Actress Michelle Rodriguez has played a key role in the Fast & Furious franchise since the very beginning. With her portrayal of Letty Ortiz, a skilled driver, and Dominic Toretto’s partner, Rodriguez managed to become a fan favorite and cemented her status as an action star.
After two decades, the 45-year-old star feels like she is done with the franchise. Despite the massive success of the latest Fast & Furious installment, Fast X, Rodriguez subtly hinted that she may exit the franchise. She was rumored to be a part of a female-led Fast & Furious spin-off movie, but now it seems like the franchise will move on without her.
Is Michelle Rodriguez leaving the Fast & Furious franchise?
After so many years of playing Letty Ortiz in the Fast & Furious franchise, actress Michelle Rodriguez has indicated that she might be done. At the Rome premiere of Fast X, Rodriguez told Variety,
“You pass the baton on. You take the back seat. You go passenger side. When it comes the next generation, you have to. It’s the only way to let them define the future.”
2001’s The Fast and the Furious was Rodriguez’s second movie, so she gained popularity almost instantly. Apart from her work in this franchise, she has showcased her range as an actress in many films like Girlfight (2000), Resident Evil (2002), The Breed (2006) and Avatar (2009).
A female-led Fast and Furious spin-off movie is in the works
Earlier this year, actor Vin Diesel, who is well-known for playing Dominic Toretto in the franchise, confirmed that a female-led Fast and Furious spin-off movie is in the works (via Variety),
“I started developing the female spinoff… in 2017 with other spinoffs, and the sooner I deliver the finale, the sooner I can launch all the spinoffs.”
Michelle Rodriguez’s statements seem to hint that she might not be a part of this spin-off film, despite being one of the most iconic female characters in the franchise. Several spinoffs are in development, including one featuring Dwayne Johnson as the lead character.
The second part of Fast X will release in April 2025
Diesel has also confirmed that Fast X is not the end of the franchise as the film will conclude with a second part. He explained that it was not possible to end the movie in one part (via Variety),
“It’s bittersweet to think of a finale. Look how many characters and great talent there is in the movie. There was no way I can pull that off unless I had everyone on for five seconds. These characters are appealing and we need to see more of them.”
On June 12, 2023, Diesel shared a photo of himself with Fast X‘s main antagonist, Jason Momoa, who plays Dante Reyes in the movie, along with the caption, “April 4th 2025… is less than 22 months away.” In the past two decades, the franchise has witnessed crazy growth in its popularity, and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Fast X officially released on Peacock on September 15, 2023
Source: Variety
