Vin Diesel, the star, producer and co-creator of the Fast & Furious, has confirmed that Universal Studios have given the go-ahead to three more films in the franchise.
Fast & Furious 7, which was released earlier this year, took more than $1.5bn (£985m) globally and helped contribute to a record-breaking run by the studio. The final trilogy would take the saga well into double figures.
Diesel wrote on Facebook:
The fans of the Fast & Furious SAGA are the best fans in the world … Since I became the producer in 2008, you have been with me every step of the way … literally giving me feedback that proved invaluable. Thank you.
My producing partner Neal would love for me to just sign off on a director, but this is too special a franchise, so these matters have to be very carefully handled. To be clear, NO ONE has been offered to helm Fast 8 yet … let alone seen a script.
Universal has been so good to me and so trusting of the vision … they have been like family … I promised the studio I would deliver one last Trilogy to end the saga.
I will announce the directors on my next post …
A report last week suggested that there had been some backstage wrangling over the eighth film, with speculation that Diesel may wield an obstructive level of veto. A director for the film – set for release in spring 2017 – has not yet been named. Lucas Black (who had been tasked with the seventh film) and James Wan (who ended up directing) are both reportedly unavailable.
