ride, because you were on a tram.

This is why it was weird that three years later, Universal Studios Florida would open Supercharged as a standalone attraction. It's always felt out of place, and it's never been particularly popular. You had to be a pretty serious Fast & Furious fan to find much to love about it.

I'm not a huge Fast & Furious fan, and while the attraction has some technical elements that are impressive, the experience just feels like a letdown. The Team Members in the pre-show are often the most entertaining part of the experience. I won't be sad to see this one go away.

The version at Universal Studios Hollywood closed last year, so the writing was on the wall for the Florida attraction. The current ride is far enough away from the coaster that it's unlikely it needs to close to make room for that. This means we could be in line for another new attraction announcement next year to let us know what will replace this one.

In 2013, Hollywood and the world at large lost a bright star in Paul Walker. The beloved actor had various credits under his belt, but he was best known for his role as Brian O’Conner in the Fast & Furious movies. Walker’s untimely death came shortly after Thanksgiving, and his loss is still felt by those who admired his work and of course, by those who knew him. FF co-star Vin Diesel still honors Walker with tributes and, in his most recent, he expressed his disbelief that it’s been 12 years since his co-star passed (and fans feel the same way).

Vin Diesel rarely passes up an opportunity to pay tribute to his Fast & Furious “family” on social media. On the 12th anniversary of Paul Walker’s death, Diesel took to Instagram to share a BTS photo and a tribute to “Pablo.” Diesel started his message with the words “twelve years,” signifying just how long he’s been without his good friend. From there, Diesel spoke about the ties that still bind his and Walker’s families together – like his own daughter being named Pauline and Walker’s daughter, Meadow, still being close to Diesel’s family.

The Riddick star then proceeded to discuss what his Thanksgiving dinner with his family was like this year. It was apparently during that meal that the A-lister had a bittersweet epiphany:

Paul Walker died at the age of 40 following a single-car crash, at which point he was the passenger in the vehicle. Various tributes poured in from fans and celebrities alike following Walker’s death, which coincided with production on Furious 7. As a result, director James Wan completed the film with the help of stand-in work from Walker’s brothers, Caleb and Cody. Even for me personally, it’s still hard to believe it’s been so long since Walker passed away, and fans who commented on Diesel’s post are in their feelings about that:

• 12 years from now we still miss Paul Walker😢😢😢😢😢 - transformerobotfanclub
• It's been a long day without you, my friend. And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again… - brunasacht
• What a wonderful sharing! ❤️❤️❤️ We miss you Paul Walker. Love forever! 🙏❤️ - silviadavanzo_officiel
• Can't believe it's been 12 years since we lost him he was so young too. Paul you maybe gone but you will always be remembered. ❤️❤️ - vamptracey
• Two beautiful brothers. The bond was so great that till today Vin kept Pauls legacy alive. That shows what real friendship is what the word love, brotherhood and dedication means. You are a great person Vin. RIP Paul. ❤️❤️ - annatjie367

Although it’s been over a decade since the Takers star died, his legacy still lives on, and his FF co-stars, in particular, have kept his name alive. Just this past September, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster and Meadow Walker honored Paul on what would’ve been his 52nd birthday. Fans still honor the late star as well and, to that point, Diesel posted to IG in July 2024 after seeing a fan sport a tattoo featuring a quote from Paul. Additionally, the past few years have also seen Diesel tease Brian O’Conner’s inclusion in Fast 11.

Regardless of whether Paul Walker’s character is integrated into the final installment in the main FF franchise, I’m just glad to see Vin Diesel and co. are still paying homage to Walker in other ways. 12 years certainly is a long time to be without someone, and Diesel’s post-Thanksgiving message suggests the loss can still feel fresh. However, it also appears that despite everything, he’s choosing to feel “blessed” to have had Walker in his life. And that’s a true sign of family (which I’d like to believe Dominic Toretto would agree with).

Jamie Foxx is no stranger to action-oriented roles, from his time playing Spider-Man villain Electro to more straightforward action flicks like Collateral, Miami Vice and Baby Driver. As it turns out, there was also a period where he also could have put the pedal to the metal in the Fast & Furious franchise. Foxx was being courted for what was going to be a major role, though I’m honestly glad nothing ever came of this.

Before I explain why I feel this way, here’s what you need to know. In the new book Welcome to the Family, where author Barry Hertz explores the history of the Fast & Furious movies, it’s mentioned that an alternate F9 post-credits scene was written “with the hope of featuring Jamie Foxx as a new villain.” This scene never progressed past the ideating stage, and it was just one of several other post-credits scenes that were thought of for the 2021 Fast & Furious movie. As screenwriter Daniel Casey, who wrote the screenplay with director Justin Lin, said (via ScreenRant):

Now, I want to make it clear that me being glad this Jamie Foxx post-credits scene never materialized has nothing to do with his acting ability. The man is an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor, so it’d be foolish for anyone to think he wouldn’t have delivered the goods in several Fast & Furious movies. My issue is that introducing Foxx’s villain character at the end of F9 meant that we likely wouldn’t have gotten Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes.

Casey and Lin decided to instead have Han Lue show up on Deckard Shaw’s doorstep, revealing to the latter that he actually hadn’t killed the former like he thought he did, as seen retroactively in Tokyo Drift, and then directly in Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7. That by itself wouldn’t have affected Jamie Foxx’s hypothetical character from being introduced in Fast X. But had this character been the focus of the F9 scene, then there would have been an obligation to use as the main antagonist in Fast X instead of Dante, and I don’t think that would have been a good tradeoff.

Fast X is by no means my favorite Fast & Furious movie, but I did enjoy watching the sociopathic Dante embarking on a mission of revenge against Dominic Toretto and his crew. I’m looking forward to seeing this storyline resolved in Fast & Furious 11, which appears to finally be making progress forward. Jamie Foxx surely would have played a good villain, but I wouldn’t that to come at the expense of Momoa’s character hamming it up and painting the toenails of dead guys.

Since Fast & Furious 11 is set to be the last entry in the main film series, we won’t get to see Jamie Foxx play someone who makes life hell for Dom and his family. However, if the franchise races on with spinoffs, then I’d definitely welcome him antagonizing those protagonists from behind the wheel. Feel free to revisit F9 with your Amazon Prime Video subscription.

There are two mandatory elements required for a Fast & Furious movie (at least in the main film series). The first one is Vin Diesel drinking Corona and talking about the importance of family. The second, and without question the more important one, is cars… so, so many cars. Even with how increasingly ridiculous the Fast & Furious franchise has gotten over the years, it still revolves around its character getting behind the wheels of spruced-up cars and doing all kinds of crazy stunts. And yet, there’s one insane problem with filming such stunts that I’d never thought of while watching these movies.

Andy Gill, the stunt coordinator on the 2025 movie release Sinners, has also shot several stunt sequences for the Fast & Furious movies. While speaking with Deadline alongside Brian Machleit, who handled these kinds of sequences on One Battle After Another, Gill mentioned how with Fast & Furious, you have to be especially careful to make sure everything unfolds exactly as choreographed:

Man, talk about working under pressure. This isn’t like a regular take with just actors spouting off dialogue to one another. If someone flubs their line or something unexpected messes up the take, most of the time they can just reset and reshoot the scene. But with Fast & Furious, these are expensive cars we’re talking about. If the shot’s ruined, those cars are now banged up for nothing. That means extra precautions need to be taken to ensure success when the time comes to film the sequence. Andy Gill continued:

Obviously I was well aware that filming car stunt sequences for the Fast & Furious movies are a complicated undertaking, but it never occurred to me that everything has to go right the first time around when it comes to these crashes. So it’s no wonder they go through these multiple rehearsals, slightly increasing the speed each time. Andy Gill wrapped up this portion of the conversation by saying:

I can imagine how great that feels, although then they have to move on to the next crash-related sequence and ensure it goes smoothly, rinse and repeat. So when can we see more of these sequences? As of this writing, Fast & Furious 11 still doesn’t have a release date, though Vin Diesel did provide a hopeful update about its progress last month. So while it won’t be possible to deliver the next movie to the 2026 movies schedule, maybe a 2027 release is in the cards.

The Fast & Furious franchise has been going since 2001, and eventually there will come a time when the main film series, a.k.a. The Fast Saga, concludes. When exactly that will happen is unclear, as Fast & Furious 11 was taken off the 2026 movies schedule a while back. That said, apparently Michelle Rodriguez is pleased with the direction this final entry will be taking if the shade she through at the recent Fast & Furious movies is any indication.

Let me set the stage. Vin Diesel posted a video on Instagram for “Toretto Tuesday” where he was joined Rodriguez, who’s played Letty Ortiz in seven of the Fast & Furious movies. The two of them had just come from dinner together, and Diesel said that towards the end of the meal, he asked Rodriguez how she would “sum up the finale,” or what’s important to her about the finale, in one sentence. She answered:

Yeah, I think anyone who’s been following along with the Fast & Furious movies knows exactly what she’s talking about. This franchise started out telling stories of street races and heists, and now it prioritizes explosive action, though still car-focused, and the laws of physics continually being broken. Hell, it was only four years ago in F9 that Tyrese Gibson’s Roman and Ludacris’ Tej went into space in a rocket car to destroy a satellite. That’s a far cry from stealing DVDs in Los Angeles.

That’s not even to say going in this more fantastical direction was a bad move. This arguably started with 2011’s Fast Five, and not only did it vastly outgross its four predecessors, every Fast & Furious movie since then has made more than $700 million worldwide, with Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious both crossing $1 billion. Still, it sounds like Michelle Rodriguez is glad that Fast & Furious 11 will be going back to the franchise’s roots, something Mia Toretto actor Jordana Brewster also wanted to happen. You can watch the video of Rodriguez and Vin Diesel together below:

Exactly how that integrity will brought back remains to be seen, and let’s not forget that there’s still the lingering Dante Reyes’ storyline to be resolved from Fast X. The good news is that things seem to be moving in a positive direction for Fast & Furious 11. Although it was rumored earlier this month that the project could be canceled if the budget couldn’t be reduced, Diesel posted some pictures and a video a few days ago of himself with Universal Pictures’ Chief Marketing Officer, Michael Moses, who said that “we got it solved.”

Ideally this means we’ll finally start getting more detailed updates on Fast & Furious 11 and when it will begin production. In the meantime, you’re welcome to stream The Fast and the Furious with your Netflix subscription if you’d like to revisit how this high octane franchise came to be.

When it comes to movie stars, Jamie Lee Curtis is the real deal. The actress, and daughter of two famed Hollywood actors from the generation before her, has shown she can do everything from comedy to horror to action throughout her career thus far. And did you know she does her own stunts, too? Curtis recently got behind the wheel of a red hot convertible to film a memorable scene with Lindsay Lohan for one of the 2025 movie releases, Freakier Friday.

Jamie Lee Curtis Got High Praise For Her Car Stunt Work In Freakier Friday

The Freaky Friday sequel recently became available to own on digital, and it was accompanied by bonus feature content about what happened behind the scenes. In the featurette titled “Making Things Freakier,” director Nisha Ganatra talked about filming the scene where Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, who are body-swapped as teenagers, go on a joyride in Jake’s car around Los Angeles. In her words:

It’s true. Jamie Lee Curtis is credited as a stunt driver on Freakier Friday alongside her stunt double Jennifer Caputo, who was in the first Fast & Furious movie. There were a few stunt drivers and doubles with history on the high-octane franchise involving a lot of fast cars, and the fact that they let the 66-year-old do some of the stunts really speaks to her ability, especially if she was named “one of the best they’d seen”.

But as Ganatra spoke of, Lindsay Lohan was also in the car with her some of the time, and she was genuinely terrified of Curtis' fast driving. In the scene, you can see Lohan’s fear, and perhaps how she didn’t have to dig too deep to nail her scenes while Curtis rode around the streets of Los Angeles like a teen who hasn’t passed their driving exam might.

What Other Famous Stunts Has Jamie Lee Curtis Done?

Jamie Lee Curtis famously did a huge helicopter stunt and all the limousine stuntwork while filming True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron back in the day. In an interview with IndieWire back in 2023, Curtis said she’s “willing to do almost anything” when it comes to stunt work, and has “zero fear.”

