Universal exploring Fast & Furious spinoff starring Charlize Theron’s Cipher

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The FAST & FURIOUS franchise has become so much bigger than I possibly could have imagined, and Universal Pictures obviously wants to keep the physics-defying series going for years to come. Although we've got two more films in the main saga to look forward to (or dread, depending on your opinion of the franchise), Universal will be testing the spin-off waters with the upcoming FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW, and you can bet that they've got more planned should the spin-off be successful.

Buried in a THR report detailing franchise producer Neal Moritz's legal battle with Universal was the mention that the studio is exploring other spin-off possibilities, one of which includes a female-led FAST & FURIOUS film built around Cipher, the villain of THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS played by Charlize Theron. If you'll recall, Cipher was a criminal mastermind and cyber-terrorist who managed to blackmail Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) into betraying his family by holding his former girlfriend Elena (Elsa Pataky) and their son hostage. Cipher actually managed to escape during the climax of THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS, which means that she's still out there somewhere, ready to take her revenge. She doesn't exactly seem like someone to base a film around, but one half of HOBBS & SHAW is a former FAST & FURIOUS baddie, so it's not exactly without precedent.

Would you watch a spin-off centered around Charlize Theron's Cipher?

It's hard to imagine that HOBBS & SHAW won't be a success for the studio, after all, you've got Mr. Charisma himself, Dwayne Johnson, at the lead combined with outrageous stunts and over-the-top action. Toss in Jason Statham and Idris Elba, and you've got the makings of something incredibly fun.

The official synopsis for FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW:

Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America's Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves. Hobbs & Shaw blasts open a new door in the Fast universe as it hurtles action across the globe, from Los Angeles to London and from the toxic wasteland of Chernobyl to the lush beauty of Samoa.

FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW will hit theaters on August 2, 2019.