Vin Diesel To Stay With 'Fast and Furious' Franchise After Sexual Assault & Battery Lawsuit

Vin Diesel is gearing up to film the "final" installment in the Fast and Furious franchise amid his hit with sexual assault allegations.

via THR:

Diesel took to Instagram on Friday to share that he met earlier that day with the writers and team behind the planned finale for Universal Pictures’ action movie series. This marks the first public update on the film saga following Diesel’s former assistant suing him for sexual battery in December stemming from an alleged 2010 incident at a hotel during production on Fast Five. Diesel, who also produces the car-focused films, has denied any wrongdoing.

“Just finished our end of the week Fast meeting with the writers and the whole team… to say the excitement for our finale was incredibly powerful is an understatement,” Diesel wrote in his Friday post. He went on to thank fans for supporting the franchise and added: “This grand finale is not just an ending; it’s a celebration of the incredible family we’ve built together. Hope to make you proud!”

This message marks a notable development, given the interest surrounding what effect, if any, the lawsuit could have on the future of the franchise. Fast X, the 10th installment in the Fast and Furious series that stars Diesel as racing fanatic Dom Toretto, hit theaters in May and surpassed $700 million at the global box office. In addition to a finale that will star Diesel, another film to star Dwayne Johnson and others from the Fast crew is in the works.

Last week, Diesel’s visit to the American Cinematheque Awards in Los Angeles marked his first public appearance since the legal action. As one of the high-profile guests paying tribute to honoree Helen Mirren, Diesel thanked the Oscar-winning actress, who had a role in Fast X, for inviting him to speak. She in turn thanked him while accepting her honor.

A sequel to Fast X from director Louis Leterrier is scheduled for release on April 4, 2025.

I'm of two minds regarding this news. On one hand if Vin is guilty of doing the things his former assistant is accusing him of, then he should pay for what he's done.

However, as someone who has watched every single film in this franchise, I want Vin to be in the film because I need to see how this long-in-the-tooth franchise finally ends.

I just pray the writing in Fast 11 is a step up those poorly-written scripts from Fast 9 and 10.