For her last time playing Laurie Strode in 2022’s Halloween Kills, the director said she did “98%” of the stunts, including one where Michael Myers smashes her head into the glass that was actually her idea, per Business Insider. Curtis is impressive no matter what, but knowing this about her just adds to why she’s such an iconic actor.

It’s been a few years now since a Fast & Furious movie roared into theaters, as Fast X opened in cinemas back in the spring of 2023. That latest installment was touted as the first chapter of a two-part conclusion and, since then, fans have been waiting for developments on the final flick. Vin Diesel has been hyping the project at different points over the last few years. It seems, however, that there are a few major variables keeping the concluding chapter of the FF saga from pulling out of the garage, if some sources are to be believed.

What’s Reportedly Keeping Fast & Furious 11 From Happening?

This past summer, at FuelFest (an event celebrating the FF movies), Vin Diesel appeared and not only declared that the eleventh film would still happen but that three specific things would happen. Diesel claimed the film would return Dominic Toretto and. co to Los Angeles, shift the focus back to street-racing culture and bring back the character of Brian O’Conner. (The late Paul Walker famously played O’Conner until his death in 2013.) However, a source tells The Wall Street Journal that a script has yet to be locked in.

Unnamed individuals also allege to WSJ that members of the Fast & Furious cast have yet to sign deals to return for the final film. Additionally, it’s said that a release date has still yet to be determined by Universal Pictures, the studio that owns this automobile-centric IP. Executives are, however, still willing to move forward with production, according to the insiders. However, the powers that be will apparently only give the green light if one key aspect of production changes.

Execs purportedly want the filmmakers to find a way to make FF11 in a more affordable manner compared to the more recent installments. Back in 2023, Fast X didn’t fare well at the box office, as it finished its run with a global haul of $705 million against a reported budget of around $340 million. The Louis Leterrier-directed film became the fifth highest grossing movie of that year, but it also marked the FF franchise’s lowest haul at the box office in a decade. With that, execs reportedly want a $200 million budget for Fast 11, so that even if the BO total isn’t super high, the film could still theoretically turn a profit. However, per WSJ, the current script for Fast X: Part 2 would cost about $250 million to produce.

Fast & Furious 11’s reported problems coincide with a shift in Hollywood that’s seen a number of massive franchises see lower returns at the box office in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The landscape is changing, with even director James Cameron discussing how he’s trying to make Avatar 4 and 5 more affordably. So, while these details aren’t confirmed, the notion of Universal wanting to be more fiscally conscious when making the latest FF movie isn’t far-fetched, given the state of the industry.

What Have Vin Diesel And His FF Co-Stars Said About Closing Out The Franchise?

Over the years, Vin Diesel has been one of the biggest proponents of the Fast & Furious franchise, and he’s shown no lack of enthusiasm when talking about the final film. Even ahead of FuelFest, in November 2024, Diesel shared a BTS tease of what appeared to be filming for the eleventh film. This past January, Diesel also re-affirmed his desire to film in LA, as a means of bringing business to the city. Even this past week, Diesel shared a cryptic Instagram post about "returning to the streets."

Meanwhile, the rest of the Fast cast has spoken generally about concluding the franchise. Mia Toretto actress Jordana Brewster wants to return to the roots of FF by telling a “gritty” story set in Los Angeles. Ludacris – who plays Tej Parker – is also looking forward to ending the series on a high note, and the rapper-turned-actor also believes the franchise could still expand past Fast 11.

The priority right now, though, seems to be getting that final installment in the main Fast & Furious series off the ground, though. All in all, insiders give the impression that there’s a mutual desire to make the movie, though there just has to be common ground on the budget. Even if the franchise does get back to its roots by filming in the streets of LA, that could be pricey given how it's become expensive to film in the city. We’ll just have to wait and see what lies ahead at the end of the road for Vin Diesel and co.’s final FF flick.

There are long-running film franchises, and then there's the Fast and the Furious movies. The racing property turned action staple (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) has been on the big screen for decades, starting with the 2001 original. Vin Diesel famously stars as Dom Toretto, and recently posted a sweet tribute to his "ride or die" collaborator Michelle Rodriguez. As they say, family is everything.

Both Diesel and Rodriguez go back to the first Fast and Furious movie, so they've spent a long time working together on this property. That's why the Guardians of the Galaxy actor took to Instagram to write a long, heartfelt tribute to their friendship. Check it out below:

How sweet is that? This is a long and thoughtful meditation on Diesel's friendship with Rodriguez, and what it means to continue working together after more than two decades of of movies. As he writes, there's been a ton of changes to the property throughout the years, but their working relationship has been consistent. I'm not crying, you're crying.

What we know about Fast and Furious 11 is limited, but as Diesel pointed out in his caption, they're currently working on the upcoming action flick. That title, officially called Fast X: Part Two, is set to be the final chapter of the long-running franchise. So it makes sense that the 58 year-old star of the franchise is feeling sentimental about his time a Dom Toretto.

Of course, longtime fans of the franchise will recall that Rodriguez's Letty is one Fast and Furious character who died and then was brought back. Fast Five revealed that Letty was still alive, which surprised even the actress herself.

Since Diesel is looking back at his history with the Lost alum, it's also worth noting that Michelle Rodriguez nearly quit the original Fast and the Furious movie due to being unhappy with her character's story. This would have ended her relationship with Diesel before it even started, and I'm sure fans of the franchise are glad she decided to stick around. At this point it's hard to imagine the Fast family without Letty's badassery and heart.

Ahead of the 11th Fast and Furious movie hitting theaters, Vin Diesel has been posting various tributes to those who have helped ring the franchise together. It's hard to believe the franchise is coming to an end, but that's exactly what moviegoers should prepare for.

Only time will tell what Diesel and company have up their sleeves for Fast X: Part 2, but it seems like just about anything is possible. Between The Family going to space and the ending of Fast X, it seems like just about anything could happen.

All will be revealed when Fast X: Part 2 hit theaters in April of 2027. But since it's not going to be on the 2026 movie release list, fans are going to have to try and be patient.

Paul Walker, beloved for playing Brian O’Conner in the Fast & Furious movies and three decades of work as an actor, sadly died in a car accident at the age of 40 back in 2013. But the mark he left on the world and those close to him will never be forgotten. So it’s no surprise that on his birthday he’s getting tributes in his honor left and right, particularly from his Fast family.

Walker’s birthday was on September 12, 1973, which means he would have been 52 today if he had lived. Check out what his daughter, Meadow Walker, said on his day:

Meadow Walker is 26 years old, and she posted the sweetest throwback photo of her and her father to celebrate. It’s a sweet picture of the pair that left Vin Diesel reacting with a “🙏🏽” emoji. Meadow is known for continuing her father's legacy by founding The Paul Walker Foundation in 2015, which offers grants to marine biology students since the Fast & Furious star was very passionate about conservation.

Diesel also shared a post of his own on Instagram that features a black and white photo of the pair of actors. He called Walker by his Fast & Furious name when wishing him a Happy Birthday before saying the following:

Vin Diesel went on to say how fans are “patiently waiting” for “family…to come home.” The tribute seems to be a tease for the next Fast & Furious movie’s reported inclusion of Brian O’Conner after Diesel teased Dom and Brian would be reuniting. Diesel also paid tribute to his “brother” by saying his legacy “lives in the space where love meets forever” and said his calling was helping create the franchise. He continued:

Additionally, Jordana Brewster, who plays Brian’s wife Mia (and Dom’s sister) also posted for Paul Walker’s birthday. Check her post out:

While the 10th anniversary of Paul Walker’s death passed in 2023, Brewster shared how fans can honor his memory by giving to The Paul Walker Foundation as it passes a decade by buying a T-shirt on the foundation’s website. The T-shirts were created by his daughter to honor “carrying Paul’s legacy.”

Brewster and Diesel are expected to return to Fast X: Part 2 to cap off the franchise in the near future, but for now, you can watch all the movies with a Prime Video subscription and look forward to the Fast & Furious roller coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood next year. Paul Walker’s legacy lives on through his body of work and all the lives he touched.

I’ve been a massive fan of the Fast & Furious franchise since the very beginning. I’ve watched all of the movies multiple times, spent way too much time talking about the importance of “family,” and written extensively about all those death-defying stunts and the utterly insane tech featured so far. Though I’m excited to see the upcoming Fast & Furious 11 when it lands on the 2026 movie schedule, I have to admit something: Dom Toretto and the crew should have taken the exit ramp a long time ago.

One of my friends and I were chatting about the franchise after he worked his way through the first seven movies, and during our conversation, he talked about stopping at Furious 7. After our chat, I thought to myself, you know, that wouldn’t have been such a bad idea…

It Pains Me To Say This, But The Franchise Should Have Ended With Furious 7

As much as it hurts to say this, I have to just get it out: Furious 7 should have been the last ride for Vin Diesel’s iconic character and the rest of his “family.” I know that both the original ending that was scrapped and the one we ultimately saw in theaters in 2015 didn’t necessarily wrap things up for all the members of Dominic Toretto’s crew, but sometimes it best to just go out on top, as they say.

I’m fully aware that the nature of the film industry, especially when it comes to big tentpole franchises from major studios, doesn’t really allow series to just come to an end, but it could have worked for the Fast & Furious brand, or at least the main set of characters. I would have been down for more spinoffs (this was four years before Hobbs & Shaw came out), but ending the main series before the big “fork in the road” scene would have been pretty clutch.

Ending It There Would Have Been A Great Tribute To Paul Walker And The Franchise

The shocking death of Paul Walker is something that’s still hard to accept, even a decade after the 40-year-old actor and franchise star died in a tragic accident. His untimely death nearly led to Furious 7 being cancelled before his brothers and state-of-the-art technology stepped in and helped director James Wan and the crew complete what would become the best entry in the series. The movie ultimately ended up becoming a massive tribute to Walker, and rightfully so, but I think they could have taken it a step further by ending the franchise there.

We did get a touching tribute to Walker near the end of the movie (the scene where Brian O’Conner and Dom go their separate ways is still powerful), but I think that whole final drive sequence would have hit much harder if it had been the end of the story for everyone. Ending on top, even because of real-life tragedy, is sometimes the best way to go.

Plus, The Whole 'Brian Is Alive But Never Seen On Screen' Thing Is Just Weird

I don’t know how others feel about this, but I am weirded out that, despite Walker being dead, his character is still alive and well in the Fast & Furious franchise. We haven’t seen Brian on screen since the final moments of Furious 7, but he has been brought up time and time again in every movie since then. On top of that, his signature blue Nissan Skyline pulls into the driveway at the end of F9: The Fast Saga.

I get that Diesel and company want to honor Walker by keeping his character alive a decade after his passing, but I honestly think it would have been more respectful to either kill off Brian all those years ago or just end the franchise. It’s like turning on XM Radio and hearing Tom Petty or Casey Kasem talking between songs. It feels even worse now that the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Brian could return in Fast & Furious 11.

It Feels Like The Fast & Furious Movies Have Been Spinning Their Wheels Since Then

Another reason I think the franchise should have ended years ago is the fact that Fate of the Furious, F9: The Fast Saga, and Fast X all felt like they were spinning their wheels. I have to give it to the cast and creative team, because it took a decade-and-a-half before things started to get stale, but now that they have, it’s gotten rough.

All of the nonsense with Dominic being forced to turn against his “familia” in Fate to protect his son seems like an unused story arc from a ‘90s adventure TV show, the villains are getting crazier just for the sake of being crazier, and the stories (which were never the franchise’s strong point) have gotten even more nonsensical. They raise the stakes but overcome them regardless, which makes them meaningless at this point. Plus, the whole going to space thing was another “Jump the Shark” moment.

I'm Still Going To Watch The New Movies, But A Part Of My Love Died With Furious 7

Don’t get me wrong, I still plan on watching Fast & Furious 11 (or whatever title it ends up going by) when it comes out in theaters. However, this is more for the sake of completing what I started the summer between seventh and eighth grade. At this point, I feel like it’s my obligation to see things through, even if I know I’m probably not going to like what I see or will most likely forget it entirely hours after leaving the theater.

A part of my love of the franchise died all those years ago, and I don’t know if that spark will ever come back, which is a bummer to think about. Again, I’ll go see whatever comes next, but I don’t think I’ll be able to shake that feeling.

