The Fast and Furious franchise is set to take off with filming set to begin on the latest film in the franchise, with long-time director Justin Lin set to return to the driver's seat.

According to franchise star Vin Diesel, filming is set to begin on Fast & Furious 9 in February, and the production is set to start in London. Diesel posted a video to social media that featured co-star Michelle Rodriguez, putting Dominic Toretto and Letty Ortiz in the spotlight once again.

"I and my partner in crime want to say a message to Venezuela, from Dom and Letty. We are with you always, y pa'lante con fe," Diesel said in his Instagram message.

There's little information about Fast & Furious 9 at this point in time, except that a lot of the core cast members are set to return (the jury is still out on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham, who are currently filming their own spinoff movie) and that Justin Lin will once again direct.

Lin became a box office powerhouse with the franchise, directing The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6. Having helmed half of the films in the franchise that has since become a global sensation, it makes sense that he's returning to direct the ninth and tenth films.

But before we get too excited about the proper sequel to Fate of the Furious, fans can get excited about the first franchise spinoff with Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, which will be directed by Deadpool 2 and John Wick director David Leitch.

The director previously spoke to Total Film about the inspirations for the new movie and his excitement to take the franchise in a different direction.

"We’re going to go on an exciting ride with these two beloved characters of the franchise who were always at odds," said Leitch. "I think of the classics like Lethal Weapon or 48 Hrs, or some of these ’80s and ’90s buddy-cop comedies – that dynamic was fostered in the original [Fast] franchise, we’re going to take it and expand the whole world around it."

While the film will be different from the main franchise, Leitch said he wants the spinoff to be a unique entry in the Fast & Furious series.

"We wanted to make sure that we can make a movie that sat comfortably in the Fast world, but was distinctly its own,” says Leitch. “And I think we’re on the road to doing it… Our guys aren’t street racers. They’re from the agency world, and we’re building up their world so we can diversify the action and have fun in all different ways."

Fast & Furious 9 is currently scheduled to be released on April 10, 2020.