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Vin Diesel’s 5 Best Fast & The Furious Movies (& His 5 Other Iconic Films)

After appearing in films like Saving Private Ryan and Pitch Black, Vin Diesel blasted into international superstardom with the 2001 smash hit The Fast and The Furious. Since then, Diesel has appeared in eight Fast and the Furious movies with another two on the way. It is without question that Vin Diesel and the action mega-franchise have become synonymous with each other.

RELATED: 10 Most Iconic Vin Diesel Movie Quotes, Ranked

But as Diesel is no one-trick pony, beyond the Fast and the Furious films, he has starred in a plethora of iconic movies. The actor’s career has seen him play all sorts of roles from a Navy Seal-turned-babysitter and a secret agent to even a space-traveling talking tree.

Diesel’s 5 Best Fast & Furious Movies
Fast & Furious (2009)
Dom helps Letty during a car chase in Fast & Furious

The franchise that so memorably kicked off the 00’s would bring the decade full circle with a reunion of the original cast in the fourth film. Diesel sat out on 2 Fast 2 Furious and had only a brief cameo in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

The terrific opening scene features a downhill truck heist with Toretto driving under a barreling flaming tanker to avoid being crushed. Exhilarating chases through the desert and a tunnel under the US-Mexico border are also standout moments. The fan-favorite Fast & Furious character of Han from Tokyo Drift also returns and Gal Gadot appears in her first feature film.

Fast & Furious 6: The Game (2013)
The fast and Furious 6 cast standing in front of some cars.

The follow-up to Fast Five continued the next direction for the franchise established in that film. All the major players were back, including Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs, now a Toretto ally. Gina Carano joined the series, along with Luke Evans as the film’s villain. Also introduced in the post-credit scene is Jason Statham, who would become a major character in future installments.

RELATED: Vin Diesel – 10 Hilariously Badass Things That Can Only Happen In His Movies

The film is best remembered for a lengthy chase on an airport runway, which saw some criticism for being abnormally yet conveniently long. Other standout scenes include a chase through London and one involving a tank. The film also features the return of fan-favorite Michelle Rodriguez as Letty, who was presumed dead in the fourth film.

The Fast And The Furious (2001)
Dom and Brian look concerned after surviving a car crash in The Fast and the Furious

Before all the CGI-heavy over-the-top set pieces of later entries, 2001’s The Fast and the Furious is the one that started it all. A terrific cast of Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster would establish the core of the series for years to come. Rick Yune also appears as a rival gang leader, a role that helped him win a part in the next James Bond movie.

The film was a massive hit in 2001 and changed car movies and chase scenes forever. The actions scenes were particularly acclaimed, with standout moments including a heist on a moving truck and a terrific crash with a semi-truck. The relationship between Diesel’s Toretto and Walker’s undercover cop O’Conner also brings about a fascinating dynamic.

Furious 7 (2015)
Paul Walker and Vin Diesel as Brian and Dom in Fast and Furious 7

Furious 7 is a standout movie in the series for a lot of reasons. Long time franchise stand-out, Paul Walker, was tragically killed in a car accident before the film could be completed. Walker’s brother stepped in to help finish the film and the character’s final scene parting ways with Toretto, achieved with CGI, was a real tear-jerker.

RELATED: 10 Most Badass Vin Diesel Movie Action Scenes, Ranked

The action was bombastic as ever, with its skydiving car sequence, a car jump between two towers in Dubai, and an epic climax featuring crosscutting between several characters during a battle in Los Angeles. As a bonus for film buffs, the film’s title and lasting image of seven characters lined up references classic films Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven.

Fast Five (2011)
Entire fast and furious cast on the poster for Fast Five

After the 2009 installment reinvigorated the franchise, 2011’s Fast Five took it to a whole new level. The gang heads down to beautiful Brazil for the bulk of the movie and features the biggest Fast and the Furious cast yet. Tyrese Gibson returns for the first time since 2 Fast 2 Furious and Ludacris also joins the cast.