All of this talk about Furious 7 has me wanting to go back and watch the 2015 box office juggernaut again, which is pretty easy, considering it’s streaming with a Netflix subscription.

The Fast and Furious movies may not be the pinnacle of artistic filmmaking, but fans can’t seem to get enough of the fast-paced action scenes and cinematic explosions. It seems like the Fast cast have a good time making the movies as well, considering how many of them have frequently returned to these movies. Not only are they fun, but they have become quite lucrative, resulting in a likely big pay day for the action stars, especially Vin Diesel. Considering the franchise's success, Timothy Olyphant was recently asked if he regrets turning down leading the movie series, as he was once asked to play Dom Toretto.

Back in the early 2000s, Olyphant was a rising star. He had a lot of success with movies like Scream 2 and Go, and it made sense that film producers approached him to lead their then-upcoming action film, The Fast and the Furious. Olyphant ended up turning down the film, and the role eventually went to Vin Diesel, who has been leading the hit action franchise for almost 25 years. When asked by The Hollywood Reporter if he regretted the decision, Olyphant said:

Considering the Fast franchise's financial success, asking the Justified star if he regrets turning a role down is a valid question. Stars have admitted to regretting turning down roles before, like Matt Damon, who turned down a potential $250 million payday when he walked away from Avatar. Will Smith also turned down The Matrix, a decision he later admitted to be a real miss by him. In Hollywood, one career choice can shape the rest of your life, which is why the big misses sometimes stick out the most.

Even if Olyphant didn’t get the Fast and Furious payday that likely could have been life changing, not participating in the franchise allowed him to do a myriad of other projects that were fantastic and wouldn’t have been the same without him. His run on Justified was incredible, and his acting talent made the show what it was. Interesting shows like Santa Clarita Diet and Deadwood were also fantastic creative work that truly allowed Olyphant to showcase his range. Franchises are lucrative for actors, but they can also be time commitments, and I’m happy the TV star was able to have such a varied career as a result of not getting locked into a franchise.

If Olyphant did have any regrets, it seems like he has moved past them. Ultimately, the Fast and Furious role ended up going to someone who was actually passionate about the project, and Diesel has been playing Dom Toretto in his own signature way for years. Olyphant is such a different kind of leading man than Diesel, and his portrayal of Dom likely would have shaped the entire franchise differently. While I still want to see what an Olyphant-led Fast and Furious movie would look like, I think it ultimately went to the right guy for the job.

While you won’t be seeing Timothy Olyphant in a Fast and Furious movie, you can see him in his latest project, Alien: Earth, which is now streaming with a Hulu subscription. Fans of Fast and Furious can see Vin Diesel taking the lead in the most recent film, Fast X, which is currently available on Starz.

When I was a kid, my brothers and I would watch 3 Ninjas all the time. There were three of us. There were three of them. They were kids. We were kids. It made perfect sense. I recently went back and revisited one of my favorite childrens movies from the ‘90s with my three kids, and I was shocked to discover that not only did this movie still rock with all its iconic movie characters (Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum), it also had a lot in common with The Fast and the Furious. Wait? What?

I’m not kidding, when I showed my kids the 3 Ninjas trailer before watching, I thought they would think it was nothing more than a Home Alone knock-off. Instead, I was left with all these examples of the first film in the Fast & Furious franchise having a lot in common with it. Here’s what I mean.

First Off, There's An 'I Almost Had You' Scene Involving Cars In Both Movies

What brought this all on, and what made me sound like a crazy person to my kids while my wife was at a wedding, was a sequence early on in 3 Ninjas when the boys’ grandpa (played by Victor Wong) puts them through their final test for their ninja training (because elementary school-aged boys should be playing with ninja stars and jumping out of trees). In one scene, one of the boys jumps from a tree and attacks his grandpa in a car, who pretty much thwarts the offensive. In that moment, he says something to the effect of “I almost had you.”

If you’ve watched The Fast and the Furious as many times as I have, you know that this is the same line Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) says after losing an early race to Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel). Sure, the boys’ grandpa doesn’t go on a rant about “a quarter mile at a time” or anything like that later in the movie, but the lines were so similar that I immediately went to both movies’ IMDb pages to make sure they weren’t written by the same guy. They weren’t.

Both Movies Are Big On 'Family'

It’s safe to say that “Family” is more important to Dom Toretto than anything else in The Fast and the Furious and its various sequels. Sure, he loves racing. Yeah, he likes boosting DVD players out of semi trucks late at night in matching blacked-out cars and green neon lights. I’ll admit he loves winning. None of that compares to family in the movie, and lets every character and every member of the audience know this… multiple times.

This is also true for 3 Ninjas. Sure, Tum Tum (Chad Power) would probably sacrifice Rocky (Michael Treanor) and Colt (Max Elliott Slade) for some candy or pizza, but the youngest of the three brothers would come back for them. Throughout the movie, the three brothers, as well as their grandpa, do anything and everything for the family, even if that means taking on a literal army of ninjas led by a guy with a bad ponytail and even worse suit.

Like The Fast And The Furious, This 1992 Kids Movie Gets Messy After An Undercover Operation

One thing I completely forgot about 3 Ninjas was the fact that the young boys become the target of Hugo Snyder (Rand Kingsley), the aforementioned bad guy, because their father was part of an undercover FBI operation to bring down the ruthless arms dealer. After the botched operation at the beginning of the movie that allows him to escape, Snyder goes on a warpath and starts a plan to kidnap the FBI agent’s kids to get back at him. Unfortunately for Snyder, that plan involves three dim-witted surfer punks that feel like a combination of the Wet Bandits from Home Alone with the attitudes and appetites of the titular duo from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

Though there isn’t any kidnapping (or surfer dudes going on and on about pizza) in The Fast and the Furious, the primary drama does revolve around Brian O’Conner being an undercover LAPD officer trying to nab a gang of street-racing thieves. It’s his undercover operation that gets everything going in the first place.

There Aren't Any Street Races, But Characters Lose Their Bikes In A Competition

Later movies in the Fast & Furious franchise would include some remarkable and insane technology and fewer and fewer street races, but the underground racing scene was a crucial part of the 2001 franchise starter. With no fewer than a half-dozen races in the movie’s runtime, some of the best scenes in the film (and the series as a whole) involved souped-up cars racing through the streets of Los Angeles.

Though there aren’t any street races in 3 Ninjas (the three main characters are still in grade school), there is a scene about halfway through the movie where Rocky and Colt put their bikes on the line against a pair of bullies in a basketball game. Just like Brian O’Conner having to hand over the slip to Dom Toretto, these youngins lose their bikes to the bigger kids, and look like chumps in front of all their peers. Maybe Rocky shouldn’t have stacked the odds against himself when he was trying to impress his crush.

Both Movies Feature A Badass Leader Who's Extremely Spiritual

Grandpa Mori Tanaka in 3 Ninjas and Dom Toretto in The Fast and the Furious can both hold their own in a fight, but they do just as well when it comes to all things family and spirituality. They’re centered, both physically and spiritually, which makes them not only great movie characters but also wonderful leaders that other characters aspire to be.

Sure, both of these guys can kick ass (and they do), but they do everything the can to prevent conflict from happening in the first place. Well, I have to admit that Dom does take things a little too extreme later on in the franchise, but I’m just talking about the first movie here. For most of their respective movies, these guys do everything in their power to prevent having to use their hands, and it isn’t until the very end that we see them go all out.

Another thing these two movies have in common is the fact that they both spawned franchises with multiple sequels that should have called it quits long ago. But that’s for another time.

2025 is the year of Universal Orlando Resort with the opening of Epic Universe, but 2026 will be quite the year for Universal Studios Hollywood as it will see the opening of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the first roller coaster based on the massive Universal Pictures franchise.

We recently saw what one of the ride vehicles on the coaster will look like, as Universal unveiled a coaster version of Dominic Toretto’s iconic Dodge Charger. However, as an eagle-eyed fan pointed out on social media, that apparently won’t be the only Fast & Furious muscle cars to make an appearance, as the vehicles in the simulation video are also versions of cars driven by your favorite Fast & Furious characters.

One of the vehicles in the still appears to be misidentified, as it’s not Dom’s RX7 that is seen in the first Fast & Furious film, but actually Han’s RX7 that was featured in his debut appearance in Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift. Still, it’s pretty cool that whatever car you end up in, you’ll be riding in something that raced through the streets of a Fast & Furious movie, as you race down the roller coaster track.

It should be said that the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift video is only a simulated look at the ride, and as such, it’s not confirmed that all the ride vehicles will look exactly like they do in the video. The only ride vehicle that has been officially unveiled is the Charger. Still, it’s likely that these vehicles either are or were the plan for the coaster design, and if anything changes, it will likely be replaced by another Fast & Furious car fans know and love.

This is great for a number of reasons. The most in-demand spot on any roller coaster is the front. That’s not likely to change here, both because the front of a coaster is always more fun, and because the front vehicle will be the most famous car in the Fast & Furious franchise. However, there will be other fans who will want to ride in another specific vehicle, like maybe Brian’s Skyline, or who simply want to ride in all the cars throughout multiple rides. It makes each vehicle worth riding, though there will surely still be a much longer line for the front seat.

Hollywood Drift will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor roller coaster. It will be a truly unique experience, using state-of-the-art technology, a creative use of the space at the park, and a franchise that is so tailor-made for a roller coaster, it’s still hard to imagine it’s only just happening now. The ride is expected to open in the late spring or early summer of 2026.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a theme park that is often overshadowed by its bigger brother in Orlando. However, USH is getting ready to make a huge statement with a brand new roller coaster based on a franchise that has needed its own roller coaster for decades. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is set to open next year, and today we got a fresh look at the ride, and honestly, I'm more excited for this than the next Fast movie.

This morning, Universal Studios Hollywood released a new video that includes computer renderings of what the experience of Hollywood Drift will be like. For fans of the franchise, it looks like exactly what anybody excited for the next Fast & Furious movie would want, and for me, I’d rather get on this ride and feel like I’m living life a quarter mile at a time than watch other people do that on a screen. Check it out:

I'm as interested to see how the cliffhanger ending of Fast X resolves as anybody. Having said that, the next movie appears to be in limbo and nobody knows when it will actually film, never mind be released. If this is what I'll get in the interim, I'll take it.

In many ways, Hollywood Drift reminds me of another of my favorite recent roller coasters, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Disney World’s Epcot. The way the vehicles independently rotate adds an additional thrill. On the Guardians ride, the rotation is designed to focus the rider’s attention on a story being told. Here, it simulates the feeling of drifting.

The video includes a rendering of what has been my favorite part of the ride since it was initially rumored, the inversion that will take riders over the escalators between the upper and lower lot of Universal Studios Hollywood. It means that guests traveling through the park will get a unique view of the ride, and those on the ride will see the park in a fresh way as well.

Hollywood Drift will be the first outdoor roller coaster ever at Universal Studios Hollywood. It’s a park that has an understandable difficulty with outdoor attractions, due to the fact that it is adjacent to a functioning film studio. The new coaster will reportedly take advantage of advancements in sound dampening that will reduce the noise of the ride, allowing film productions and roller coaster fans to exist side-by-side.

In addition to the video, Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled one of the ride vehicles, a roller coaster version of Dominic Toretto’s Dodge Charger. It looks like this car has room for the whole family.

Considering the only Fast & Furious attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood was the underwhelming Fast & Furious: Supercharged, a piece of the Universal Studios Tour, it's fantastic to see a franchise called Fast & Furious finally get an attraction worthy of that name.

No opening date for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has been given beyond 2026. Odds are the attraction will open in late spring or early summer, just in time for the busiest season. This means we’re just about a year away from the ride. Considering we have no idea when the next Fast & Furious movie will get here, this ride may be the thing for fans to be excited about.

I think I speak for many when I say audiences love it when characters from two (or more) different movies or TV series come together in one special event, such as the epic monster movies featuring both Godzilla and King Kong, or when Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. appeared on Supernatural. Of course, for all of the mind-blowing crossovers we have been blessed with, there is still much to be desired in the realm of bringing two big-screen or small-screen franchises together.

In that respect, let’s let our imaginations run wild and dream up the movie or TV crossovers that would be incredible to see. Now, I cannot promise that many (or all) of these ideas are legally or even humanly possible, but why should we let that get in the way of the fun?

