Entertainment
What order should you watch the Fast and Furious franchise in?-Caroline Westbrook-Entertainment – Metro
There’s a method to this.
They might have been released in a certain order – but is that how you should watch the Fast and Furious films? (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)
It wouldn’t be summer without blockbusters on the big screen – and this year the latest film in the Fast and Furious franchise is among those hoping to pack them in.
Fast X – the tenth full-length film in the main series – brings back cast regulars including Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Scott Eastwood and Sung Kang.
They’re joined by Oscar-winner Brie Larson, as well as Jason Momoa, playing the film’s villain Dante – with the plot hinting at him having links to an earlier film in the franchise, 2011’s Fast Five – and its Rio di Janeiro heist.
‘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,’ the film’s synopsis explained.
‘New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.’
With so many Fast and Furious films out there it’s hard to keep up, especially if you’re new to the series.
But if you do want to play catch-up, what order should you watch the movies in?
What order should you watch the Fast and Furious franchise in?
The first Fast and Furious movie was released in 2001, and since then we have had one movie in the series hit cinemas every two to three years.
However, the order they were released isn’t the chronological order – so you might get a bit confused if you tried to watch them that way.
This is in fact, the order you should watch the films in…
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The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The first movie of the long-running franchise stars the late Paul Walker as undercover cop Brian O’Conner, who becomes involved with infamous street racer Dominic Toretto, played by Diesel. The film grossed over $200m worldwide, paving the way for the inevitable sequel.
The Fast and The Furious first blasted on to screens in 2001 (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Walker returns as O’Conner in this sequel, but there’s no Vin Diesel – instead it introduces Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges and Tyrese Gibson as Tej Parker and Roman Pearce, who have gone on to become regulars in the series.
If you want to be completely up to speed, check out the short film The Turbo Charged Prelude, which explains events between the end of the first film and the start of the second.
Fast & Furious (2009)
Skipping over 2006’s Tokyo Drift for now, 2009’s Fast & Furious is the next one you should watch, with Brian and Dominic reunited – and the arrival of Gal Gadot as weapons expert Gisele Yashar.
This one also comes with a short film prequel, Los Bandoleros, which brings in characters Han (Sung Kang), Rico (Don Omar) and Tego (Tego Calderon), and sees Toretto setting up the hijacking of a tanker in the Dominican Republic.
Paul Walker was a regular fixture of the series prior to his tragic death in 2013 (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)
Fast Five (2011)
The series remains chronological for now, with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson joining the cast as Federal Agent Luke Hobbs – and the return of Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson.
Running from the law after breaking Dom out of jail, Brian and the gang are given the chance to clear their names In Rio de Janeiro.
Assembling their elite team of car racers, Brian and Dom must confront the corrupt businessman who wants them dead, as well as stay one step ahead of Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) who is hot on their trail.
Fast and Furious 6 (2013)
Keeping chronological for now, this one marks the first appearance of Luke Evans as mercenary Owen Shaw – with Jason Statham’s character, fellow mercenary Deckard Shaw, appearing in a post-credits scene which dates back to 2006’s Tokyo Drift and features the apparent death of Han Lue.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Although this was the third film to be made, this one actually takes place after the events of the fourth, fifth and sixth films – allowing Han, who was a hit with viewers, to appear in the franchise for longer.
This one doesn’t feature Walker and Diesel appears only briefly – in fact it’s a spin-off set in Japan, and starring Lucas Black as Sean Boswell, a car-racing student who is sent to live with his dad in Tokyo to avoid jail time.
Furious 7 (2015)
The final film of the series to feature Paul Walker, following his tragic death in a car accident in 2013. Production was suspended for several months afterwards, and Walker’s brothers Cody and Caleb stepping in to complete his scenes, as the character retired and settled down to family life.
All that screen space shared by Vin Diesel and The Rock (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)
The Fate Of The Furious (2017)
The next film in the series brings in Charlize Theron as new villain Cipher, a criminal mastermind and cyberterrorist who coerces Diesel’s character Dom – now settling into married life with Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) – into working for her.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Ok, so this one’s another spin-off, but this action comedy slots in after the events of 2017’s The Fate Of The Furious, continuing the story with series regulars The Rock and Jason Statham.
They’re joined by the likes of Vanessa Kirby and Helen Mirren, as their characters Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw attempt to take down terrorist Brixton Lore (Idris) and thwart his plans to unleash a deadly virus on the world.
F9 has been the most recent outing, in 2021 (Picture: AP)
F9 (2021)
Coming almost up to date ahead of Fast X is the 2021 blockbuster, with Theron returning as villainous Cipher, and John Cena joining the franchise as Dominic Toretto’s estranged brother Jakob.
This time a new weapons programme and a backstory about the death of the siblings’ dad – not to mention the surprise return of one character.
Fast X is released in UK cinemas on May 19.
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