Helen Mirren is the latest wild-card addition to the Fast and Furious franchise

Helen Mirren's about to get Fast and Furious. Photo / Getty Images

If you thought Charlize Theron was a left-field addition to the new Fast and Furious film, brace yourself for this.

Dame Helen Mirren is joining the cast of Fast 8, and is rumoured to be playing a villain.

The 70 year-old star confirmed her casting during an interview with Elle, adding that she's always "rather loved driving" and only agreed to do the film if she can drive in it.

This is not Helen Mirren's first time at the rodeo though. Photo / Supplied

"But we'll see. We'll see how it transpires. Film is a wonderful thing and it can be so many different things. I don't want to turn my back on any of the different ways movies can be," she told Elle.

"I love the movies. I love going to the films. I like very serious films, I love foreign films, and I love big, fun movies-as long as they're well made and they've got good scripts. That's the most important thing."

Mirren will join the cast which already includes Theron - who is confirmed as a villain - Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson and Jason Statham.

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Diesel confirmed in February that there will also be two more films to follow, though it's unclear how many of the cast will continue on for films 9 and 10.

Fast 8 is set for release early next year, while the following two installments are expected to hit theaters in 2019 and 2021.