Toy Story And Small Soldiers

The first, and still one of the best, Pixar movies, Toy Story, showed us the world from the point of view of sentient toys in 1995. Three years later, Small Soldiers offered the same perspective, but with more of an edge and a more realistic approach. Seeing Woody (Tom Hanks) and other innocent children's playthings crossing paths with Major Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his AI-powered, militaristic action figures sounds like one wonderfully warped animated flick, if you ask me.

The Office And Parks And Recreation

As recalled by MovieWeb, co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels initially conceived Parks and Recreation as a spin-off of The Office before it turned into its own separate and equally beloved TV sitcom. Still, there is no reason why Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his former Dunder-Mifflin co-workers could not somehow cross paths with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and other Pawnee residents in a mockumentary-style special.

Drive And Fast And Furious

A famous example of misleading movie marketing is 2011's slow-burn, Neo-noir thriller Drive, which one woman assumed would be more of a high-octane action thriller like the Fast and Furious movies, inspiring her to file a lawsuit, according to The Guardian. Honestly, I see this as a reason to give the people what they want and release a movie that sees Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew facing off against Ryan Gosling's Driver.

Succession And Yellowstone

Having both premiered in 2018, Jesse Armstrong's Succession and Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone would become subjects of comparison, with some even calling the Paramount Network hit "Succession with cowboy hats." I think seeing the wealthy and vindictive Roys indulging in a rivalry with the also wealthy and vindictive Duttons would make for one epic feature-length special or miniseries.

21 Jump Street And Men In Black

Among the hypothetical crossovers presented here, not all are too much of a stretch from the realm of possibility. In fact, there were actual plans for a film called MIB23, which would have brought Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) from the 21 Jump Street movie into the world of the Men in Black franchise. Unfortunately, plans were scrapped in 2019, but I still have hope this insane sci-fi/comedy mash-up could work.

Poker Face And The Thing

Imagine if human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) from the Peacock original TV show Poker Face was trapped in one place with a group of people who may or may not be shapeshifting extraterrestrial organisms in disguise, like the 1982 horror movie classic, The Thing. She would be the only one who could suss out the imitators, but the rest of the group might be too paranoid to confidently trust her judgment. I think Rian Johnson should give John Carpenter a call.

Star Wars And Marvel Cinematic Universe

As a fan of both the Star Wars movies and of Guardians of the Galaxy, I love the idea of seeing the cosmic warriors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe visit George Lucas' galaxy far, far away. Considering both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm are owned by Disney, this intergalactic epic is entirely possible, as long as the timeline is respected, of course.

RoboCop And Terminator

Omni Consumer Products' half-man, half-machine crime-fighting tool has crossed paths with Skynet's mechanical killer before, but only on the pages of a Dark Horse comic book series from Frank Miller. Why Hollywood has not yet tried its hand at a movie that pits the hero from RoboCop against any of the antagonistic cyborgs from the Terminator franchise is beyond me.

James Bond And Jason Bourne

The Matt Damon-led Jason Bourne movies are often cited as the inspiration for the James Bond franchise's grittier tone, especially after Daniel Craig took over as 007. If there could be a way to get the American amnesiac assassin and the suave MI6 agent together in a room (which would likely be destroyed by the end), that could make for one of the best spy movies ever.

Sherlock And Doctor Who

Two of the BBC's most popular series, Sherlock and Doctor Who, both involve a highly intelligent, fashionable, and sometimes arrogant protagonist who is accompanied by a reliable companion. For that and many other reasons, I think it would be amazing to see them come together in a special or miniseries in which Holmes, hitting a wall with a case that defies logic, finds unexpected help from The Doctor.

DC Universe And Marvel Cinematic Universe

The two biggest comic book publishing companies in the world have not always been rivals and have indulged in creating stories that see DC heroes and Marvel heroes fighting side by side. Considering his strong ties to the MCU, it can't be out of the question for DC Studios head James Gunn to at least call a meeting with Kevin Feige to discuss bringing this kind of crossover to the big screen, which might end up being the greatest superhero movie ever made.

John Wick And Kill Bill

While largely differing in tone, the John Wick movies and Quentin Tarantino's two-part Kill Bill saga are pretty similar in concept, following two retired, legendary assassins waging a vengeful war on those who wronged them. Who is to say that Keanu Reeves' gun-fu master and Uma Thurman's The Bride never crossed paths in their deadly heyday?

The Evil Dead And The Exorcist

Two of the most popular franchises of demonic possession movies, The Exorcist and The Evil Dead, could not be more different from one another, which is exactly why I want to see them converge. In my pitch, grown-up Regan MacNeill's (Linda Blair) expertise in devilish activity is enlisted to help with a new case, but when it spirals out of control, the only one who can help is chainsaw-headed Deadite hunter, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell).

Inception And A Nightmare On Elm Street

When you think about it, Leonardo DiCaprio's Dom Cobb from Christopher Nolan's Inception essentially has the same job as Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Just imagine how much more challenging his team's adventures through the subconscious would be with Robert Englund's sadistic, badly burned boogeyman invading the same dream.

Alien, Predator, And Jurassic Park

You know what I think the Alien vs. Predator movies were missing? Dinosaurs. Putting these two fearsome extraterrestrials in yet another battle, but while trapped on one of the prehistoric animal-infested islands from the Jurassic Park films, could result in one of the most exciting entries from any of these franchises. You would not even need human characters to make it work because seeing both the Predator and the Xenomorph knocked down a peg by the T-Rex as a common enemy would be more than enough.

Ghostbusters And Casper

We already know that Casper and the Ghostbusters exist in the same universe, thanks to Dan Aykroyd's cameo as Ray Stantz in the Friendly Ghost's 1995 live-action feature adaptation of the animated series. I am sure Casper would happily help the paranormal exterminators take on a few evil spirits, even after an awkward misunderstanding were to happen when they first meet.

Mad Max And Dredd

The great thing about post-apocalyptic movies is that each has a different, intriguing interpretation of what a dystopian society would look like. However, what if the Wasteland from George Miller's Mad Max movies existed just across the (dried up) pond from Mega City One in Dredd? The gritty, visually stunning possibilities are endless.

Blade And Twilight

Allow me to make one thing clear: I am not suggesting that Marvel Comics' vampire hunter, originally played on the big screen by Wesley Snipes, should show up in the Twilight movies just to see Robert Pattinson's Edward, Kristen Stewart's Bella, and other bloodsuckers get slaughtered. I actually think Blade's presence could give the persistent haters of the films based on Stephanie Meyer's YA novel series a reason to treat the franchise with a little more respect.

Indiana Jones And Marvel Cinematic Universe

Since Disney owns both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, I wonder if anyone there has ever tinkered with the idea of putting a character like Indiana Jones in the MCU. I mean, he and Steve "Captain America" Rogers would have been alive around the same time and, as staunch anti-fascists, probably would have gotten along great. I doubt Harrison Ford's casting as Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: Brave New World would cause much confusion, either.

Monk And Psych

The USA Network used to run promos bringing characters from their respective series together, including one in which Tony Shalhoub's eponymous detective from Monk suspects that Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) is not a real psychic. It makes me wish that we could have seen an official crossover episode that would have seen plenty of funny bickering between the carefree Shawn and someone as neurotic as Adrian Monk, who at least might have gotten along with Gus (Dulé Hill).

Power Rangers And Godzilla

By combining their respective, animal-shaped vehicles into one large Megazord, the Power Rangers have managed to face off against bizarre creatures of all sizes, which means they could realistically take on Godzilla. However, if I were to pitch this crossover, the rangers would eventually have to join forces with the King of the Monsters after an even larger creature emerges to wreak havoc on Angel Grove.

Bill & Ted And Wayne's World

Perhaps we never saw Bill S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Keanu Reeves) take Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) on a trip through time because we are not worthy of such an excellent idea. Then again, if Myers and Carvey can still get together for Wayne's World reunions on SNL and Reeves and Winter could come back for 2020's Bill & Ted Face the Music, who says it doesn't have potential?

Dirty Harry And Death Wish

I think the greatest Dirty Harry movie we never saw would have put Clint Eastwood's Lt. Callahan on the case of a murderer targeting the most vicious gangs in San Francisco, which would turn out to be Charles Bronson's Paul Kersey from Death Wish. Inevitably, I think Harry would be lured into an alliance with the vengeful vigilante, coming to believe that his more permanent methods of justice align with his own.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer And Sabrina The Teenage Witch

It's a shame that there was never any attempt to make an official crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Sarah Michelle Gellar and the Melissa Joan Hart-led Sabrina the Teenage Witch while they were still on the air. The coming-of-age supernatural series may have differed dramatically in tone, but that is just what would have made the collaboration such a blast.

Harry Potter And The Dresden Files

If fans of the Harry Potter movies have ever been interested in trying out something a bit darker and grittier, there is another literary modern-day wizard with the same first name: Harry Dresden, played by Paul Blackthorne on the SyFy series, The Dresden Files. I think it would be fun to see J.K. Rowling's The Boy Who Lived helping author Jim Butcher's Chicago-based P.I. solve a grisly mystery in which magic is involved.

The Munsters And The Addams Family

They may have been on different networks and produced by opposing studios, but how in the world has there never been an attempt to introduce the Munsters to the Addams Family? I would even be open to getting the actors from Rob Zombie's reboot movie to star alongside the cast of Netflix's Wednesday if it meant getting just a glimpse at these creepy, kooky families finally coming together.

It And Terrifier

There are no two villains in the subgenre of creepy clown movies more iconic than Pennywise from It and Art the Clown from Terrifier. I can't imagine a horror fan being against the idea of bringing Bill Skarsgård's shapeshifting fear demon from Andy Muschietti's blockbuster adaptation of Stephen King's novel and David Howard Thornton from Damien Leone's shocking indie slashers together for one brutal showdown that would have blood and white face paint smeared across the screen.

Hocus Pocus And Trick 'R Treat

In Disney's cult favorite, family-friendly witch movie, 1993's Hocus Pocus, our young protagonists go through a lot of trouble to defeat the Sanderson Sisters (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker). I cannot help but wonder how easily those sinister spellcasters could have been taken care of by the mischievous Sam from the 2007 anthology horror movie favorite, Trick 'r Treat.

Hoarders And Storage Wars

You know those people on the show Hoarders who compulsively keep hold of any item they possess, no matter how unnecessary or even unhealthy it may be? I have a potential idea to help them: put them on another A&E reality show called Storage Wars and tell them that they must outbid other experienced collectors if they want to maintain ownership of their junk.

Johnny English And The Pink Panther

While it barely held a candle to Peter Sellers, I cannot deny that I enjoyed Steve Martin's portrayal of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in his Pink Panther reboot. I even more enjoyed Rowan Atkinson as a bumbling Bond-wannabe in the Johnny English movies. I imagine that having the clueless French detective and accident-prone British spy cross paths on a case would result in some real comedic dynamite (especially if real dynamite is involved).

Sister Act And The Nun

After watching Whoopi Goldberg's Academy Award-winning performance in Ghost, I am convinced that a sequel to Sister Act in which Deloris Wilson-Van Cartier must contend with the habit-wearing demon Valak (Bonnie Aarons) from the Conjuring movies would be a riot.

Big Brother And Survivor

Big Brother and Survivor are both competitive reality shows that make social interaction a key element to winning, with the biggest difference being the setting. If I ran CBS, I would send the most famous all-stars from Big Brother to a remote island, bring Survivor champs to the Big Brother house, and see what happens.

The Fast and Furious movies have had an incredible run of having huge stars drive fast cars alongside Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto, but one of the most legendary has to be when Helen Mirren joined the franchise in 2017 to play Magdalene Shaw. And as Diesel and Mirren have made clear over the years, the two actors have really hit it off since meeting and working together. Diesel even penned a tribute to the Oscar winner to remind us of their friendship.

The love fest between the pair of Fast & Furious stars happened thanks to Mirren’s tenacity to get into the Fast franchise. She previously said she “begged” the actor and producer to let her be in the movies so she could get the chance to drive fast cars in a big-budget popcorn movie. Expressing his appreciation for his co-star, Diesel wrote on Instagram,

On Wednesday, Diesel took to social media to share a set of photos with himself and Mirren during their time on the Fast & Furious movie and wrote some sweet words about their relationship. He continued:

How sweet is this message? Vin Diesel spoke to having Helen Mirren join the series particularly as the mom of the Shaw boys, played by Jason Statham and Luke Evans. Over the years, Dom and Queenie have shared a number of great scenes, and Diesel and Mirren have shared a number of wonderful press tour moments – even dancing in the rain together.

