Key Takeaways

  • Paul Walker’s brother Cody says AI and unused footage could technically bring Brian O’Conner back for “Fast Forever” in 2028, but he wants no part of doing the stand-in work himself.
  • Vin Diesel has publicly pushed for Brian’s return in the franchise finale. Cody says the real call belongs to Paul’s daughter, Meadow.
  • My take: they should leave it alone. Some send-offs don’t need a sequel, even a digital one.

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I love the Fast and Furious movies the way you love a friend who’s clearly lost the plot but you keep hanging out with them anyway. Ridiculous plots, physics that gave up somewhere around movie 4, and somehow it all still works. But the AI conversation around “Fast Forever” is where I draw a line.

Paul Walker’s brother Cody just confirmed something a lot of fans suspected was coming. AI could bring Brian O’Conner back for the franchise’s final movie. And I think that’s a mistake, even with the family’s blessing attached to it.

What Actually Got Said

According to Variety’s interview with Cody Walker, he’s not interested in stepping in as a stand-in again like he and his brother Caleb did to help finish Paul’s scenes after his death during “Furious 7.” His reasoning is straightforward. AI wasn’t really a usable option back in 2014. Now it is, and there are years of unused footage sitting in a vault somewhere.

Cody’s stance isn’t a flat no. He says the decision should come down to what Meadow, Paul’s daughter, wants. “It’s what Meadow wants to see done, it’s her father,” is basically the line he’s drawing. Vin Diesel, meanwhile, has been pushing hard behind the scenes for Brian to be part of the finale, according to reporting on Diesel’s list of conditions for signing off on “Fast Forever” at all.

Universal has “Fast Forever” dated for March 2028 and hasn’t confirmed anything about how, or if, Brian actually shows up.

Why This Is a Bigger Deal Than It Sounds

This isn’t really about one franchise. It’s a preview of where every studio is going to end up eventually. We already had “Furious 7” solve this exact problem with a mix of body doubles, CGI, and a genuinely moving tribute ending. That movie worked because it felt earned, not manufactured.

AI recreation is a different animal entirely. It’s not stitching together footage that already exists into something new, it’s generating a performance that never technically happened. Once that door opens for a beloved character, it opens for everybody. Dead actors, retired actors, actors who just don’t want to do the sequel. That’s the actual stakes here, and Hollywood knows it.

My Take: Leave It Alone

“Furious 7” already gave Brian O’Conner the perfect goodbye. That final scene on the road, Brian and Dom splitting off in different directions, was one of the most genuinely emotional moments this franchise ever pulled off, and it did it without a single line of dialogue generated by a computer.

Bringing him back with AI risks turning that moment into a footnote instead of the ending it was built to be. I get why Vin wants it. He’s clearly emotionally invested in Paul and this franchise beyond just being a paycheck for him at this point. But wanting something and it being the right call for the story are two different things.

If I watched “Fast and Furious 6” back when it came out and told you I’d one day be writing about the franchise debating AI resurrections, I’d have laughed you out of the theater. But here we are.

What Happens Next

Nothing is locked in yet. Universal hasn’t confirmed a plan, Meadow hasn’t publicly weighed in, and Cody has made clear he’s staying out of it personally either way. That leaves this as one of the bigger open questions heading into the franchise’s final chapter, and honestly one of the more interesting ethical debates happening in Hollywood right now, wrapped inside a movie about cars driving off buildings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Paul Walker appear in the next Fast and Furious movie?

It hasn’t been confirmed. Cody Walker has said AI and unused footage could technically make it possible for “Fast Forever,” but no official decision has been announced by Universal or the Walker family.

When does Fast Forever come out?

Universal has “Fast Forever,” the planned final film in the main Fast and Furious series, dated for March 2028.

Has Paul Walker’s family approved using AI to bring him back?

Not officially. Cody Walker says the decision should belong to Paul’s daughter, Meadow, and that he personally won’t be involved as a stand-in again.

How was Paul Walker’s character finished in Furious 7 after his death?

Filmmakers used a combination of body doubles, including his brothers Cody and Caleb, digital effects, and previously filmed footage to complete his remaining scenes.