“Never accept death when suffering is owed,” Jason Momoa can be heard saying as villain Dante Reyes in the Fast X trailer. Which is a pretty apt description for the entire Fast & Furious franchise as a whole, as it stands.
The drawn-out saga surrounding Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his beloved familia is finally coming to a close with what is reportedly the fifth-most expensive film ever made. The production budget alone? Upwards of $340 million.
In the first half of this two-part conclusion, Dom must once again protect the people closest to him, both crew and blood relations, from criminal mastermind and cyberterrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron), who has joined forces with Momoa’s Dante Reyes, the son of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes, killed by Dom & Co during Fast Five. Because these movies just love to revive, retcon, and retool whatever isn’t nailed down. As you can imagine, the younger Reyes feels like he has a score to settle with Dom. Cue eyerolls.
“That’s the problem with having such a big family. How do you choose the ones to save?” Dante Reyes tells Dom Toretto as they decide to solve their differences by – get this – challenging one another to a deadly street race.
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A certifiable who’s who of the most memorable Fast & Furious characters have returned to close the chapter on this demented self-parody of a circus. Aside from the usual suspects – Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Ludacris), Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster), Han Lu (Sung Kang) – we’ll also be treated to appearances from key players such as:
- John Cena as Dom’s brother Jakob Toretto
- Jason Statham as the highly-skilled Deckard Shaw
- Helen Mirren as Magdalene “Queenie” Ellmanson-Shaw
- Gal Gadot as Gisele Yashar; depending on which version of the film is eventually screened
- Plus Paul Walker as Brian O’Conner; purely through cameo-style flashbacks
For reasons concerning his ongoing beef with Vin Diesel, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson doesn’t have any confirmed involvement.
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As for fresh faces, Jason Momoa will be joined by the likes of Jack Reacher star Alan Ritchson as yet another incredibly capable operator and Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue agent employed by Mr Nobody who sides with the good guys.
Fast X has been directed by Louis Leterrier – a name that might be familiar to fans of the first two Transporter films, 2008’s The Incredibly Hulk, Clash of the Titans, and Now You See Me. The French filmmaker will also be the one to effectively put this entire franchise out of its misery with the currently untitled 11th instalment. Fast & Furious veteran creative Justin Lin of Tokyo Drift fame has penned the screenplay alongside Zach Dean (The Tomorrow War) and Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans).
Fast X has locked in a May 19th, 2023 release date – check out the trailer above.
