Filming
Principal photography began on April 21, 2022, with the film's title being revealed and Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, and Charlize Theron confirmed to reprise their roles. According to Diesel, an earlier draft excluded Brewster's character, which he overturned. Fast X's production budget was initially reported to be $300 million in May 2022, which was revised to $340 million that November; the cast was reportedly paid $100 million for their involvement, including $20 million for Diesel. Other costs for the rising budget included increases in production costs caused by global inflation and charges for pandemic testing requirements mandated by COVID-19 safety protocols: an estimated $22.6 million was spent on production staff, which peaked at 211 people not including freelancers or agency workers (who represent the majority of a film crew). According to unnamed sources reporting to Radar, Diesel reportedly "stressed" over the increased budget and the creative decisions in Fast X; sources wrote Diesel is considered by Universal as "simultaneously the greatest star [they've] had and their biggest headache" and that "[Diesel] doesn't let anybody forget [how] the Fast & Furious franchise is important to the whole [film] industry". In April 2024, it was revealed in a report by Forbes that the total amount spent by Universal on Fast X was $453.6 million, which would have made it the most expensive film of all-time: the net cost was revealed to be $378.8 million, owing to a $74 million tax reimbursement paid to the studio by the UK government for staging production in the country.
A week after filming commenced, Lin exited the film as director due to "creative differences", leaving primary production stalled. However, Lin remained on board as a producer. Later reports alleged that Lin clashed on set with Diesel, who purportedly arrived out of shape, was often late, and did not remember his lines. Lin was also upset with rewrites to his screenplay, as well as changing filming locations and one of the film's villains having yet to be cast; a disagreement with Diesel reportedly escalated to the point it caused Lin to shout, "This movie is not worth my mental health". Lin reportedly forewent pay in the region of $10–20 million in his departure. Second unit production remained ongoing in the United Kingdom while the studio sought a replacement director and Universal Pictures reportedly spent $1 million a day to pause production. Former Fast & Furious directors F. Gary Gray and David Leitch, who previously directed The Fate of the Furious and Hobbs & Shaw respectively, were considered by the studio to replace Lin, however neither were seen as likely to step in due to their commitments with Lift and The Fall Guy (both 2024), respectively. Furious 7 director James Wan, who was once considered to direct The Fate of the Furious and F9 but declined due to his straining experience on Furious 7, was seen as a "viable option" but was tied up with commitments to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), the final DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film. Variety reported hiring an "A-list" director was not probable without drastic changes to the screenplay and Universal would likely turn to a second unit director "well-versed" in big-budget action films. On May 2, 2022, Louis Leterrier was announced as Lin's replacement; he was previously shortlisted by Universal to direct The Fate of the Furious.
Leterrier had an established relationship with Universal, having directed the MCU film The Incredible Hulk (2008), and he was knowledgeable about the franchise; he and franchise star Jason Statham went to watch the first installment in Paris in 2001 while on a break from filming The Transporter (2002). Leterrier joined filming in London after scheduling and contractual considerations were confirmed; he later revealed he initially rejected the offer to direct the film, labeling it a "massive" task. Leterrier went onto use elements of Lin's original contributions, such as the established crew, as well as Lin's shot lists and storyboards, to complete the film. Production in London concluded in mid-August, with scenes filmed at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. Rodriguez later revealed a fight sequence between her and Theron was shot without a principal director, being done while studio negotiations with Leterrier were ongoing. Describing his style for the film, Leterrier said, "I'm more practical than other directors, and I brought [the franchise] back to earth", revealing he favored more practical stunts (including a return of racing scenes featuring a "vertical quarter mile race") enhanced with visual effects, as opposed to the extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the recent installments.
Filming took place in Genzano di Roma in mid-May. Filming took place in Rome for two weeks in mid-May, and one week in mid-July, with scenes being shot at the Via Cristoforo Colombo, Lungotevere, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Ponte Umberto I, Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, and the area around the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Spanish Steps. Filming then took place in Turin between May 24 and June 6, with action sequences filmed at the Piazza Crimea and Corso Fiume, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Murazzi del Po, Via Roma, and the Piazza IV Marzo. To allow filming in Turin, local authorities, the Film Commission Torino Piemonte, and city councilors were required to conduct a five-month planning schedule from September 2021 to January 2022, collaborating with the Departments of Culture to coordinate the city's major events, roads and transport, public, and security around the film's requirements. This included managing the overflight of drones and limitations on circulation made necessary for the management and safety of the set.