Diesel points out that Dom and Queenie have a synchronicity on screen, which Mirren has echoed before (via YouTube) when she said they “understand each other” and said that the characters are “made from the same material.” He also said this in the social media post:

Diesel’s words do have us thinking where the latest of Fast & Furious movies currently is in the production process, and if Mirren will be involved. While we know Fast X, Part 2 won’t be among upcoming 2025 movies, it’s reportedly going to start filming this summer. Early this year, Diesel said they would bring the production to Los Angeles this time around in support of the industry following the wildfires in January affecting the livelihoods of many in Southern California.

We don’t know much about Fast X, Part 2, but it’s supposed to wrap up the long-running movie series that first started in 2001. And it just wouldn’t be the same if Dom and Queenie don’t have more scenes together. Fingers crossed! While we wait, we can look forward to seeing Mirren in The Thursday Murder Club, arriving for those of you with a Netflix subscription on August 28.

After the first season of Conan O’Brien Must Go had me rooting for more of the former late night host’s new travel show, I was pleasantly surprised to see Season 2 on the 2025 TV schedule. While the past season allowed audiences such as myself to binge watch it all in one viewing, this time around, the show is opting for weekly drops. While I only have one episode to talk about so far, wow, did it start with a bang – especially regarding all the shots O’Brien decided to fire at Vin Diesel for some reason.

During the premiere episode, Conan O’Brien goes to Spain to meet up with some fans who called into his podcast and Javier Bardem. He also decides to visit a dubbing studio to try his hand at the profession with some of Spain’s big voiceover artists. At first he provides some hilarious noises to a commercial, but then he moves on to dubbing scenes from American movie scenes.

He starts with doing Liam Neeson’s famous scene from Taken before deciding to do his take on Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto from the Fast & Furious movies. While talking about embodying the famed action character, I can’t believe the comedian said the following about the actor. And yes, this is a real quote:

I mean, it’s all in good fun, of course, but I do wonder how Vin Diesel would react if he saw these comments. Either Conan O’Brien cleared it with Diesel or he simply doesn’t care about insulting the actor. I thought it was Diesel and Dwayne Johnson who had the beef (until they recently had an awkward, but friendly reunion at the Golden Globes). O'Brien also said this during the episode:

Following Conan O’Brien’s Oscars hosting gig where he went viral for mocking Drake, I guess I shouldn’t be as shocked as I am, but my goodness! He certainly did not hold back when discussing the movie star and the Fast & Furious franchise, which has pumped out ten movies and the spinoff Hobbs & Shaw across over a decade, and is set to continue in 2026 with Fast X, Part 2. Of course, O’Brien wouldn’t be the first or last person to poke fun at the actor and his famed franchise, and it gives the actor a chance to be humbled by his global fame.

I do wonder if there will be any commentary in response from the Fast & Furious star after these comments. Anyway, this Conan O'Brien Must Go episode is hilarious overall, and you can check it out now on Max.

As a kid of the '90s, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell became two undeniable pillars of my television upbringing. Watching arguably the best of the best kids TV bestie duos, from All That to their eponymous hit show to Good Burger, I’d follow these two anywhere. After learning that the reunited duo are alluding they’re drawing inspiration from Dom Toretto and crew of Fast and Furious fame for Good Burger 3, it changes nothing for me.

While we’re seeing Thompson again regularly on the 2025 TV schedule via Saturday Night Live, the Game Shakers actor has been slowly returning to the small screen. Mitchell attended the ‘90s Con and talked about all of his classic titles, but also teased some future projects. Via People, the former child star shared that he and Thompson confirmed Good Burger 3 quietly at the end of the sequel, and this is where Fast and Furious comes into play:

I can’t even imagine how they will translate the space journey shown in F9 into Ed and Dexter’s world, but I’m so ready for it. The idea itself is bonkers, but I love it so much and would expect nothing less from the pair of Nickelodeon alumni. As a kid, I always thought, ‘I wonder what Kenan and Kel will do in the future,’ and today, I can finally check that large question off my list (beyond the initial sequel). Thankfully, the overanalyzed K&K falling out era seems to be a thing of the past, along with their rumored SNL feud being put to bed.

If there are any other fans like me out there, I think it’s safe to say we’d pick up any project of theirs regardless of any type of pauses between the two. But thankfully, Mitchell revealed we won’t have to wait as long as us OG fans had to for the fun and nostalgia-filled Good Burger 2. He went on to say that beyond the sequel hint, the threequel is concretely on the way and has been in talks with Thompson about it all:

Again, I have full faith in what these two create. Whether or not it’s a deep-seated connection to childhood favorites or that these two are a creative and hilarious team that continues to make premium content remains to be fully seen, but either way, this fan is thrilled.

Mitchell also mentioned that a revival of Kenan & Kel is being discussed, where the best friends have turned into fathers and will reflect real parts of their own lives. All of it sounds promising, and you better believe I’ll have my Paramount+ account locked and loaded for when it drops.

Until then, I’ll be trying to piece together this fascinating Fast and Furious-inspired storyline for Good Burger 3 that Mitchell highlighted.

The Fast "finale" – AKA Fast & Furious 11 – is not fast approaching, but it’s well on its way. That means it’s time to start getting sentimental and reflective, and Vin Diesel is doing just that. In a recent post, the actor reflected on the franchise and wrote about directing a precursor to the fourth film. That led to him reminiscing about these movies being filmed all over the world, and ultimately, he revealed one regret he has all these years later.

After reflecting on his 2009 F&F short film Los Bandoleros in an Instagram post that featured a photo of Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, the actor explained that he’s been asked to film another one for Fast 11. He noted that he wants to shoot it “somewhere exotic.” Then he explained they had great success filming what is considered one of the best Fast movies, Furious 7, in the Middle East. That led to him revealing his “one regret” about the franchise, writing:

The Fast & Furious movies have traveled all around the world. I remember that while watching Furious 7, I was particularly blown away by the moment when a car jumped between skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi. That Middle East-set moment was extra epic, and it was placed in one of the best movies. Plus, as Diesel noted, the film went on to be one of the biggest global successes of the franchise.

Admittedly, it would be cool to see the franchise return to this region of the world to film in the deep desert. I’d love to see them go all Dune on us, and race cars through the high desert. However, it sounds like that won’t be happening.

In the Dom Toretto actor’s post, he wrote that the studio has asked him to direct another precursor like Los Bandoleros. It sounds like he wants to keep expanding the global setting of these films, and this time, he’s thinking about going somewhere “truly exotic:”

Well, while I’d love to see the F&F franchise in the desert, other exotic locations would be fun, too. However, what I’m personally most excited about is the saga’s return to its roots in Los Angeles. This choice was made in part to support LA after the fires and also to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise that got its start in the California city. So, while I adore the global reach of the series, it feels right to end it in the city that started it all.

So, yes, I’m also a bit bummed Fast and Furious never went into the deep desert. However, I’m very happy with what we have, and I’m thrilled about what’s coming next. Ultimately, all that really matters is we have the family together, and that, my friends, we know we’re getting.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the cutest of them all? That’s a question Snow White’s Gal Gadot spent some time answering with CinemaBlend as she determined which Disney creature was the most adorable. However, while her admiring Baby Groot’s cuteness was very sweet, it was actually her comment about Vin Diesel and Fast & Furious that was the cutest of them all.

To kick off this game played in honor of the 2025 movie schedule’s live-action Snow White, CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb asked Gadot if Baby Groot or Baby Dumbo was cuter. She chose the Guardians of the Galaxy character as the winner, which you can see below:

However, after that, she noted her personal connection to the adorable sentient tree. As mentioned, while Gadot is a DC actress and hasn’t appeared in a Marvel project, Vin Diesel played a pivotal role in her career. His film, 2009’s Fast & Furious, was her “first Hollywood movie,” as she said:

After that, when asked to choose between Groot and Bambi, the Wonder Woman actress went for her friend's GotG character, saying:

Sadly, Baby Groot didn’t win the cute game. Baby Dory was eventually chosen over the loveable tree, and in the end, Dopey from Snow White, understandably, won. However, her comment about the role Groot’s voice actor played in her career is the moment that really stuck with me.

Listen, the Fast family is forever, and Diesel and Gadot have always been very sweet to each other. Plus, after being involved in some of the best Fast & Furious movies and then leaving for a while, the Gisele actress has returned to the franchise.

Now, after Gal Gadot’s appearance in Fast X, I’m hoping she’ll play a bigger role in the cast of Fast & Furious 11. However, I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s focus on the here and now.

The actress’s comments about the Dominic Toretto actor certainly are sweet, because her role in that Fast & Furious movie helped her break into Hollywood and kickstart her career. Now, she’s played a superhero and an evil queen in massive blockbusters.

Speaking of the evil queen. The Red Notice star plays her in the new live-action Snow White, which CinemaBlend’s review gave 3.5 stars. While critics haven’t been the most enthusiastic about Snow White, audiences have been loving it way more, and it seems like Rachel Zegler and co.'s take on the iconic princess film is winning people over.

So, thank you Vin Diesel and Fast & Furious for helping Gal Gadot’s career start. And thank you to the actress for giving us this sweet and sentimental full-circle moment where she reflected on her start while speaking about the big movie she’s part of now. To see that movie, you can catch Snow White in theaters now.

I think babies and children should not be involved in the Fast family’s adventures – even though the baby plane fight in The Fate of the Furious was iconic. The quests are far too dangerous for a child. However, I must say, this A.I. imagining of the Fast and Furious cast as babies that Ludacris shared has me thinking these little guys could for sure pull off a mission.

Now, did I ever think I’d see something like this? No. However, I’m happy I did, and I must admit, the A.I. did a frustratingly good job here. The baby Vin Diesel and Ludacris are adorable. The lil Paul Walker is perfect. Oh, and did you see the baby bald Tyrese Gibson chilling in that toy car? Talk about adorable! Take a look at Ludacris’ IG post about “Baby Fast & Furious” below:

Also, not to mention, the tiny Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster have my heart! I already would follow Letty and Mia to the ends of the Earth, and if anything bad happens to them, I’ll be upset. Now I’m really ready to protect their lil counterparts too.

While artificial intelligence can drum up controversy and anger sometimes, that definitely isn’t the case here. Fans got a real kick out of Ludacris’ “Baby Fast & Furious,” commenting things like:

• All of those babies are so cute 😍Great job! -@malaika_torrygirl
• Can’t lie this is so cute!!!😂😍 -@hi_its_dnydra
• Woooooooow😍 -@juanbertheau
• 😍😍Family -@danieljapan
• Baby Han eating chips is so real 😂-@chey.j21
• Baby @tyrese still got that mean look. Love it! -@mofeduncan

I’d like to draw attention to that last comment specifically. As a big fan of the friendship between Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson and their characters' whole shtick in F&F (I mean, that spit take scene from Fast & Furious 6 is hilariously legendary), I found this so funny. Also, the way Gibson’s baby is sitting in the car is hilarious and gives off big Roman energy.

Honestly, this chaotic energy is why I love the Fast & Furious movies, and I’m going to need more of it when Fast 11 is released! It’s always the most fun for me when the cast is also having a blast, and posts like this prove that actors, like Ludacris, aren’t afraid to lean into silly, fun and sometimes ridiculous ideas.

Obviously, I don’t think the F&F cast will go all Rugrats on us. However, it’s the energy this video emits – pure fun and chaos - that I need in Fast 11.

Speaking of this upcoming film, we should really be getting excited about it. It’s been promised that the Fast saga is returning to LA for this upcoming mission, and it will harken back to the days of The Fast and the Furious to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary. So, while we’re not throwing it all the way back to babies, we are throwing it back to the origins of this franchise, which I’m thrilled about.

However, that’s not happening until 2026. So, in the meantime, I’ll take the Fast content where I can get it, and in this case, it came from Ludacris in the form of wildly accurate A.I. babies.

