Cody Walker, brother of the late Paul Walker, has voiced reservations about the potential use of artificial intelligence to digitally recreate his brother's character, Brian O'Conner, for the upcoming 'Fast & Furious' finale, known as 'Fast Forever'. While acknowledging the technological feasibility, Cody Walker stated that any decision regarding Brian's return should rest with Paul Walker's daughter, Meadow.
"My stance is, it’s what Meadow wants to see done; it’s her father," Cody Walker told Entertainment Weekly. "I would not be interested in doing that again. I love the way his character exited the franchise. They didn’t kill him off, they didn’t do something cheesy like that. It’s beautiful, [Brian] is off raising his kids."
Cody and his brother Caleb previously assisted in completing 'Furious 7' following Paul Walker's death in a 2013 car crash. They utilized unused footage, visual effects, and their own likenesses to provide a respectful send-off for Brian O'Conner, who was written out of the narrative as being with his family. At the time of 'Furious 7's' production, the brothers had not entirely ruled out the idea of future digital cameos.
However, Cody's perspective has evolved. This stance may present a challenge, as Vin Diesel, a star and producer of the franchise, has been vocal about his desire to reunite Brian O'Conner with his character, Dominic Toretto, for the film's conclusion. In 2025, Diesel stated that he agreed to make the final 'Fast & Furious' movie under three conditions: returning the franchise to Los Angeles, reverting to its street-racing origins, and reuniting Dom and Brian.
"The studio said to me, ‘Vin, can we please have the finale of Fast & Furious [in] April 2027?’" Diesel recounted. "I said, ‘Under three conditions.’ The first is to bring the franchise back to L.A. The second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing. The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O’Conner. That is what you’re going to get in the finale."
Despite Diesel's intentions, Cody Walker expressed uncertainty about Brian's actual appearance in 'Fast Forever.' He described his conversations with Diesel as often abstract, noting the immense pressure Diesel feels to make the final installment a fitting conclusion to the long-running series.
"I have no idea what to expect there," Cody Walker said of the film's current state. "I talked to Vin, and when it comes to this whole process, he gets very ethereal; it’s a lot of weight. The guy is incredible, he’s extremely gifted, he takes this very seriously and there’s a mountain on Vin’s shoulders. He wants this to be the best one and as good as it can be because it’s the final [one]."
'Fast Forever' is currently slated for a March 17, 2028 release. The potential inclusion of Brian O'Conner, whether through AI or other means, remains a significant point of speculation surrounding the film.