Don franchise takes a new turn as Shah Rukh Khan exits, Farhan Akhtar to reboot with fresh script?

In 2011, Don 2 was released, and ever since then, fans have eagerly anticipated Shah Rukh Khan's return as Don in the action franchise. The excitement for the next instalment was heightened by Hrithik Roshan's entry as Don in the last film, and fan theories have been rampant in attempting to predict the plot line for Don 3.

According to a report from Pinkvilla, Shah Rukh Khan has decided to step away from the Don franchise. Discussions have occurred between Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, and Shah Rukh Khan regarding Don 3, with some ideas developing into a script during the pandemic. However, Shah Rukh Khan is not enthusiastic about returning as Don again. He is more interested in doing commercial films that appeal to a broader audience, and Don is not in line with the type of cinema he wants to do for the next few years. 

In an attempt to expand the Don franchise, Farhan Akhtar and his team had a unique idea of bringing together three generations of Don, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and a young actor, to pave the way for a generational shift in the Don universe. However, Shah Rukh Khan deemed this idea as gimmicky and expressed his decision to exit the franchise. 

The reports also stated that discussions are underway with a young actor who has previously worked on two films with Excel within the last decade to take up the mantle of Don. Although he is interested in the role, he also has reservations due to the franchise's legacy and the previous actors who played Don. The source concluded that Don will be rebooted once a younger actor takes on the challenge.

Farhan Akhtar is currently occupied with the pre-production work for his upcoming slice-of-life film, Jee Le Zara, which features Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt. The movie is expected to start filming in November with a start-to-finish schedule and is slated to release in cinema halls in the second half of 2024. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is working on his upcoming movie, Dunki. In 2024, he will film the YRF Spy Universe Film Tiger v/s Pathaan, a two-hero battle royale between him and Salman Khan.