It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for Fast Forever. Ever since 2023’s Fast X ended on a cliffhanger where Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his son Brian (Leo Abelo Perry) get caught up in an exploding dam, fans have been eagerly awaiting the next installment. Vin Diesel has said the movie will be coming in 2028 and while a Peacock TV show of the franchise was recently announced for 2028 as well, it still seems that Fast Forever will be the final film.
Being that this will likely be the final theatrical outing for the series, everyone is vying for the return of their favorite characters like Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw. But personally, I’m also hoping we’ll see some of the deeper cuts like Helen Mirren’s militia leader Magdalene “Queenie” Ellmanson-Shaw, who is also the mother of Statham’s character.
That’s why, when Mirren recently sat down with Polygon to promote her new film A Talent for Murder, I asked her if she’ll be returning for the final installment.
“Oh, in my dreams,” said Mirren.
Mirren’s co-star in A Talent for Murder is Alden Ehrenreich, who was with her for the junket interview. After hearing the question, Ehrenreich (who clearly needs to catch up on the Fast franchise) asked Mirren, “Are you in them?”
Mirren replied, “Yes, briefly, very, very briefly. They sort of squeeze me in somewhere, only because Vin is incredibly kind to me and I thank him for the opportunity to be in them.”
For those who need reminding, Mirren has actually been in four of the Fast and Furious films, beginning with 2017’s The Fate of the Furious. According to an interview Mirren did with People, she was cast after meeting Vin Diesel at a party and literally begging him to find a part for her.
Nearly a decade after her debut in the franchise, it’s clear her excitement hasn’t diminished. “In my dreams,” Mirren reiterated to me. “I hope they might squeeze me in — give me a little space somewhere.”
Hopefully word gets back to Vin Diesel, as Helen Mirren seems as eager for the next installment as the fans are.