Vin Diesel’s long-enduring franchise, Fast and Furious, is reportedly going back to basics in terms of budget despite Dwayne Johnson’s star power in the previous installment. Fast X surprisingly tanked, grossing over $714 million against a budget of $340 million, and it seemed like it would be the last that Universal Pictures would shell out such a massive budget.
It’s crazy to think how far the movie franchise has come since its debut in 2001, with Diesel and the late star Paul Walker leading the film. Now, with its original ensemble cast and a whole slew of newcomers paired with the globe-trotting storyline, fans would have expected a more explosive outing for the saga’s tentative final installment.
Fast And Furious 11 Reportedly Going Lean And Basic With Less Budget
In a report from Jeff Sneider via his newsletter, Vin Diesel’s Fast and Furious 11 will have a cost-effective budget and go “lean and mean” for its eleventh movie. Fast X’s cost ballooned up to $340 million, and it seems quite absurd for a movie that was not heavily reliant on too many visual effects, like James Cameron’s Avatar 2.
The news also mentioned that, despite Dwayne Johnson’s surprise cameo in Fast X, which would have pulled more viewers, Fast and Furious 11 will only have less than $200 million budget. That would mean fans will no longer see some globe-trotting expeditions, and the plot will only revolve around a single race to something.
It is also suggested that the upcoming picture will be a throwback to the first movie, which simply explains the practical budget. Diesel is also expected to return despite his recent accusation of s*xual battery.
Interestingly, Universal claimed that if Fast and Furious 11 is decided as the final entry in the saga, Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes may not return and will be replaced by a new villain. Diesel wrote in an Instagram post that the next movie’s release date will be on April 4, 2025.
Fast X cast included Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, John Cena, Jason Statham, and Scott Eastwood, while newcomers Jason Momoa, Daniela Melchior, Brie Larson, and Alan Ritchson were also featured in the movie.
Fast X Director Teased The End Of The Saga
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, director Louis Leterrier hinted that the events in Fast X were already pointing to the saga’s conclusion, which the entire cast and crew agreed upon:
“We needed to understand where we’re ending in order to create the road to it. So, on top of everything that we had to do, we had to decide, ‘This is where this franchise is going to end. It has to end this way.’ Yes, yes, yes. Everybody agreed. Shook hands. And then we went back to work.”
There have been scarce details about the plot of the upcoming film, although based on the earlier reports, there will be less hopping to various continents and will probably tie up and provide resolution to the cliffhanger ending of Fast X.
