The Next Fast & Furious Movie May Not Happen Unless This 1 Condition Is Met

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For almost 25 years, the Fast & Furious franchise has been hugely successful, with the 11 films released so far earning over $7.4 billion worldwide. Given this impressive record, it seems logical to make another movie – particularly one intended as a final chapter to the series. However, Fast X – Part 2 has faced significant difficulties in development as Vin Diesel and the team decide how to proceed. Diesel has many ideas for the film, including the controversial plan to somehow feature the late Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Connor, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to realize his vision. The newest Fast X – Part 2 news adds to the uncertainty surrounding the movie.

A report from The Wall Street Journal explains the difficulties surrounding the development of Fast X – Part 2. As of now, the film doesn’t have a finalized script, a confirmed release date, or a complete cast. According to the report, Universal executives are even questioning whether they will make the movie at all, unless they can find a way to produce it at a significantly lower cost than [Fast X], which only just managed to turn a profit despite grossing $714.5 million globally. Universal has reportedly stated that the next Fast & Furious movie won’t move forward unless the production budget is around $200 million. To put that in perspective, Fast X had a budget of $340 million.

Currently, the production cost of Fast X – Part 2 is estimated at around $250 million, and those involved are actively seeking ways to reduce the budget further. Some of the ideas being considered include filming in fewer international locations and reducing the screen time for certain actors, which would help Universal save money on cast salaries.

Universal’s Condition For Fast X – Part 2‘s Budget Makes Sense

Universal’s decision to carefully control the budget for Fast X – Part 2 makes good business sense. The studio is adjusting to current economic realities by keeping costs down. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was common for major blockbuster films to earn $1 billion at the box office (Fast Five and Furious 7 were among the many 2010s hits that achieved this). However, reaching that level of success is more difficult now. While 11 films have still crossed the $1 billion mark this decade (including Lilo & Stitch this summer), many movies are now failing to reach that goal.

It feels like only recently, films like Aquaman and Captain Marvel were huge hits, each earning over $1 billion at the box office. However, superhero movies aren’t the guaranteed successes they used to be. This year, the top-performing comic book movie is Superman, which made $615.7 million globally. Several Marvel films in the last few years haven’t been profitable. So, it’s not surprising that studios like Marvel are trying to reduce costs – for example, they’re considering lesser-known actors for the upcoming X-Men reboot. The Fast & Furious franchise is facing a similar situation; moviegoers’ habits have shifted in recent years, and Universal can’t count on $1 billion in ticket sales anymore.

The last three Fast & Furious movies have earned less and less money at the box office. The spin-off film, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, brought in $760.7 million, while F9 made $726.2 million, and Fast X grossed $714.5 million. While each of these numbers is still quite high and impressive on its own, they show that audiences are at least somewhat losing interest in the series. If the movies were consistently earning $1 billion, Universal likely wouldn’t hesitate to approve bigger budgets. However, it’s become harder and harder to accurately predict how well movies will do in theaters over the last few years.

It would be very surprising if Fast X – Part 2 was cancelled completely. Although the Fast & Furious series isn’t as consistently popular as it once was, it remains a key franchise for Universal, and Fast X – Part 2 has the potential to be a major success for the studio (particularly if promoted as a grand conclusion). The filmmakers now need to find ways to reduce the budget further, and given Vin Diesel’s commitment to the series, he’s likely to achieve that. Fans also don’t need to be concerned about a compromised film; a budget of $200 million is still substantial-more than enough to provide the exciting action audiences anticipate from Dominic Toretto and his crew.

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2025-10-04 19:13