Big the biggest addition to the cast without question was Dwayne Johnson as Agent Hobbs, who lights up the film as a major antagonist to Toretto. One of the standout moments of the film and the series is a good old-fashioned brawl between Johnson and Diesel, a dream match-up finally captured on film. Fast Five adds some of the most creative chases of the series, including one where two cars drag a massive vault at high speeds.

5 Other Iconic Vin Diesel Movies
xXx (2002)
Vin Diesel Triple X return of Xander Cage XXX 4

The xXx films were an attempt by Hollywood to create a modern American James Bond. Vin Diesel was introduced as adrenaline junkie secret agent, Xander Cage. The 007 influence is abundantly clear as the code name of Triple X and the iconic flag parachute jump were both borrowed from 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me.

Though it may not reach the heights of a Bond film, xXx is a fun ride and one of Diesel’s most recognizable franchises. It features bombastic action including a skydiving snowboard drop and a car chase where cage drives off a bridge to make a daring escape. Diesel would return for the third installment in 2017.

The Iron Giant (1999)

Before he was making Mission Impossible and The Incredibles films, Brad Bird’s first feature-length directing job came in the form of a cult classic 1999 animated movie. The title character, voiced by Vin Diesel, crash lands on earth and is befriended by a young boy.

The Iron Giant is a heartwarming and exciting movie the whole family can enjoy. The relationship between young Hogarth and the Giant works really well, as the young boy fights to protect his new friend from xenophobic military men. The film has large-scale impressive moments, with the Giant’s first flight being particularly memorable.

Pitch Black (2000)

This unique horror-sci-fi thriller from 2000 is the first of Diesel’s Riddick trilogy. The film has developed a cult following, with Riddick being especially popular. The character’s unique feature is his surgically augmented eyes which allow him to see in the dark but forces him to wear goggles to avoid the pain of light.

A spaceship carrying several passengers and a prisoner, Riddick, crash lands on a strange planet with three suns. The planet is in seemingly perpetual daylight due to the suns, but an approaching eclipse will allow the photosensitive monsters who live below ground to come to the surface. What follows is a good old fashion sci-fi horror romp.

Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

Diesel’s weirdest role is also one of his most popular. His character of Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy is an anthropomorphic tree from outer space who can grow out his limbs to use as weapons and shields. His signature catchphrase, “I am Groot,” is just about the only thing he ever says.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most popular Marvel films out there and, appropriately, focuses on the theme of family. The unification of the team followed by the line “We are Groot” is one of the feel-good moments in the MCU canon. Groot died in that film but regrew from a sprig to appear in three further marvel films with more on the way.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Private Ryan (Matt Damon) tells Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) he's staying in Saving Private Ryan

Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning World War 2 drama is by far the most acclaimed film in Vin Diesel’s career. Tom Hanks leads a stellar cast including Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, and Bryan Cranston. After seeing Diesel’s prior work, Spielberg wrote the character of Caparzo specifically for him.

Although Diesel only appears in the first third of the film, he leaves a major impression on audiences. His character, Caparzo, disobeys orders to save a little girl but he is hit by a far-off sniper. A shot of the dying Caparzo’s blood being splattered by the rain is one of the lasting images of the film. Saving Private Ryan was a huge break for Vin Diesel and he soon secured starring roles in Pitch Black and The Fast and the Furious.

NEXT: 10 Lesser-Known Vin Diesel Movies You Might Not Have Watched

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Fast & Furious 11 Release Delay & Filming Start Date Confirmed By Director

Summary

Fast and Furious 11
is facing a release date delay to Summer 2026 due to strikes, with director Louis Leterrier confirming the sequel will not be hitting its April 4, 2025 date.
Leterrier also confirms that filming starts in Fall 2025 after finishing a horror movie in September.
The final installment in the
Fast Saga
reunites Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto for one last ride, while also leaving the door open for other spinoffs.

After facing multiple delays due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, Fast and Furious 11 is seeing its release date delayed. The next installment in the Vin Diesel-fronted franchise is expected to be the last mainline sequel, while development continues on the Dwayne Johnson-led spinoff Hobbs & Reyes, a mysterious standalone movie penned by Fast X’s Zach Dean and a potential female-led spinoff. While a filming start date was never confirmed, Universal had previously set the movie for an April 2025 release date.

