Nostalgia is strong in 2026. Pixar’s ‘Cars’ is headed back to cinemas, ‘Toy Story 5‘ scored the biggest opening weekend for the franchise, and on August 21, the original 2001 ‘The Fast and the Furious‘ returns to theatres for its 25th anniversary, giving a new generation the chance to get that first taste of tuna on white with no crust.
So naturally, when Vin Diesel appeared online last week in full Dominic Toretto mode, standing near that familiar black Dodge Charger and talking about being on set, the internet heard one thing: ‘Fast Forever‘ must have finally started filming!
Gizmodo ran with that idea, reporting that the long-delayed F&F finale was “…finally back on track…” Variety and CinemaBlend also treated Diesel’s behind-the-scenes tease as a ‘Fast Forever‘ update. The problem, as TheWrap later reported, was that Fast & Furious 11 was not actually in production at all.
Diesel was on set, yes. Crews were working, yes. Family was almost certainly mentioned, because the man can’t order lunch without making it sound like a blood oath. But the shoot was not the beginning of ‘Fast Forever‘. It was a FIFA World Cup promo, with Diesel reprising Dom Toretto to hype soccer action. That’s some expert level marketing, enticing gearheads into the stick-and-ball sports world.
The funny part is that the trick worked because people wanted to believe it. Between the 25th anniversary theatrical re-release, Fast Film Fests, the new Hollywood Drift roller coaster, and endless rumours about the final chapter, fans are not short on Fast & Furious nostalgia. What they are short on is closure.
So when Diesel showed up near the Charger, talking like Dom and looking like Dom, the internet did the rest. We filled in the blanks. We heard the engine start before anyone turned the key. Turns out, it was only a soccer commercial.
But for a minute there, we all lined up at the starting line, revving our engines.