When you think about the Fast & Furious movies, I’d be willing to bet money you’ve never thought about Gossip Girl at the same time. Even though I’m a massive fan of both, I know I haven’t. However, that all changed when I watched the English-language remake of Prime Video’s Culpa Mia, My Fault: London, because it’s legitimately a wonderfully chaotic mix of the Vin Diesel-led fast car franchise and the edgy, soapy series.

Now, before you click away because of that wild comparison, hear me out because I promise this makes sense. My Fault: London, which recently premiered on the 2025 movie schedule for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, is a dramatic, edgy, steamy romance that is centered around the world of really fast cars. Are you starting to pick up what I’m putting down?

Well, if you’re not, here’s a more in-depth explanation about why the action romance film My Fault: London is, in fact, what you get when you mix Fast & Furious with Gossip Girl.

Why My Fault: London Gives Fast & Furious Energy

I can’t believe I’m writing this, but My Fault: London has big Fast & Furious vibes.

The film is a romance about two step-siblings (more on that later) who fall for each other while they navigate the violent and dramatic world of underground car racing.

Both Noah and Nick are accomplished drivers, and they bond over their love for cars, so that is giving F&F.

However, it's the big (and occasionally absurd) action that really made this comparison click. Between the big action set piece at the end and the honestly epic races throughout the film, I was having flashbacks to the first time I watched The Fast & The Furious. And I say that as a compliment.

So, yeah, that’s where the Fast & Furious energy comes from.

My Fault: London Is Gossip Girl Coded In One Way I Love And Another Way I Hate

Now, onto the XOXO of it all. My Fault: London features two major elements that give Gossip Girl, and one of them I despise while the other I adore.

Let’s start with the bad. I’m sorry, but why is this romance centered around step-siblings?

While I adore Gossip Girl, and I think its hype is warranted, it featured a dismal plotline like this. As you likely remember, Dan and Serena were a key couple on the show. However, their parents, Rufus and Lily, were, too. Obviously, that caused drama because it’s frowned upon for kids to date while their parents are also dating.

Well, My Fault: London takes that terrible trope a step further. Noah and Nick’s parents are engaged when they meet, and then the kids fall in love. And I have to say, that’s not a good look. It wasn’t on Gossip Girl, and it still isn’t now.

However, like Gossip Girl, I can overlook this plot point in My Fault: London. That’s because the absolutely electric chemistry between the film’s two leads and the steamy romance is irresistible.

I’m not kidding; Matthew Broome and Asha Banks’ chemistry as Nick and Noah is off the charts! While the way they got together is not great, I believe in their feelings for each other. Do you know who that reminds me of? Chuck and Blair. They are an honestly toxic couple, but I can’t deny their chemistry, and it’s romances like theirs that kept me invested in Gossip Girl.

That’s what kept me in My Fault: London too, and like with Gossip Girl, even though it made me cringe at times, the electric romance made up for it.

Now, speaking holistically about all three properties here, I also think they’re just genuinely fun times. If you are looking to be entertained and thrilled by some bonkers and high drama and/or action, go stream Gossip Girl with a Max subscription or some of the Fast & Furious films with a Peacock subscription. And if you want the best of both worlds, watch My Fault: London on Prime Video.

Losing a family member isn’t just about the passing of a human life. As anyone with an animal friend at home will tell you, seeing a companion of yours leave this world is just as painful. Sadly, Dwayne Johnson has reminded us of this fact today, as the 2025 movie schedule participant has lost his dog, Hobbs. With that, a bunch of other stars, including Jason Momoa, have reached out to express their condolences.

The loss was signified by the sharing photos and video of the Fast and Furious movie star and his beautiful French Bulldog friend. Such a bittersweet goodbye shows The Rock at his most sensitive. Honoring his dear friend, Johnson shared these thoughts:

Going on the information from Dwayne Johnson’s 2019 post about Hobbs, the pup is estimated to have been at least 9 years old upon his passing. And, much like what we saw with Jennifer Garner’s loss of her dog, Birdie, last fall, this time of sadness has brought out emotional responses of support from friends and co-stars alike.

Fast X star Jason Momoa is only one of the many people who have offered their condolences in this time of need. And, as you’ll see in the sampling shared below, there's no loss of love for Johnson's frenchie baby:

• “❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️” - @prideofgypsies
• “So sorry for your loss 🌈❤️🐾” - @debbiegibson
• “😢 💔 RIP Hobbs, what a good boy” - @ozthementalist
• “@therock I had a pied frenchie like Hobbs. Losing mine was a tough one. Sorry for your loss uce!” - @swervematua
• “🙏🏾 all dogs go to heaven” - @iamadriandev

The love of Hobbs wasn't Mr. Johnson's only token of respect to the world of animals. As he promoted his role in DC's League of Super-Pets, Johnson gifted a family a puppy during that press tour. Which, to be totally honest, is something his character of Krypto the Superdog would totally approve of.

Of course, we’re here to honor the spirit of Hobbs not only as an adorable animal actor, but as a companion to humanity. And there probably is no better way to do that than to show off a video of Dwayne Johnson and Hobbs on the set of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw.

Entitled “Dwayne & Hobbs: Love At First Bite,” this special feature was included on the home release, and is a beautiful reminder of the love shared between The Rock and his dog:

Some people may not see the death of a household animal as a huge loss, but that notion continues to be challenged as people from all walks of life open up about what that means. As Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shares his grief over the death of Hobbs, that might act as a signal for others to really think on this matter and change their mindsets. Or it might even help people realize that they were more affected by such losses in the past, and just didn’t know it then.

In any case, we here at CinemaBlend send our deepest condolences to Dwayne Johnson and his family. Just like the man himself said in his tribute to Hobbs, we hope that he somehow finds his way back to his dad to make some trouble.

Theme park fans have a lot to look forward to in 2025. Epic Universe will open at Universal Orlando Resort in just a few months, which, on its own will be a massive upgrade in themed entertainment. But the fun from Universal won’t stop there, because next year, Universal Studios Hollywood is going to give us its own massive upgrade in the form of the first Fast & Furious roller coaster.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will be the first outdoor coaster at Universal Studios Hollywood, and it will be the first time that the Fast & Furious film franchise has used the sort of attraction it deserves, none of this Fast & Furious: Supercharged nonsense. Franchise member Ludacris recently shared a video of the currently under-construction coaster, and one fan apparently was asking the question that everybody else had, because the comment has seen hundreds of likes…

To be fair, it’s not that outrageous a question considering there are lots of roller coasters that do “go to space.” Space Mountain is one of the most popular roller coasters in the world, and it’s not the only coaster with an outer space theme. And considering the Fast & Furious franchise really has gone to space, it’s all remarkably plausible.

Of course, to properly recreate a space theme, you need to build an indoor coaster, which is exactly why Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is unique. It’s the first outdoor coaster to be built in the park. This also allows it to be built on a scale that blows away the other USH coasters. Check it out in the video shared by Ludacris on Instagram.

The fact that an outdoor coaster is on its way to Universal Studios Hollywood is no small feat. The theme park is directly connected to the Universal Pictures backlot and studio, which has perpetually limited the sorts of attractions that can be built in the park. Unplanned noises from a roller coaster would obviously ruin a take from a movie or show being filmed on the backlot.

However, the new Hollywood Drift coaster will reportedly use brand-new sound-dampening technology that will make it quieter than most coasters. The ride vehicles will also be new, as the cars will be able to “drift” themselves, thus giving the coaster its name and fitting the franchise perfectly.

The location of the coaster will also be unique. The show building is being constructed on Universal Studios Hollywood’s upper lot. However, the coaster itself is being built into the hillside between the upper and lower lot, and will actually contain an inversion that will take riders around the massive escalators that connect the two locations. It’s an ingenious use of the park’s limited space.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is set to open at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2026. At this point, the coaster will almost certainly arrive before the next Fast & Furious movie.

It feels like we’ve been talking about the Fast & Furious film series ending for a long time, and last year, series lead Vin Diesel confirmed that Fast 11 will indeed be bringing this high-octane saga to a close. Ok, but is this actually going to happen? Ludacris, who’s been playing Tej Parker in the franchise since 2 Fast 2 Furious, has shared his thoughts on the subject in a recent interview.

Just so we’re all caught up to speed, Fast 11, also known as Fast X: Part 2, is currently expected to come out in March 2026, just under three years after Fast X was released. If all goes according to plan, this will be our farewell to Dominic Toretto and his crew, as least as a fully-formed unit, but Ludacris told Us Weekly that he’s not even sure this will be the case, saying:

It’s fitting if Fast 11 does indeed end up being released in 2026 to coincide with The Fast and the Furious’ 25th anniversary. As far as those rumors Ludacris has heard about though, I’m guessing he’s talking about when Vin Diesel teased that the Fast Saga finale could stretch across a trilogy. However, that ended up not being the case, though as Ludacris pointed out, just because the main film series is concluding doesn’t mean the franchise as a whole will suddenly disappear. As he put it:

Shortly after Fast X’s release, it was announced that Dwayne Johnson and Jason Momoa were set to star in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Reyes, which would take the place of the stalled Hobbs & Shaw 2 and take place between Fast X and Fast 11. However, with Fast 11 set to come out next year, I’m doubtful this project is still in development. Not to worry though, as Zach Dean, who’s writing Fast 11, is reportedly working on a standalone Fast & Furious movie too, and every now and then talk of a female-led spinoff resurfaces.

Then again, if Ludacris isn’t even aware of any specific details about Fast 11 with just a little over a year to go until its intended release, that makes me wonder if it could not only be pushed back again, but if perhaps talks have resumed about making Fast 12. I could spend a lot more time thinking about this, so hopefully as we get deeper into 2025, Universal Pictures will clear up what’s going on once and for all. In the meantime, you’re welcome to stream Fast X with your Peacock subscription if you need a refresher on the 2023 Fast & Furious movie’s ending.

There may be no modern film franchise that has changed so much over the course of its story as Fast & Furious. A group of characters who started out as street racers stealing DVD players are now super secret agents. Every new film in the franchise takes things to a new, even more insane, level. But Jordana Brewster would love to see the franchise return to its roots.

Brewster, who appears in the new movie Heart Eyes alongside Final Destination star Devon Sawa, compared her feelings about the Fast & Furious franchise to his thoughts about the horror series when recently speaking with Collider. She indicated a wish that the next movie would be a bit grittier than the recent entires, and that she would get to do more in it. Brewster said…

I can certainly get behind this. The expectation is that the next movie, Fast and Furious 11 or Fast X Part II or whatever it ends up being called, will be the last. That is, at least inside the core franchise, as Fast & Furious spinoffs are reportedly still in development. If that’s the case, it makes poetic (and possibly thematic) sense to see the franchise come full circle and have the last movie feel more like the first.

And I can absolutely get behind Jordana Brewster’s Mia getting a chance to kick a bit more ass in the next movie. She’s always been a great character. Unfortunately, because Mia is married to Brian, the still-living character played by the late Paul Walker, the franchise has clearly had difficulty figuring out how to keep Mia on screen while justifying that Brian needs to remain off-screen. Brewster has been trying to get Mia to do more on screen for years.

And maybe Jordana Brewster’s wish could actually come true. Recent rumors, while far from confirmed, have suggested that Vin Diesel is having trouble rounding up the money needed to make the massive, expensive, blockbuster he’s trying to produce. If these rumors are in fact true, then the final Fast & Furious movie may need to be a smaller production due to financial constraints.

Having said that, a smaller version of Fast & Furious seems unlikely at this point. The story of traveling to exotic locations around the world is part of what fans now love about it, so setting the final movie just in L.A. might be a letdown for some. Fast & Furious 11 currently has an unspecified 2026 release date.

If the original plan for Fast X’s continuation had held, we’d be talking about how the Torretto crime family would be making a grand return on the 2025 movie schedule. Alas, what we know about Fast and Furious 11 informs us that delays and the magnetic draw of releasing this potentially final chapter led to an undetermined 2026 debut. The latter reason is a sweet factor to keep in mind, as it signifies just how much this blockbuster franchise loves to wear its heart on its production sleeve. We've now seen this popping up again thanks to Vin Diesel’s heartfelt announcement that the rest of Fast X: Part 2 will be filming in Los Angeles.

