Alan Ritchson Explains Why FAST FOREVER Hasn't Hit the Road Yet: "There's a Lot of Obstacles"
Fans have been anxiously waiting to see how the Fast & Furious saga will wrap up, but getting Fast Forever to the finish line has proven to be much more complicated than anyone expected.
While Vin Diesel previously confirmed that the eleventh film will serve as the franchise's grand finale and even announced a March 17, 2028 release date, there are still some very real hurdles standing in the way.
During a recent appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Alan Ritchson opened up about where things currently stand with the long-awaited sequel, and it sounds like the movie is still very much alive. It just has a few major problems to solve first.
The Fast & Furious franchise has been around for 25 years, beginning with The Fast and the Furious in 2001. Over the years, the series has transformed from street racing thrillers into globe-spanning action spectacles packed with enormous stunts, massive casts, and increasingly ambitious set pieces. That evolution has also made each new installment significantly more expensive to produce.
When asked if Fast Forever is actually happening, Ritchson revealed that discussions are ongoing. “I know a lot. We have conversations all the time…But there’s just a lot of obstacles.
‘It’s expensive to make that; it’s too expensive to make those. It just doesn’t make a ton of sense. There’s a more efficient way to shoot those shows.”
His comments paint a pretty clear picture of one of the franchise's biggest challenges. These movies have grown into enormous productions, and after Fast X didn't deliver the kind of box office performance many expected, it's understandable that the studio is taking a careful look at how to move forward without letting the budget spiral even further.
Ritchson went on to explain that the filmmakers are trying to find the right balance between giving audiences the larger-than-life experience they've come to expect while also making the production financially practical.
“There has to be a way to show restraint while also honoring the fact that this world has expanded to something humongous. That gets very difficult. Now, we’re at the crossroads of something very hard to figure out, and you know, everybody’s figuring it out.”
That sounds like the creative team is trying to scale things back without losing the over-the-top excitement that has become a defining part of the franchise. That's probably easier said than done when fans expect every new movie to top the last one.
Thankfully, Ritchson also offered a reason for fans to stay optimistic. “I think there’s going to be another one. I think it’s going to be great. And it’s just a matter of solving some big problems, very real problems.”
That doesn't sound like someone talking about a project that's in danger of disappearing. Instead, it sounds like Fast Forever is simply stuck in the difficult stage where the filmmakers and studio are trying to figure out how to deliver a finale worthy of the franchise without letting costs get out of control.
Earlier this year, Diesel reassured fans by confirming the title and release date himself, writing, “…March 17th 2028! FAST FOREVER.”
For now, fans will have to keep waiting while those "very real problems" get sorted out.