The Fast and Furious franchise may be looking to scale back amid Dwayne Johnson’s return and Vin Diesel’s lawsuit.

Even if there’s going to be another Fast and Furious entry after Fast X, it sounds like it’ll be a bumpy ride. A new report suggests Universal is attempting to change lanes with the film. This comes amid Vin Diesel’s lawsuit and Dwayne Johnson’s comeback.

A bumpy ride

Jeff Sneider of The InSneider is reporting that Universal may want to scale back with its upcoming Fast and Furious film. An insider told him that the studio “want it to be cheaper, yet they also want to bring back The Rock. Welcome to studio development in 2024.”

In the mid-credits scene of Fast X, Johnson’s Luke Hobbs makes his shocking return to the franchise. He was absent from F9 after appearing in several other films beginning with Fast Five (including his spin-off film, Hobbs & Shaw with Jason Statham).

While Fast X did gross over $700 million at the box office, it had a reported budget of $340 million. That is not sustainable for a franchise. Wanting to rein the budget in makes sense, but there are probably other factors.

Perhaps Diesel’s lawsuit is another part of this problem. The actor was recently sued for alleged 𝑠e𝑥ual battery last month that occurred on the set of Fast Five. He has led the franchise since its very first entry, and it remains to be seen how Universal will handle that situation.

The Fast and Furious franchise began in 2001. As a franchise, it has grossed well over $7.3 billion worldwide. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, and Ludacris lead the films. Paul Walker was a stalwart until his passing in 2013. Dwayne Johnson became a big part of the series beginning in the fifth entry.