This news came from a post that the Fast Saga star/producer shared to his Instagram, complete with a fitting image of Diesel embracing on-screen sister Jordana Brewster. What makes this choice appropriate is Brewster herself had asked the man himself if this project could conclude in the city of angels, with this rationale in mind:

While there’s still a fair amount of Fast X sequel drama that makes its way into the press, those unfortunate rumors seem to be leveled out by gestures such as the one seen above. It doesn’t matter if you’re family by blood or by choice, these sorts of scraps are part of the ups and downs that make life surprising.

At least the intention to film the rest of the Fast Saga's supposed swan song can be considered an “up.” There will be plenty of filmmaking professionals in need of work in the Los Angeles area, and the money spent to bring this vision to life could go a long way toward helping people rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires. That feels like exactly what Dom would have done in this scenario, which makes all this even sweeter.

Fast X can currently be streamed through a Peacock subscription, with the rest of the series cast to various sources on the streaming winds. You have plenty of time for a refresher course though, as Fast X Part 2, or whatever this blockbuster return will be named upon its arrival, doesn’t have a specific 2026 release date on the books just yet.

At the same time, one could guess that June 19, 2026 would be a hypothetical drop date. With director Louis Leterrier's reverence for The Fast and the Furious' 25th anniversary, that would get the picture in theaters in time for fans to celebrate on the exact date.

We’ll have to wait to see if this prediction is confirmed or debunked, over the year to come and at a quarter mile at a time. As always, we here at CinemaBlend continue to offer our deepest support to those dealing with the humanitarian disaster the California wildfires have brought.

The Fast & Furious franchise is a massive success that has brought in billions of dollars at the global box office. We’re expecting multiple movies in the series yet to come, with Fast and Furious 11 on the horizon, as well as a new Dwayne Johnson spinoff movie. However, it’s looking like Vin Diesel’s big franchise could actually be in trouble as the next movie’s future is unknown.

The sequel to Fast X was originally set to open in theaters this year. But as of now, production has not begun, and there isn’t an expected start date. The reason, reportedly, is that Vin Diesel is having trouble securing financing for more Fast & Furious films.

The Next Fast & Furious Movie Is Reportedly Having Budget Problems

It seems odd that an entry in the Fast & Furious franchise is having trouble finding financing, but that’s the report coming from RadarOnline. It states that Diesel is trying to get the next film a massive budget, but that the last movie’s performance may make that a no-go.

Fast X grossed an impressive $715 million at the global box office, but that was on the heels of a budget that, before marketing and distribution, reportedly ballooned up to $340 million. This made the last movie barely profitable. It’s suggested that Fast & Furious 11 may need to dial back its expectations budget-wise if it wants to be more appealing to the people who write the checks.

Before Fast X’s release, it was suggested the “last” movie in the franchise could end up being a trilogy. Now it seems clear that there will only be one more movie. However there are other parts of the franchise that we were still expecting.

The Rock’s Fast & Furious Future Is Still A Big Question

Of course, the direct sequel to Fast X isn’t the only Fast & Furious project with a question hanging over it. The post-credits scene to Fast X signaled a return of Dwayne Johnson to the franchise. That news was followed by the announcement of a new spinoff, one we expected to see before the next entry in the main franchise. That movie is also in limbo.

Considering the awkward interaction that Diesel and Johnson had at the Golden Globes earlier this month, there are still a lot of questions about how much their previous feud is behind them.

It’s not entirely unheard of for a movie that was a “part one” to never get a part two. There have been projects shelved because the first movie didn’t perform. There’s no indication that Fast & Furious could be in danger of that. One assumes that if Diesel can’t get the budget he wants, he’ll take the budget he can get. But it may mean that the final entry in the storied franchise may not be quite the sendoff that he, or fans, are hoping for.

It’s a sad day for TikTok users, as the Supreme Court voted to uphold a federal statute that would ban the popular video-hosting app in the U.S. This was due to national security concerns related to the Chinese ownership of its parent company ByteDance. The TikTok ban has also hit hard on artists including Charlie Puth, who brought back his viral Furious 7 song “See You Again” as a way to say farewell to his followers. As you can imagine, fans are now all in their feels.

Recording artist Charlie Puth had a long history with TikTok. He would use the short-form video app to promote his new releases, interact with his fans and share snippets of the creative processes of “Light Switch” and other songs. Right before the app’s U.S. ban, the Grammy nominee posted his final TikTok, saying goodbye to the video app and his followers. Take a look at an X fan account’s reposting of the heartfelt video showing Puth playing his viral song -- which already made fans cry at the end of Furious 7:

That melancholy melody of Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” will always hit me where it hurts. After all, it's the perfect song to bid someone farewell but provide hope that it’s not goodbye forever. You better believe that emotional comments were pouring in from TikTok users, who expressed how much they’d miss catching up with the American singer-songwriter on the app. Check out some of them:

• Charlie you know this is gonna make everyone cry - Chris Carter
• Best TikTok I’ve seen 😔 - Lucas and Marcus
• charlie don’t do this to me i’m already crying - Anthony Gargiula
• No Charlie, we weren’t ready for this 😭 - Headpsace
• .... you just unlocked a core memory from 2015 ☹️ - Rose
• SEE YOU AGAIN🥺🥺😭 - Xaiph/es
• Charlieeee NOOOOOOO DON'T LEAVEEEEEEEEEEEE😭😭😭 - princesskhaye

A song like Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” is definitely cathartic. That’s why it was the perfect song to honor the character of Brian from The Fast and the Furious movies and Paul Walker, who portrayed him. Walker tragically passed away at 40 after a car crash back in 2013, before completing Furious 7. While the original ending of the seventh film was going to set up a “bigger world” for the action franchise, director James Wan said the studio couldn’t end the film without a proper tribute to Walker. With that, Puth was approached by Universal to help pen the iconic movie song with Wiz Khalifa.

Fast & Furious 7 addressed Brian’s departure by having the character happily retire with his family. The closing scene of him and Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto was interlaced with a series of flashbacks from previous movies, with “See You Again” playing over the entire sequence. The present-day scene, which shows Brian and Dom parting ways while driving marks Paul Walker's final appearance in the franchise. Also, CGI was used for Walker’s close-up shots, and Walker’s brothers served as stand-ins for distant shots.

Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa song became a worldwide best-selling song of 2015, receiving three Grammy nominations and a Golden Globe nom. All in all, it was the perfect way to cap off Puth's stint on TikTok. Still, like the “One Call Away” singer said, “this isn’t goodbye” as I’m sure he’ll continue making great music with or without the aforementioned app.

Remember the Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson Fast & Furious beef? It's been a long time since we've heard anything about whether the two action stars are friends or foes, but I definitely wasn't expecting the 2025 Golden Globes to be the place for them to interact. At least I have the internet to validate me following the awkward reunion they just had. (Check out our awards live blog if you didn't watch!)

It's wild to think it was close to a decade ago when Dwayne Johnson went off about his Fast and Furious co-stars on social media thus beginning the beef. Here's what happened at Sunday's award show:

Considering Vin Diesel hasn't been in a movie all year, it was certainly a surprise to see him take the stage during the Golden Globes to give out an award. The star came on stage later in the show to present the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement to the Wicked movie's cast, director and producers. Since Dwayne Johnson was in attendance as a presenter as well and up front, Diesel gave him a "Hi" when he walked on stage, followed by a big ol' grin.

It was a tense and kind of hilarious moment, and I'm happy internet reactions like this exist:

Following the infamous slap at the Oscars a few years ago, it does always feel like anything can happen when a bunch of celebrities get together, but this was of the "mild and kind of wholesome" variety, given the lack of on-screen fireworks. It was sort of sweet to see Vin Diesel acknowledge his longtime colleague, but like myself, some fans are wondering if there were ulterior undertones behind that "Hey."

Last we heard about The Rock and Vin Diesel by way of the Fast and Furious franchise was in November, when Diesel shared a photo of himself and The Rock from an earlier franchise entry where he said he was looking forward to "a reunion of that beautiful brotherhood" along with getting "back to real street racing" and "practical stunts" in the next installment.

Fast X: Part 2 is currently slated for the summer of 2026, and is expected to be the end of the franchise after 25 years. Considering The Rock was part of a mid-credits scene in Fast X, we expect Luke Hobbs will be back in action in the future.

It's just unclear if that will be for the next Fast movie and/or the spinoff movie he previously announced in 2023. To our knowledge the movie has not yet begun filming, but we'd expect to learn more about it this year, as we'd imagine the production would need to kick off some time in 2025.

What a Golden Globes moment! After reading about the Globes' highlights, get caught up on the Fast and Furious timeline here on CinemaBlend.

Since the mid-1980s when hip-hop fully entered the popular culture, filmmakers have been including dope beats and great rhymes in the soundtracks of their movies, creating some of the best soundtracks of all time. Just as hip-hop hasn't faded, nor has the use of it in movies over the last four-plus decades. Here are some of the best examples of hip-hop soundtracks in film.

Black Panther

There are a lot of wonderful things to be said about Marvel's Black Panther. When ranking the MCU, it is consistently near the very top. One aspect that doesn't get talked about as much as it could is the phenomenal soundtrack that includes the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, SZA, Travis Scott, and more.

Street Fighter

The first Street Fighter movie, released way back in '94, isn't all that fondly remembered today by fans of the video game or movie critics. It does, however, have a fantastic soundtrack that is very worth mentioning on this list. Ice Cube, Nas, The Pharcyde, LL Cool J, MC Hammer, and more stars from the day all have songs on it, and even if you never watch the movie (and we can't recommend it), you should definitely check out the soundtrack.

Wild Style

1983's Wild Style is an amazing relic of its era. The early, exciting days of hip-hop, musically and culturally were first brought the the big screen in the movie and it features some of the most important and influential artists of the day both in the movie (like Fab 5 Freddy), and on the soundtrack. Collected and produced by Blondie's Chris Stein, it features early rappers and DJs like Grandmaster Caz, Funky 4 + 1, Grand Wizzard Theodore, and The Cold Crush Brothers.

Colors

Director Dennis Hopper's 1988 Colors was very controversial when it was first released. Suburban America wasn't really ready for such a brutal and honest look at life in urban America at the time. While some of it is definitely over the top, it was still a groundbreaking film. It's also very fondly remembered for Ice T's title cut from the movie, which is still a banger all these years later.

Creed

Director Ryan Coogler really knows how to put together a soundtrack for his movies, including, of course, Creed in 2015. Future, Meek Mill, Childish Gambino, and other hip-hop artists from the era are featured on this one, and it also has some great throwbacks like "Bridging the Gap" by Nas, and "Hail Mary" by 2Pac.

He Got Game

Spike Lee's joint He Got Game was one of the coolest movies released in the late 1990s, and one big reason it had such an impact is Public Enemy's title track. Featuring a sample from Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," some sick rhymes by Chuck D, and a contribution from The Springfield's Stephen Stills, the song is a masterpiece. The rest of the soundtrack is pretty great too.

New Jack City

There aren't really enough words to explain the impact of New Jack City on the movie world when it was released in 1991. It was one of the early examples of how much impact hip-hop was having on the broader culture and that was exemplified by the title cut by Ice T. The soundtrack also featured pioneers like Queen Latifah and even an appearance by 2 Live Crew.

Belly

One could argue that 1998's Belly is the first fully "hip-hop" movie (besides Wild Style in the '80s). Directed by Hype Williams, who was known for his video direction, and starring a slew of the best rappers of the day, including DMX, Method Man, Nas, Ghostface Killah, and T-Boz. The soundtrack featured all of them too, of course.

Get Rich or Die Tryin’

In the grand scheme of things, 2005's Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was really all about taking advantage of 50 Cent's huge popularity at the time, and while the movie isn't exactly great, it'll likely be forever loved and remembered for Fiddy's fantastic album of the same name that served as the soundtrack for the film.

8 Mile

8 Mile, which is loosely an autobiographical take on the life and upbringing of Eminem is a fantastic movie that, despite being so great, has been actually overshadowed by the amazing soundtrack by the Detroit-born rapper. "Lose Yourself," is considered one of Eminem's masterpieces and it became the first hip-hop song to win an Oscar for Best Song.

High School High

Sometimes bad movies can produce amazing soundtracks. Such is the case for High School High. The movie itself, a comedy about a white teacher out of his depth in a Black school is inane. The soundtrack, however, is anything but with some real bangers by The Wu-Tang Clan, Lil' Kim, De La Soul, and others.

