Vin Diesel confirmed via Instagram post Friday that he’s staying with the “Fast and Furious” franchise through its “grand finale.”
The post, detailing a meeting with “the writers and whole team,” marked Diesel’s first public statement since being sued for sexual battery in December by his former assistant, who alleged a 2010 incident during production on “Fast Five.”
“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 said in his Instagram post.
“This grand finale is not just an ending; it’s a celebration of the incredible family we’ve built together,” he added. “Hope to make you proud!”
There was speculation that the December lawsuit from former staffer and plaintiff Asta Jonasson would impact the longtime franchise star and producer’s involvement in the follow-up to 2023’s “Fast X.” Jonasson alleges Diesel forcibly groped and molested her during production on “Fast Five” in the fall of 2010.
Diesel issued a statement at the time through his attorney Bryan Freedman and said the allegations were not true.
“Let me be very clear: Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety,” the statement said. “This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly nine-day employee. There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations.”
As it currently stands, the “Fast and Furious” finale is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2025. “Fast X” ended on a potentially life-and-death cliffhanger concerning Diesel’s character Dominic Torreto.
