'Fast 8' news - first official poster hints at things to come

Fast 8 official posterUniversal Pictures

"Fast 8" will be picking up after the events of "Fast and Furious 7," with the late Paul Walker's character Brian O'Connor now retired and given a happy ending. This new direction, where Vin Diesel's character Dominic Toretto must face new challenges without his trusted partner, is layered on the film's first official poster.

According to a report from Collider, the new poster simply showcases Dominic leaning on his car as he gazes out an open road. While the image might be somber and simple to the eye, they do hint at new things to come and also tease that the new trilogy will be the beginning of the end for the franchise as a whole.

The poster indicates that Dominic will be going in a new direction, living a life far from the one he lived in before when he and Brian were together. This means that the character has gone from being a criminal to becoming an agent working for Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), a character set to return in the eighth film.

Other than these teases the poster gives very little clues regarding the new film's plot and setting. It has been confirmed that Charlize Theron is on the project as the new villain and that she may have ties to previous villains in some shape or form. The film will be set in New York, with several scenes taking place in Iceland as well. 

It is widely speculated that the final three movies of the franchise will involve Dominic and his crew of racers travelling across the globe working in tandem with Mr. Nobody and Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) as they attempt to stop several crime organizations such as the ones they have faced in "Fast Five" and "Fast and the Furious 7."

"Fast 8" opens in theaters on April 14 2017.