Momoa began shooting his scenes on May 16. Like previous installments, Diesel supervised writing and design of the film's action sequences; according to unnamed sources to The Hollywood Reporter, Diesel's creative control and frequent last-minute changes reflect "a process [which] is like a mosaic that doesn't stop moving", labeling him "demanding" and a perfectionist. On June 6, it was reported a stuntman was injured in an accident after being hit by part of a car after an explosion. On July 22, in an interview with Deadline Hollywood while at San Diego Comic-Con, Rodriguez announced she had completed filming her scenes and said "only four [or] five weeks [are] left" in production. Filming in Angelino Heights (the location of the Toretto house) faced protest from some local residents after production gave notice of the filming of a sequence which would involve "simulated emergency services activity, aerial photography, wetting down of street and atmospheric smoke". According to those residents, the protest was to raise awareness for road safety education, claiming the franchise caused their neighborhood to become a hot spot for fans to engage in street racing and other dangerous activity. Filming managed to occur following the protest on August 26, while other portions were filmed in Portugal, including Lisbon, Almada, Viseu, and Vila Real. Conceição Azevedo, the mayor of Viseu, announced filming would take place on IP5, a highway in the Vouzela municipality, during an interview with Lusa News Agency. Ritchson finished filming his scenes by August 16, and hinted at flying cars in the film, stating "we're going to take it to the sky".
During filming, Sofia Noronha, a producer for Sagesse Productions (the company in charge of overseeing production of Fast X in Portugal) said a "brutal economic investment" will be made in the country by the film. Highlighting the weather, affordability through tax breaks, and flexibility of the production, Noronha argued "investments [from film] made in the country is almost double that tax incentive. The [producing] country always benefits". This was echoed during filming in Turin, with it reported the two-week schedule generated €3.8 million for the local economy, coming mainly from expenses related to location rent, hospitality, technical staff and local workforce employment, security and sanitation, and storage and unloading. It was also reported the film regularly brought troupes of close to 400 people (5 times above average for comparable films) and often collaborated with hundreds of local professionals on the research of locations and finalization of the working filming plan. In a statement, Beatrice Borgia, President of Film Commission Torino Piemonte, said "Fast X is a confirmation of the key role Turin and Piedmont has gained in filmmaking. [We have] proved to have all what is needed to host complex productions: skilled professionals, supportive institutions, and amazing locations".
Fast X is the first film in the series to feature electric cars, with leaked set photos featuring the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept and the gull-winged DeLorean Alpha5. Other vehicles include the 2022 TorRed Dodge Charger R/T, the 2023 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye, and the 1970 Charger R/T, the latter a franchise staple. On June 27, 2022, it was reported Fast X would include the fan-favorite orange and black Veilside Mazda RX-7 FD Fortune, which first featured in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006). The inclusion of the electric Dodge Chargers in the film was confirmed upon release of the first trailer on February 9, 2023, with the "Greys of Thunder" Dodge Charger Daytona SRT also appearing in other promotional material. In an interview with Fox News, a Dodge spokesperson said the company "has a long-standing marketing partnership with Fast & Furious", which will continue with Fast X. Other vehicles which featured in the film include the foreign-made Lamborghini Gallardo, Alfa Romeo 159 and 2000 GTV, Nissan Silvia, Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS, Pagani Huayra Tricolore, and the Datsun 240Z, as well as the U.S.-made Chevrolet Impala and El Camino, Lenco BearCat Armoured Vehicle, and the 1966 Ford Fairlane. In an interview with vehicle co-ordinator Dennis McCarthy, who worked on every Fast & Furious film since Tokyo Drift, each significant car featured on screen required around seven duplicates, resulting in an estimated 200 cars built for Fast X to race-car standards required for the stunt work. In April 2023, Momoa revealed that he personally contacted Jochen Zeitz, the CEO of Harley-Davidson, to secure six motorcycles to be used in the film for his character. He is seen riding the Harley-Davidson Pan America throughout the film, which was modified with an upgraded exhaust system and extra shielding.
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