SPOILER alert: This story contains spoilers for “Fast X,” now playing in theaters.
Vin Diesel says spinoffs of the “Fast & Furious” franchise are already in the works, including a female-led installment. “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,” he told me Saturday at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) Block Party.
“Fast X” is the first of a two-part ending, but “it’s bittersweet to think of a finale,” Diesel said. In an interview on May 12 at the Rome premiere, he teased that the ending might be spread out over three films. “Look how many characters and great talent there is in the movie,” Diesel said of the possible 12th film. “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.”
“Fast X” features the shocking returns from Gisele (Gal Gadot) and Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson). Diesel admits it wasn’t easy keeping the cameos a secret. “I’m so excited to have them back home and even more excited to see fan reactions and to see how happy it makes people.”
Earlier on the carpet, “Fast X” co-star Michelle Rodriguez revealed that Gadot had shot cameos for earlier films, but they didn’t make the final cut.
“We have shot other things a long time ago that might not have fit that specific movie as a finale,” Diesel /confirm/ied. “Doing tags is a very tricky thing because you want your great talent but at the same time you have to be very careful to maintain the emotional state of your audience at the end of the movie. So that’s what you’re juggling.”
Rodriguez isn’t sure she’ll sign up for spinoffs. “You pass the baton on. You take the back seat,” she said. “You go passenger side. When it comes the next generation, you have to. It’s the only way to let them define the future.”
Diesel and Rodriguez were among the 350 guests at the CTAOP benefit who helped raise more than $900,000 for the organization’s work supporting the health, education and safety of youth in Southern Africa. The evening included a performance by drag queens Luxx and Salina EsTitties. Unfortunately, Theron had to bail at the last minute after testing positive for COVID.
CTAOP Block Party 2023, held at the Universal Studios Backlot, was sponsored by Dior, Breitling, Universal, CAA and Bloomberg, with additional support from Stella Artois, Pernod Ricard and Whispering Angel.
