Fast 8: First look at Charlize Theron as The Fast and the Furious' new big bad

Have Dominic Toretto and the gang finally met their match?

Whatever anyone's feelings on the persistent silliness of The Fast and the Furious franchise - everyone remembers Dwayne Johnson flexing out of a cast, right? - it's pretty unanimous that the series knows how to keep things fresh.

That includes the latest installment roping in Mad Max: Fury Road's very own Furiosa, Charlize Theron, for a pun-driving appearance as Fast 8's big bad.

And, now, we've been granted our very first glimpse of Theron's villain; with the film's official Twitter account posting the still, alongside the revelation the character will go by the name of Cipher.

There's no word on the exact threat Cipher will be presenting the team; though the image's roster of weapons suggests a military side to the character, the name also suggests she may be some sort of computer hacker.

Directed by Straight Outta Compton's F. Gary Gray, he's promised the film won't just be a retread of the franchise's previous outings; "...I'm extremely excited about the direction we're going in, and we're really pushing to make sure the audience feels like it's not more of the same. They feel like it's fresh, they feel like the characters they've come to know and love are there, but this is gonna be different."

Production is currently taking place in Cuba, making it the first major Hollywood film to shoot in the country. Production previously shot in Iceland, where tragedy struck as a nearby horse was killed by a flying iceberg.

Fast 8 will hit UK cinemas 14 April.