Vin Diesel celebrates 25 years of ‘Fast’ franchise, recalls its journey from street racing to global phenomenon

Vin Diesel has celebrated the 25th anniversary of the ‘Fast’ franchise, reflecting on its journey from a modest street-racing movie to a worldwide phenomenon. He shared memories of the original film’s release in 2001, noting that no one anticipated its success. ‘Twenty-five years ago, I didn’t know what to expect. We were making a small movie about street racing and had no idea what would happen,’ he said. During a recent event, Diesel shared photos from the re-release of *Fast and Furious*, highlighting the diverse audience—some longtime fans and others who had never seen the film before. He praised the crew and studio team who worked tirelessly to perfect the saga’s finale. ‘My family was out there. My Fast family. Crew and studio folks who’ve carried this thing for decades,’ he wrote. The franchise began with *Fast & Furious* (2001), inspired by a 1998 Vibe magazine article, and evolved from illegal street racing to heists and espionage in later films. A 11th installment, *Fast Forever*, is set for release in 2028. Diesel also shared details of the re-release, which screened in 1,561 theaters across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, including 30 drive-ins. He expressed gratitude to fans who contributed to the franchise’s legacy, calling them ‘the ones who built this’ and emphasizing that the film now belongs to everyone.