During a recent interview with Collider at a CCXP MX panel, Louis Leterrier was asked for an update on Fast and Furious 11. The director went on to confirm that the final mainline installment in the action franchise will no longer be making its April 4, 2025 release date, instead now aiming for a Summer 2026 release window with the filming start date being set for this fall. Check out what Leterrier said below:

It’s happening. It’s happening very, very soon. I’m able to shoot a little horror movie this summer. I’m finishing my horror movie on September 15th, and I start Fast on September 16th.

Will Fast 11’s Multiple Delays Help Or Hurt The Sequel?

Much like the tenth film before it, Fast and Furious 11 has faced a few behind-the-scenes hardships in its road to getting off the ground, namely the delays stemming from the 2023 strikes. While the latest movie seems to have retained its core creative team in comparison to the shift in directors from franchise vet Justin Lin to Leterrier on Fast X after reported creative differences between the former and Diesel, this change didn’t seem to help much with the continued downward trend recent sequels have seen from critics. Check out how the franchise’s Rotten Tomatoes scores compare below:

Title RT Critical Score RT Audience Score The Fast and the Furious 54% 74% 2 Fast 2 Furious 37% 50% The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift 37% 69% Fast & Furious 28% 67% Fast Five 78% 83% Fast & Furious 6 71% 84% Furious 7 81% 82% The Fate of the Furious 67% 72% Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw 67% 88% F9: The Fast Saga 59% 82% Fast X 56% 84%

Even looking outside the Fast and Furious franchise, many movie sequels have found themselves hurt by various delays, be they from creative changes, general release shifts or other factors. The action genre in particular is one in which lengthier development periods can lead to diminishing returns, be it A Good Day to Die Hard, Rambo: Last Blood or Diesel’s own xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. While Fast and Furious 11 may only be getting pushed back by a year, the delay is nonetheless a concern that the final installment could find itself in trouble.

Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) looking angry with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) looking unimpressed in Fast & Furious

Related 10 Most Exciting Things To Expect From Fast 11 Fast & Furious 11 will pull all the strings to become bigger than the previous installments, and here is why the film is worth being excited about.

On the other hand, the longer wait for Fast and Furious 11 to close out the mainline series of movies could actually prove beneficial for the sequel. Though Leterrier may be busy with another project in the lead-up to filming the next installment, writers Oren Uziel and Christina Hodson should now have more than enough time to really look back at the script and ensure it learns from the critical missteps of recent installments to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the Dominic Toretto saga.

Source: Collider

Fast and Furious 11 temp poster Fast and Furious 11 Fast and Furious 11 is the final movie in the Fast Saga. It reunites Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto with the rest of the cast for one last ride. However, the franchise is open for spinoff films like Hobbs & Shaw afterward.Director Louis Leterrier Release Date April 4, 2025 Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Christina Hodson , Oren Uziel

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Vin Diesel Already Has His Perfect Fast & Furious Replacement Franchise With 51-Year-Old Remake

Summary

Vin Diesel’s dominance in Fast & Furious is ending, but Kojak could kick off a new action franchise for him.
Kojak’s reboot faces an uncertain future, but its similarity to Fast & Furious makes it a worthy project for Diesel.
Diesel’s potential shift from criminal racer to cop signifies a fresh start in a possible Fast & Furious-like series.

Vin Diesel’s days of playing Dominic Toretto are numbered, but the actor has already found his perfect Fast & Furious replacement. Diesel found a major breakout role in the early 2000s thanks to participating in The Fast and the Furious. The original 2001 street racing crime movie became the springboard for a sprawling franchise that has lasted for over two decades. The success of the Fast & Furious movies transformed Vin Diesel’s career, turning him into an even bigger star, especially in the action movie genre. But, Fast & Furious 11 is planned as the final chapter for him and the franchise.

The Fast & Furious franchise’s end will put Vin Diesel in an unfamiliar position of not having a major franchise to lean back on. This presents the actor with various options, such as changing the course of his career to pursue non-franchise roles. However, the more likely outcome is that Diesel will attempt to find a new IP that can replace Fast & Furious. He has had trouble in that regard recently, with franchises like xXx or Riddick running cold and Bloodshot and The Last Witch Hunter failing to launch franchises. There is another option for Diesel, though.

