Fast & Furious' Lost Ending: The Original Finale of Paul Walker’s Last Film Finally Uncovered

For nearly a decade, Fast & Furious fans have wondered how Furious 7 was originally meant to conclude before Paul Walker’s heartbreaking passing changed the film forever. Now, a new book titled Welcome to the Family by Barry Hertz finally uncovers the scrapped finale — offering a rare look at what the film’s emotional ending could have been.

The Original ‘Furious 7’ Ending Was Very Different

According to the book, the planned ending was lighter, action-driven, and designed to launch the next chapter of the franchise — not close a character’s journey.

In the early version, the entire crew reunites at Neptune’s Net, the iconic Malibu spot where Brian and Dom first bonded in the 2001 film. They celebrate recovering the high-tech surveillance device known as the God’s Eye, the same gadget hunted by Deckard Shaw.

But instead of handing the device back to Mr. Nobody after receiving congressional honors, Dom makes a bold move: he smashes the God’s Eye under his boot. Declaring it “too dangerous for anyone to control,” he destroys it, tosses his commendation out the car window, and leads the crew roaring off down the Pacific Coast Highway — setting up their next adventure.

Interestingly, despite this original plan, the God’s Eye was not destroyed in the final cut of the movie, a decision unrelated to Walker’s passing. The device later reappeared in The Fate of the Furious and Fast X.

A Franchise That Has Hit the Brakes

After the massive success of Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious — both crossing the billion-dollar mark — the franchise began to struggle. F9 earned $726 million in 2021, weighed down by the pandemic and a huge production cost. Fast X dropped further to $714 million, despite its enormous $378 million budget driven by reshoots and delays.

The long-promised Fast 11 was expected to wrap up the saga this year, but with no script or production start in sight, the project has hit a major slowdown. While Vin Diesel continues to tease progress on Instagram, reports claim Universal won’t approve the movie until its budget is drastically reduced.

With its tentative release date set for April 2027, fans can only hope the final chapter will honor Paul Walker’s legacy and bring the franchise back to its emotional roots.