Boyz N The Hood

John Singleton's 1991 directorial debut, Boyz N The Hood, hit American culture like a bomb. Gangster rap was on the rise and the movie was the first real look into the modern "hood," as Ice Cube would call it in the movie. The soundtrack is as powerful as the film, with some of the biggest hip -hop artists of the day including Ice Cube (of course), Too $hort, 2 Live Crew, and Compton's Most Wanted.

Hustle & Flow

Any movie about a rapper, like Hustle & Flow, better have a great soundtrack. Luckily Hustle & Flow does. Three 6 Mafia's song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" became just the second hip-hop song to win the Oscar for Best Song and it's since gone on to become a big part of the cultural zeitgeist.

Bad Boys: Ride Or Die

The Bad Boys franchise just keeps going and going and when a new one comes out, like 2024's Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, you know a great soundtrack is coming with it. For Ride or Die, we get some bangers by Flo Milli, Will Smith (of course), and The Black Eyed Peas.

Judgement Night

Sometimes bad movies have great soundtracks. The movie Judgement Night is largely forgotten in our culture. The soundtrack, on the other hand, remains one of the best soundtracks in film history. It was also one of the first examples of taking rock bands and teaming them up with rappers to create something completely new, and amazing.

Do The Right Thing

There was no way to make this list without including 1989's Do The Right Thing from director Spike Lee. Not only was it one of the first movies with a strong hip-hop aesthetic, the soundtrack includes one of the greatest rap songs ever with Public Enemy's Fight The Power, a song that still gets listened to all the time.

Above The Rim

There are plenty of examples of songs that people completely forget came from a movie soundtrack. For example, do you remember that "Regulate" by Warren G was first released as part of the soundtrack to Above The Rim? If not, you're not alone, the song is iconic and while the movie is decent, it has not had nearly the staying power of the Warren G classic.

The Great Gatsby

Director Baz Luhrmann has become known for using anachronistic music for his soundtracks and nowhere is that more notable than the use of hip-hop in The Great Gatsby. The movie, like the book, is set in the 1920s, but the music is very 21st Century. Produced by Jay Z, it's filled with great music up and down.

Poetic Justice

John Singleton's second movie, Poetic Justice deserves to be remembered more than it is. Not only was it an early example of female empowerment from a Black director, but the soundtrack is an all-timer, with songs by Dr. Dre and Snoop, TLC, Naughty by Nature, and the film's co-star Tupac Shakur.

The Nutty Professor

Not everyone loves The Nutty Professor, though it is often ranked among Eddie Murphy's best movies. One thing everyone should love is the soundtrack. Not only is there an early Jay-Z song on it, but it's also got some great contributions from Foxy Brown, Raekwon the Chef, and Warren G.

Bulworth

A movie directed by Warren Beaty might not be one where you expect a lot of hip-hop, but then there is Bulworth. The movie was a bold statement about politics and racism, but it really failed to find an audience. The soundtrack did find an audience, with songs like "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" by Praz, and "Zoom" by Dr. Dre and LL Cool J.

Juice

Tupac Shakur's first big movie role came in 1992's Juice. It came out in the early '90s when hip-hop culture was in its ascendence across all of America and the soundtrack is filled with some of the best rappers of the era, like Too $hort, Naughty By Nature, Cypress Hill, EPMD, Eric B & Rakim, and Salt-N-Pepa.

House Party

In the 1980s, hip-hop was mostly party music. It wasn't until the late '80s that it really became social commentary in a big way. So, of course, that meant that any movie in 1990, especially one called House Party was going to feature some great hip-hop party anthems like "Fun House" by the movie's stars Kid 'N Play.

Menace II Society

1993's Menace II Society was another one of those movies that came out in the early '90s that shocked suburban America with its honesty about life for many in the Black community. As such, it featured a hard-hitting soundtrack by no-nonsense artists like Boogie Down Productions, Too $hort, Da Lench Mob, and more.

The Fast and the Furious

2001's The Fast and the Furious launched a franchise that just keeps going and going. All of the movies have featured some really fun soundtracks, so it's impossible to narrow down the best, so we'll just throw out the original as the standard bearer with songs by Scarface and Ja Rule.

Birds of Prey

It's so fitting that a movie about "girl power" like 2020's Bird Of Prey starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn would have a soundtrack filled with some of the best female hip-hop artists of the early 21st Century like Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, and Saweetie.

Brown Sugar

Hip-hop is literally at the heart of the romantic comedy Brown Sugar, so of course the soundtrack is going to be full of great tracks. The soundtrack is a great mix of the old school, like "Paid in Full" by Eric B. & Rakim, and the (then) new school with tracks by Mos Def (who also stars in the movie), and Common, who raps on the song "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" by Erykah Badu.

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood

In the midst of a slew of hard-hitting movies with harsh (but honest) social commentary about life in the inner city came the Wayon Brothers parody Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. It does for Black movies of the '90s what Airplane! did for disaster movies of the '70s. It's also got a fantastic soundtrack.

The Longest Yard

The 2005 remake of The Longest Yard isn't nearly as good as the original movie about a bunch of underdogs winning a football game in a prison. It does, however, feature a great soundtrack that includes some fantastic hip-hop songs like "Errtime" by Nelly.

Friday

Friday is one of the all-time great stoner movies and considering Ice Cube is one of the stars, you know it had to include some great hip-hop, including Cube's own title track to the soundtrack. The most famous song from the movie, however, is "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube in one of their rare collaborations post N.W.A.

Sunset Park

1996's Sunset Park is a perfect example of an imperfect movie with a phenomenal soundtrack. The movie was a box office bomb, the soundtrack still included some serious bangers by a ton of great artists like 2Pac, Ghostface Killah, The Dogg Pound, and many more.

Higher Learning

The late John Singleton was a master at including hip-hop into his socially conscious movies like Higher Learning. It features tracks from Outkast, Ice Cube, Mista Grimm, and more.

I don’t know about you, but just about every time I watch one of the Fast and Furious movies, I find myself thinking “How on Earth did they come up with that idea?” That was especially true when I saw The Fate of the Furious for the first time and witnessed that wild submarine fight. Now, I have an answer to the above question in relation to this mind-boggling aforementioned scene, because screenwriter Chris Morgan broke down how he came up with it.

Intercut with the absolutely legendary F&F plotline involving Jason Statham saving a baby on a plane, Fate of the Furious’ climax features the entire family driving on the ice trying to stop Charlize Theron’s villain and her submarine. Truly – and I say this with deep love – the moment is bonkers and totally unique in comparison to the big set pieces to come before it.

While speaking to THR about his film on the 2024 movie schedule, Red One, Chris Morgan also talked about how he writes his action, and used the eighth Fast and Furious film as an example, saying:

As the writer for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious and Hobbs & Shaw, Morgan is no stranger to creating an absolutely wild action sequence.

I remember watching Fast Five and that legendary heist scene and witnessing that Furious 7 moment that involved parachuting cars, among others, and being kind of mind-blown. The action moments are super creative, honestly, and not something I could have ever thought of. So, it’s cool to get some insight into how Morgan came up with them.

Right before giving his explanation for how he wrote The Fate of the Furious, Mogan addressed how he approached writing generally. Explaining that he can’t just sit down and type words onto a page, the screenwriter said:

While he didn’t describe the research that went into Fast 8, it was clear that he had a vision before he started writing.

The screenwriter then said that every scene he writes has to tie into the character’s story, it can’t just look cool for cool’s sake, explaining:

In the case of The Fate of the Furious, one of the primary hurdles Dom is overcoming is the idea of being a dad and working to save his child (who is said baby on the plane with Jason Statham). Vin Diesel and co. are also trying to take down Theron, who had done all of them wrong. So, amid the very cool ice submarine fight, it is pretty clear why the family is willing to put their lives on the line while literally on ice.

So, with all this in mind, you can go back and watch The Fate of the Furious with a Peacock subscription. Then, make sure to keep an eye out for more updates on the next installment in this franchise, as Fast and Furious 11 is scheduled to come out in 2026.

Actor and producer Dwayne Johnson is one of the hardest working people in Hollywood, constantly releasing new projects in theaters and on the small screen. And while fans are gearing up for his new holiday movie Red One, some moviegoers are still wondering if he'll return to to the Fast and Furious franchise with a sequel to Hobbs & Shaw. There's been no news on that front for a while now, and now Hobbs & Shaw's writer has offered an update on The Rock’s sequel. Meanwhile, Vin Diesel is hinting at Johnson's return to the main franchise.

While some moviegoers are still trying to figure out the Fast and Furious' timeline, others have been not-so-patiently waiting for the spinoff Hobbs & Shaw to offer another entry. During a conversation with THR, writer Chris Morgan put doubt in the future of a sequel, saying:

Well, that's not exactly hopeful. Hobbs & Shaw hit theaters in 2019, and there's been no indication that a sequel is coming. Some moviegoers really responded to the spinoff, which gave Idris Elba's villain superpowers. Other standouts include The Rock's chemistry with Jason Statham and Vanessa Kirby.

But those who are hoping to see Dwayne Johnson return to the Fast & Furious movies might be in luck. Because while celebrating Thanksgiving, Vin Diesel posted on Instagram hinting that The Rock might finally be returning. Check it out below:

Well, I'm intrigued. It sounds like Vin Diesel is ready for The Rock to come back to the flagship Fast and Furious franchise. Does this mean that he'll have a role in the upcoming Fast and Furious 11 movie? Only time will tell, but this message is definitely going to be a hopeful one for fans.

This message from the 57 year-old action star might be surprising, considering Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson's infamous beef. Diesel's post seems to be offering an olive branch, and getting fans of the high speed franchise hyped about The Rock's character Luke Hobbs possibly returning to the main franchise. We'll just have to wait and see if Johnson ends up responding at all to this call for his appearance in the Fast and Furious franchise.

Of course, getting Hobbs back into the Fast franchise might be difficult considering The Rock's wildly busy schedule. He's got two new movies arriving for the Holiday Season: Red One and Moana 2. He's also currently filming the live-action Moana movie, with photos from the set revealing his look as Maui.

The Fast and the Furious franchise is streaming now on Peacock. While we wait for news about the franchise's future, check out the 2025 movie release dates to plan your movie experiences for the New Year.

For a series as focused on bleeding edge technology as the Fast Saga, it’s kind of crazy that the series hasn’t made any mention of AI tech being used to produce Universal’s high octane blockbusters. But with Fast X’s sequel skipping the crop of upcoming 2025 movies, that milestone still looks to be on the horizon in the near future.

Which leaves this question to be answered: could there have been a more appropriate introduction than series star Chris “Ludacris” Bridges showing off the hilarious results? AI is apparently hard at work in the service of continuing the Fast & Furious timeline into the next year.

As you’ll see in the image shared by Ludacris on social media, we shouldn’t worry too much about this technology replacing actors in the near future:

With what we know about Fast 11 indicating that the next, and potentially final slide in the Vin Diesel-led ensemble franchise, will land in 2026, the world is still waiting for a huge piece of closure. That’s because Fast X’s insane ending left some pretty huge questions in the air, and even the reason for the reappearance of Dwayne Johnson as Agent Luke Hobbs doesn’t look to be any clearer.

Oh, and there’s also the fate of Dom, his son and the rest of the group hanging in the balance of what happens next. Believe it or not, that’s exactly what I think this shot is hinting at in the Fast & Furious sequel ahead. As we’re seeing pretty wild renderings of characters Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Tej (Ludacris) and Roman (Tyrese Gibson) from the money-printing franchise screaming for dear life, we might be seeing how these particular folks are going to appear in the opening moments of Fast X’s direct sequel.

Which hopefully, for the sakes of the pictured cast and their likenesses, ends with a rough, but solid landing. After all, we wouldn't want to see any dear friends from the Fast crime family depart at the beginning of whatever this next final ride entails. But as Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa) has shown us in Fast X's past, what we want and what's going to happen aren't always the same thing.

However, as of this moment, that is still one of the many mysteries that hold firm in the world of the Fast Saga. Fast 11, or whatever this new entry into the Torretto family scrapbook will be called, is set to arrive in theaters at an undetermined point in 2026. In the meantime, you can currently stream Fast X through access to a Prime Video subscription, which is not only a completed film, but looks way better than any of the AI models could have predicted.