There are family movies, and then there are “Family” movies — the ones about Dominic Toretto and his cohort of nigh-unkillable street-racing action stars. Fast X, the 10th installment in the (not counting the Hobbes & Shaw spin-off), hits theaters on May 19. Before you get behind the wheel, so to speak, let’s punch the NOS and tell you everything we know about Fast X.
The End of the Road
(Photo by Peter Mountain/©Universal Pictures)
While it’s almost certain that there will be Fast movies beyond Fast X and its confirmed sequel, the two are being promoted as the ending to the primary Fast saga. We already have the aforementioned Hobbs & Shaw, and there’s talk of other spin-offs, but Fast X will be the first part of Dom and his family’s grand finale.
A Threat from the Past
Fast Five, which came out in 2011, is generally credited with reinvigorating the franchise, and it’s arguably the best installment overall. Perhaps it makes sense, then, that Fast X harkens back to the series’ acclaimed midpoint, as the villain in the upcoming film is the son of Fast Five’s baddie. Jason Momoaplays Dante, the child of Hernan Reyes, the Brazilian drug boss who Dom and Brian obliterated with a giant safe, and Fast X is the story of his quest for revenge.
Here’s the official synopsis, per Universal, though — fair warning — it does contain what could be considered minor spoilers:
“The end of the road begins. Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began. Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved, and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything — and everyone — that Dom loves, forever. In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price. Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London, and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.”
When You’re Here, You’re Family
(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)
Dom’s family is really, really big, and so is the Fast X cast. Vin Diesel returns as Dominic Toretto, of course, as does Michelle Rodriguez, who plays his wife Letty Ortiz. Jordana Brewster is back as Dom’s sister, Mia Toretto. (Mia is married to Brian O’Connor, the character played by the late Paul Walker, who is canonically still alive in the Fast universe but has not appeared out of respect for Walker’s death.) Rounding out the core “family” are Tyrese Gibson’s Roman Pierce, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges as Tej Parker, Sung Kang as Han Seoul-Oh, and Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey.
There are other returning enemies and family members, too, and some of the characters have been both. Charlize Theron is back as Cipher, the cyberterrorist who was the main villain in The Fate of the Furious and a behind-the-scenes foe in Fast 9. John Cena, who was the main villain in the previous film, is back as Jakob Toretto, Dom and Mia’s once-estranged brother who is now back on their side. Jason Statham will appear again as Deckard Shaw, another one-time villain who now has some semblance of an alliance with the Dom. Shaw’s mom, Magdalene “Queenie” Shaw, will again be played by Helen Mirren. Anna Sawai (Elle) and Lucas Black (Sean Boswell) both return from Fast 9 as well. Scott Eastwood, who played Little Nobody in The Fate of the Furious, is back for Fast X.
Fast X adds lots of new characters, too. In addition to Momoa’s Dante, Captain Marvel star Brie Larson joins the franchise as Tess, a rogue agent from the Agency that Dom and Co. frequently work with. Rita Moreno will play Dom and Mia’s grandmother, Abuelita Toretto. Alan Ritchson joins the Fast franchise as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who took over after Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) was in a plane crash in the previous film. Lastly, Don Omar, Tego Calderón, Michael Rooker, and Cardi B also all return to round out the massive cast and reprise their roles from previous films.
Who Isn’t in This Movie?
(Photo by Jaimie Trueblood/©Universal Pictures)
One person who won’t be in Fast X, barring any (truly) surprising cameo? Dwayne Johnson, who first appeared as Luke Hobbs in Fast Five. A federal agent-turned-ally to Dom and Co., Hobbs fought alongside the Family in the sixth, seventh, and eighth Fast movies and appeared in the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw. There are numerous reports that Johnson and Diesel did not get along, and that it’s these clashes that led to the former leaving the main franchise as of Fast 9. There’s no confirmation that he’ll be back for Fast X despite his connection to Fast Five, where his character debuted.
A Change Behind the Camera
(Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
Fast X was originally supposed to be directed by Justin Lin, the director behind the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth Fast & Furious films. However, he dropped out of the project, reportedly due to disagreements with Diesel. Louis Leterrier, the director of The Transporter movies and Now You See Me, is behind the camera for Fast X in his stead, while Lin remains on board as one of the writers and producers. Leterrier has also been confirmed to direct the final installment as well.
When Does It Open?
(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)
Fast X will hit theaters on May 16, two weeks after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, one week before The Little Mermaid, and two weeks before Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. In other words, it’ll have a lot of competition at the box office.
It’s unclear when Fast X will be streaming, and it will presumably be available as PVOD before it’s free anywhere. Despite being a Universal franchise, the Fast movies are all over the place rather than exclusively on Universal-owned Peaco*ck, so it’s not necessarily a safe bet to assume Fast X will hit Peaco*ck, though it likely will sometime after its theatrical run. That said, this is the kind of over-the-top, adrenaline-fueled, set piece-driven action spectacle that’s probably best enjoyed on the biggest screen possible.
Fast X opens in theaters everywhere on May 19, 2023.
