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Brian O’Conner’s 10 Smartest Decisions, Ranked

The upcoming Fast X movie has promised the return of franchise characters such as Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty Ortiz. Several new actors including Jason Momoa and Brie Larson have also been confirmed to be joining the franchise.

With all the talk of new character introductions and the return of classic Fast and Furious family members, it’s hard for fans not to think of one key character whose absence has been noticeable in the past few films: Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner. While the franchise is now know for its frequent absurdity, O’Conner was once one of the characters who balanced out his bad decisions with a lot of smart ones that became franchise-defining moments.

Confronting Braga
Braga smiling and looking off-screen in Fast & Furios.

Brian had a lot of guilt over the role he thought he played in Letty’s death in Fast & Furious so when it was revealed that she was still alive in Furious 6, it was only right for him to be the one to figure out what happened.

Related: 10 Unpopular Opinions About Fast & Furious 6, According To RedditBraga was happily surprised to see Brian in the LA prison with him, thinking he’d have a chance to finally get revenge on the former FBI agent but instead, Brian was able to mine him for information on Letty. One misstep and the prison break-in plan would have failed, but the decision proved to be a smart strategic move in helping Brian get the information needed to understand and take down Shaw.

Going Back For Monica
Monica Fuentes pointing a rifle in 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Women in Brian’s life have sometimes created blind spots that have gotten him into trouble and undercover customs agent Monica Fuentes was one of those women in 2 Fast 2 Furious. However, without those feelings Brian wouldn’t have made the decisions that ultimately saved her life.

In the movie’s final sequence, Brian deviated from his plan to ditch one of Carter Verone’s men and instead used him to figure out where Monica was and keep Verone from killing her. Instead of running with the money he chose to go back for Monica and confront Verone. His decision kept Monica alive and helped Customs apprehend finally Verone.

Bringing Roman To The Team
Roman poses in front of Jeep Gladiator in a poster for Fast and Furious 9.

Tyrese Gibson was introduced to the Fast and Furious franchise as Roman Pierce in 2 Fast 2 Furious. Roman has taken on more of a comedic role since his original depiction as a grudge-holding former friend from Brian’s delinquent past, but he’s contributed greatly to the team since them.

Fast 5 brought together many faces from previous Fast and Furious films and since Toretto was not in the second installment, the decision to bring Roman (and Ludacris’ Tej) to the team can be entirely credited to Brian. Both characters played huge roles in the success of some of the teams most outrageous ideas including parachuting a car from a plane onto a narrow mountain road and even going to space.

Going Back For Dom
Dominic Toretto smiling faintly in Fast and Furious.

As the leader of the team, Dom made a lot of sacrifice plays and many of them were unnecessary. At the end of Fast 5, Dom cut Brian loose from the vault they were carrying during their Rio heist, sacrificing himself so that Brian can get free.

Thankfully, Brian made the smart decision and went back for him. If it hadn’t been for Brian, Dom would have been shot by Zizi. It was the obvious decision for Brian to make and the smartest, keeping the heart of the team alive and making sure he brought Mia’s brother home to her.

Calling Mia
Mia looking confused in Fast and Furious.

In the last movie Brian made an appearance in, Furious 7, Brian gave Mia a call when he and the team decided to take the fight with the film’s villains, Deckard Shaw and Mose Jakanade, to the familiar streets of LA. Brian called to tell Mia it was OK to move on if something happened to him, but Mia was having none of it.

Instead of it being the final goodbye he was anticipating, Mia gave him even more of a reason to fight to return home when she told him she was pregnant with heir second child. Since Walker had died by the time Furious 7, came out many thought his character would have a similar fate, but with that call, a door that seemed to be closing got propped open. Brian likely would have done his best to get home either way but the call to Mia helped give him the extra push.

Earning Dom’s Respect
Brian and Dom standing side by side in Fast and Furious.

Dominic had a reputation for keeping his family close-knit, so Brian had to get creative when it came to earning his trust in the first movie. It became clear to him that before ever earning Dom’s trust, Brian would have to first earn his respect.

Related: Every Member Of Dom’s “Family” In The Fast & Furious Franchise, Ranked By BraveryIt was a smart decision on Brian’s part because respect was the foundation that Dom had built his family on and if Brian didn’t have it, he would have never been brought into the family. Trust and respect went hand in hand for Dom so when Brian broke the trust, he knew the only way to recover would be to once again earn Dom’s respect, something he had already learned how to do.

Going Rouge
Brian O'Connor posing next to a red car in The Fast and the Furious.

In The Fast and the Furious Brian was easily able to mold himself into the street racing scene as an undercover cop since he already had a long history with cars after having been sent to juvie for committing grand theft auto. That same history is what led him to going rouge.

Brian officially left his position in law enforcement at the close of Fast & Furious, and it was a decision that was long overdue. He had become a bit of a hypocrite trying to selectively uphold laws that he himself was constantly breaking. He had also fallen in love with Torretto’s sister Mia so continuing to work for the people breaking apart her family would’ve made a relationship impossible.

Letting Dom Go
Brian and Dom in a car in The Fast and the Furious

If Brian hadn’t let Dom go at the end of The Fast and the Furious, none of the subsequent films would’ve been made without some serious adjustments to the great car racing movie’s most iconic plot points. Brian letting Dom go was a risky move for him at the time but had a serious payoff.

By letting Dom drive away at the end of the franchise’s first movie Brian kept alive the chance of a future relationship with Mia. He was also able to keep some of the respect that Dom had for him which is the only reason they were able to team up again in the future. As a cop, it was a decision that had more repercussions than advantages at the moment, but it helped set up his better future.

Breaking Dom Out Of Prison
Dominic Toretto stand in front of a street lined with souped up cars in The Fast and the Furious

Luckily Dom never actually made it to the prison he was being transported to at the end of Fast & Furious. His transport to the prison was intercepted by Brian and Mia, marking Brian’s true departure from law enforcement as all three of the became wanted fugitives.

Related: The 10 Best Fast & Furious Characters, According to RankerThe only reason Dom didn’t kill Braga and didn’t run is because he wanted to do the right thing and hoped the judge would be lenient. When the judge instead went in the opposite direction, Brian made the smart choice, the only one that would allow him to live with himself, and kept Dom out of prison. It also released him from the shackles that working for the law had put on him.

Leaving The Team
Brian looks at Dom from his car in Furious 7

Instead of recasting Brian after Paul Walker’s death or killing the character off, Brian was instead written out as having left the team. Not only did it perfectly play into the trajectory of the character, it was also the smartest choice that Brian could’ve made after the lifestyle had put his growing family in jeopardy.

Brian voiced his apprehension to becoming a father in Fast 5 since his own father hadn’t been there for him but he was able to be better for his kid. He did start to miss the bullets but ultimately saw that nothing would ever be more real for him than the life he created with Mia.

Next: The Best Fast & Furious Drivers, According To Reddit

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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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