Olivia Wilde has set her sights on an unlikely directing gig: a Fast & Furious movie. Fresh off the acclaim surrounding The Invite, Wilde joked that she would happily trade relationship drama for high-speed car chases and spectacular crashes.
Wilde, 42, shared the ambition during a Sunday conversation at London’s BFI. She discussed the influences behind Don’t Worry Darling, her directing approach and her busy 2026.
Olivia Wilde explains why she wants to direct a Fast & Furious movie
Wilde told Metro that Alfred Hitchcock and 1930s Busby Berkeley musicals influenced her work on the 2022 thriller Don’t Worry Darling. Her love of cars also shaped her answer when discussing her directing ambitions.
“The car chases were fun as I love cars and would be very happy just shooting car chases forever,” she said. Wilde then pitched herself to direct “The Fast and the Furious 25,” joking about a movie with less emphasis on plot and more on crashing cars.
During the audience Q&A, she doubled down on the idea.
“I’m fascinated by them and then, again… I mean, Fast and the Furious!” Wilde said, “I really think – just give me a chance and I can do it!” “I really believe in it, So we’ll see, fingers crossed,” she added.
The Fast & Furious franchise currently consists of 10 main-series films and one spin-off. The next installment is expected to continue the story, with reports previously indicating plans for a larger conclusion to the franchise. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham and Gal Gadot have been among the franchise’s major stars. Meanwhile, filmmakers including Justin Lin, Rob Cohen and Louis Leterrier have directed entries in the series.
Wilde also expressed interest in directing another psychological thriller. She recently filmed the London-set Christmas comedy Naughty, which she described as her “love letter” to the late Rob Reiner. Her 2026 slate also included The Invite, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex and Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth!, starring Pedro Pascal. Wilde described the year as “wild.” She credited maturity and letting go of expectations with giving her a more fearless approach to directing.
Wilde also discussed why she does not typically plan to direct herself. She took a role in Don’t Worry Darling only after the production ran out of money. For The Invite, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton encouraged her to play Angela. Wilde initially worried that taking the role could come across as narcissistic. However, she ultimately found that performing helped her better understand how to film. She even says it helped her learn to protect the actors’ performances from within a scene.