2:03 Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto from The Fast & Furious Franchise

Related Vin Diesel May Have Spoiled Fast & Furious 11’s Ending With $2.7 Billion Movie Comparison Dom’s death happening in Fast & Furious 11 may have been spoiled already, with Vin Diesel comparing the upcoming movie to another big franchise.

Kojak Can Be Vin Diesel’s New Action Crime Franchise After Fast & Furious
Diesel Has Been Developing The Reboot Since 2015

The impending conclusion of the Fast & Furious franchise means it is finally time for Vin Diesel’s Kojak reboot to get off the ground. The project was announced back in 2015 with Diesel re-teaming with Universal Pictures, the studio behind Fast & Furious, to develop a movie based on Kojak. The original TV series starred Telly Savalas as Theo Kokaj and ran for three seasons after debuting in 1973. The series revolves around Kojak, a New York detective known for being willing to go beyond the law and a love for cars and lollipops, and follows him as he investigates different cases.

Kojak was rebooted in 2005 as a TV show starring Ving Rhames, but it only ran for six episodes

Development on Vin Diesel’s Kojak movie has not been very active in the nine years since it was announced. However, it still maintains the base similarities to Fast & Furious, which makes the project a worthwhile endeavor for Diesel in terms of finding a new action franchise. He would now have another big action series about cars and crime, essentially making Kojak into a newer version of Fast & Furious. The irony here is that Diesel takes on the role of a cop after playing criminal racer Dominic Toretto.

Vin Diesel’s Involvement Can Morph Kojak Into A Major Action Franchise
Kojak Could Be A Fast & Furious Clone
Telly Savalas talking on the phone in Kojak

Looking at the original TV show, Kojak might not necessarily project to be a major blockbuster action franchise akin to Fast & Furious. The TV series was relatively grounded and small due to the nature of its production. However, the fact that Diesel and Universal pinpointed this property as something they wanted to revive together is telling. The announcement of Kojak’s reboot came months after Furious 7 debuted in theaters and took the franchise to new heights at the box office and in terms of how ridiculously big the action and story could get.

It’s sometimes difficult to remember that Fast & Furious started off with a story about DVD thieves who were also street racers before Diesel helped turn it into something much bigger. With that experience and success already behind him, it would be understandable if a similar path was envisioned for Kojak. The series could then morph into a Fast & Furious clone, one that gives Vin Diesel a new franchise to headline and Universal a “fresh” action franchise to grow.

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The Rock’s WWE Run Means Fast & Furious 11 Must Make 1 Major Hobbs Change

Summary

Hobbs from Fast & Furious 11 needs a gritty edge like The Rock’s WWE character to keep the franchise fresh and exciting.
The Rock’s time away from the Fast & Furious universe provides the perfect reason for Hobbs to return with a personal vendetta and a more savage attitude.
While Hobbs shouldn’t become a full-fledged villain in Fast & Furious 11, adding some edginess and dirty tricks could make his character more intriguing and dynamic.

Fast & Furious 11 must make one major Hobbs change after The Rock’s incredible WWE run. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s WWE return surpassed his recent movies, with the actor creating some of the best work of his career. Having returned to a thunderous reception, The Rock was able to flip the crowd’s reception by becoming a heel and playing a major part in WrestleMania’s main events. The Rock hasn’t played a villain on screen for years, as even his depiction of Black Adam lent more into the character’s anti-hero side, which made his wrestling run all the more refreshing.

While his wrestling character may not perfectly translate into the Fast & Furious universe, there is one aspect of The Rock’s WWE run that the franchise should attempt to implement. After debuting in Fast Five, The Rock’s best Fast & Furious scenes helped contribute to the movie series becoming so popular, with Luke Hobbs becoming an instrumental part of the story. He was even given his own spinoff alongside Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) and is set to get a solo movie in the future. Despite this, Hobbs would still benefit from adding one key aspect of The Rock’s WWE run.

