The road to the end of the Fast & Furious franchise just got a little more emotional—and possibly more controversial. In a recent appearance, Vin Diesel hinted at something that would’ve seemed impossible a decade ago: the return of Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner in Fast & Furious 11, set to premiere in April 2027. Walker, who tragically passed away in a car accident in 2013, has remained an emotional cornerstone of the franchise even after his death. His character, Brian O’Conner, was written out in Furious 7 with a moving beachside farewell, aided by stand-ins and visual effects. The franchise chose to respect Walker’s legacy by allowing Brian to live on off-screen, raising a family with Mia (Jordana Brewster) while Dom and the crew continued to save the world in increasingly wild fashion. Now, though?
“The studio said to me, ‘Vin, can we please have the finale of Fast and Furious [in] April 2027?’ I said, ‘Under three conditions.’ First, is to bring the franchise back to L.A.! The second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing! The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O’Conner.”
Diesel’s comments now raise questions that go far beyond plot twists. Is Brian actually coming back on screen? If so, are Universal and the filmmakers considering using visual effects again—or even AI—to digitally recreate Walker? Or is Diesel speaking metaphorically, with Brian appearing only in tribute or flashback form? Either way, the idea of digitally resurrecting a real actor for a high-octane blockbuster finale will undoubtedly stir strong opinions.
There’s no question that Walker’s absence has loomed large over every Fast sequel since 2015. The franchise has tried to honor him in subtle ways—from naming Dom’s son Brian, to quick nods and off-hand comments about Brian being “off the grid.” But if Diesel gets his way, Fast & Furious 11 might go all in.
Why Would ‘Fast and Furious’ Bring Back Paul Walker?
After Fast X landed in theaters in May 2023, the path forward seemed clear: finish what was teased as a two-part finale. That film raked in over $700 million worldwide despite a $340 million budget and a middling critical reception (a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes), proving that audience enthusiasm for these characters still runs high.
And let’s be honest—Fast X had one of the most loaded casts in the franchise’s history. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Alan Ritchson, and even a surprise Dwayne Johnson cameo all joined in the mayhem. But the heart of the series was always Brian and Dom’s relationship. One last round?
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Fast and Furious 11.
Source: Variety