The Fast and Furious saga has been teasing a conclusion for years, but the closer we get to it, the less it becomes clear when it’s actually happening. Back when Fast X was first announced we were under the distinct impression it would be the end of the franchise. Then Fast X became two movies, and then two movies and a spinoff, and now it’s unclear if even that will be the end.
If anybody knew what was going on with the Fast and Furious franchise, you’d think it would be one of the “family.” But People recently spoke with Ludacris, who plays Tej in the series, and if he knows what’s happening at this point. He’s not telling. When asked specifically if the Fast X sequel will be the end, he plays coy, saying…
The last one was open-ended, so to speak. It kind of left people hanging. I feel like we are definitely going to come back at some point very soon to surprise everyone. Will it be the last? I don't know, but we shall see.
So that’s about as far from definitive as you can expect to get. Does Ludacris say he doesn’t know because he actually doesn’t know, or because he knows it's not the end, and can’t say anything yet? At this point, the company line seems to be to tease a future, rather than announce a finale.
Initially, we thought Fast X would be the end. Then we were told that, like so many franchise finales before it “the end” would actually be two movies rather than one. Then we learned that Dwayne Johnson was returning to the Fast and Furious franchise in a movie that was not the second half of Fast X, nor was it Hobbs and Shaw 2, but it was some other third thing, seemingly set to act as a bridge between Fast X finales.
But now, even after the next two movies, we’re not entirely sure the franchise will be over. Ludacris knows that, even if we see an end to this particular story, it doesn’t mean the end of the larger franchise, so perhaps we should get ready for Fast and Furious Phase 2. He continues…
A lot of other franchises, they may end, but they don't really end. It's almost like the beginning of something new, so I don't feel like it'll ever truly end either, but you never know.
And to be fair, there’s always been that Fast and Furious female spinoff that we are continually promised, but has yet to happen. At this point, it would almost have to happen after Fast X Part II if it’s ever going to happen at all. And it seems unlikely anybody at Universal wants to stop making movies in the series as long as they keep making hundreds of millions of dollars. So maybe this is far from the end after all.