The Rock’s WWE Run Proves Fast & Furious 11 Needs To Give Hobbs More Of An Edge
Fast & Furious Would Benefit From Hobbs Adopting Some Of The Rock’s WWE Tendancies
Dwayne The Rock Johnson in Black Adam, WWE, and Hobbs and Shaw

Given how electrifying The Rock’s recent WWE run was, there is no doubt Fast & Furious 11 needs to give Hobbs more of an edge. Although the character has had his more serious moments, like most of the Fast & Furious cast, Hobbs tends to mix action with comedy. Hobbs and Shaw are supposed to be two of the more stoic heroes, yet they are constantly at each other’s throats and cracking jokes to help maintain the franchise’s lighthearted core. However, giving Hobbs a grittier side would help the character thrive upon his return.

The Rock’s Fast & Furious return may redeem Fast X’s box office, but the character needs to come back stronger than ever. By allowing him to be more ruthless, he can still maintain some elements of comedy but also become more interesting in the process. Johnson proved that despite being a detestable heel, he was still as hilarious as ever during his recent WWE tenure. This proves that he can maintain Fast & Furious’ tone and humorous style while being more layered; therefore, Hobbs adopting some of The Rock’s WWE characteristics could make him even more entertaining.

Fast & Furious Already Has A Reason For Hobbs To Be More Savage
Hobbs Has Been Away From The Franchise For Several Years

Making a major change to Hobbs’ character could be tough to explain, but Fast & Furious 11 already has a great reason to make him more savage. His four-year absence from the franchise gives him a perfect excuse to come back with a vengeance and potentially have a personal attachment to Fast & Furious 11’s villains. Hobbs’ time away from the main story could be explained through a connection to Fast X’s secondary villain, Aimes. Aimes’ villain twist in Fast X was well executed and suggests he’ll be around for the sequel, which is the perfect reason to bring back Hobbs.

Having a more personal story with one of the villains could allow Hobbs to continue his great quips and one-liners, but it would also give him more of an edge.

Fast X never explained why he’s back, but having a personal vendetta against Aimes could be an intriguing reason. Given Dom and Dante are the focal point of the franchise’s conclusion, Hobbs returning to take down Aimes would avoid overshadowing the main story while still giving him an interesting role. Having a personal story with one of the villains could allow Hobbs to continue his great quips and one-liners, while also giving him more of an edge. This provides The Rock with the perfect reason to implement some of his heel traits while still portraying a morally good hero.

2:34 Image 147 Related Predicting The Ending Of All 13 Fast & Furious Characters In Fast 11 The Fast Saga is set to conclude with Fast & Furious 11 – or Fast X 2 – but how will Dom Toretto and his family’s stories come to a definitive end?

Why Fast & Furious Can’t Bring The Rock Back As A Villain
Hobbs Already Appeared As An Antagonist In Fast Five
A custom image featuring Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs in the Fast and Furious movies Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

Although The Rock’s villainous tendencies worked well in the WWE, Fast & Furious can’t bring him back as an antagonist. Johnson already played the main villain of Fast Five, as Hobbs was originally an enemy of Dom and his crew before becoming an ally. Hobbs’ role in Fast Five was one of his best, but despite being the main antagonist, he always had a level of integrity. Dropping all of this to make him a villain in the final movie would be completely unnecessary, especially as the franchise needs him to remain a hero for his spinoff.

Fast & Furious 11 may end the main story, but The Rock will be part of the franchise beyond this, and altering his character so drastically wouldn’t make any sense. Instead, adding some extra edge to his character would have the same effect and would avoid stealing the thunder from Dante and Aimes. Although Fast & Furious 11 shouldn’t make him a villain, the film can still allow Hobbs to play dirty and pull some cheap tricks in order to show a grittier side, while letting him taunt his enemies when he inevitably helps save the day.

Fast & Furious 11
is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 4, 2025.

Fast and Furious 11 temp poster Fast and Furious 11 Fast and Furious 11 is the final movie in the Fast Saga. It reunites Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto with the rest of the cast for one last ride. However, the franchise is open for spinoff films like Hobbs & Shaw afterward.Director Louis Leterrier Release Date April 4, 2025 Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Christina Hodson , Oren Uziel

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