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Fast & Furious: Dom Toretto’s Timeline Explained
Dom Toretto’s timeline is the heart of the Fast & Furious franchise, and his adventures became grander and grander with each new movie. First introduced in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, Dom Toretto’s tough exterior often hid a heart that cared too much, and his love for his family superseded all. Although his various criminal activities put him at the top of every most-wanted list, he only acted out of the best interest of his community and his family. Through his multitude of appearances in the franchise, Dom Toretto became one of the biggest action heroes in cinema history.
Played by Vin Diesel, Toretto began his time in the franchise as a shady criminal and was a secondary character to Brian O’Connor in the first film. However, as the franchise progressed, Dom became the central focus of the movies and his philosophy guided the films. Many of F&F’s villains became heroes, but Dom Toretto’s transformation was the most pronounced, and it quickly became clear that he was never a villain at all. While the franchise started as a quaint movie about street racing, Dom Toretto’s lengthy timeline saw it become a full-fledged action epic that never failed to surprise the audience.
RELATED: 6 Moments That Prove Fast & Furious Was Always Ridiculous Before Fast 5
Early Life (1976 – 1991)
Dominic Toretto was born in 1976 as the oldest child of Jack Toretto, a stock car driver, and owner of a local café and market. At some point in his youth, Dom would meet Letty Ortiz, a local girl from his neighborhood and the pair would begin a romantic relationship when they reached their teens. Dom had a younger sister named Mia and a brother named Jakob, and he formed a strong connection with his family thanks to the example shown by his father. Dom Toretto’s important backstory took a massive turn in the year 1989 with the death of his father.
While participating in a stock car race at the local track, Jack Toretto was bumped by fellow racer Kenny Linder, and he made contact with the wall at over 100 MPH, which killed him instantly. Dom was overcome with rage at Linder and proceeded to attack him with a wrench following some disparaging words about the late Jack Toretto. The assault landed Dominic in trouble with the law, and he was sentenced to prison for two years. Upon his release in 1991, Dom assumed control of his father’s businesses and exiled his brother Jakob, believing that he tampered with their father’s car which resulted in his death.
Meeting Brian O’Connor (2004)
As chronicled in the events of 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, Dominic Toretto was seen participating in one of Fast & Furious’ many street races, and he had founded a mechanic’s shop as a front for his many criminal enterprises. The years since his release from prison in 1991 had made it necessary for him to make money through illegal means, and he and his crew participated in major heists of truckloads of goods. It was then that he first encountered Brian O’Connor, who was an undercover officer investigating the thefts in L.A.
After a couple of weeks, Toretto began to trust O’Connor, despite knowing he wasn’t on the level and gave his blessing to him to begin dating his sister Mia. However, while attempting to make another score, Dom’s soon felt betrayal when the truth about O’Connor’s undercover status was revealed. This led to one of the best Fast & Furious movie climax scenes, as O’Connor and Dom raced once again on the streets of L.A. for freedom, with the latter to escape custody after being bested in the contest.
RELATED: Is Brian Returning In Fast & Furious 10?
Years On The Run (2004 – 2009)
Following his escape from L.A., Dominic then fled to Mexico where he first met fellow street racer Han Seoul-Oh. He soon moved to the Dominican Republic, as seen in the events of the short film Los Bandoleros, where he agreed to participate in a gas tanker heist. While in the Dominican Republic, and before the heist, Dominic finally married his childhood sweetheart Letty Ortiz, where he made a vow to forever be her “ride or die” partner. Then, as chronicled in the events of 2009’s Fast & Furious, Dom successfully pulled off the gas tanker heist in order to use the gas himself, and distribute it to the people.
Following the heist, Dominic learned of Letty Ortiz’s shocking “death” and returned to the United States despite being a wanted criminal. Once there, he found himself on the trail of drug lord Arturo Braga, who had something to do with Letty’s murder. He was then reunited with Brian O’Connor, then an FBI Agent, who was also investigating Braga and the duo put aside their differences to infiltrate the gang. Although Toretto was able to exact his revenge against Braga’s trigger-man Fenix Calderon, he was arrested in the process and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
First Encounter With Luke Hobbs (2009 – 2011)
After receiving his prison sentence, Dom was freed from captivity as his crew, including Brian, turned over a prison transport bus. Once again on the run in the 2011 film, Fast Five, Dom traveled to Rio de Janeiro, where he and Brian were framed for the murder of DEA agents by a local drug lord, Hernan Reyes. Fast Five’s contribution to F&F’s legacy included the introduction of Diplomatic Security Service Agent, Luke Hobbs, who investigated the murder. With Hobbs on his tail, Dom and company staged a heist of $100 million and the agent allowed them a 24-hour head start to escape, not knowing they had successfully taken the money.
Reuniting With Letty (2013)
Having fled to the Canary Islands after Fast Five, Dom was approached by Luke Hobbs with information that Letty Ortiz was actually alive and working for the powerful criminal, Owen Shaw. That information was enough to convince Dom to join Hobbs in attempting to apprehend Shaw, and he brought his crew along in the events of 2013’s Fast & Furious 6. Dom soon learned that Letty was indeed working for Shaw, but she had lost her memory and she didn’t remember him. Letty’s return completely changed Fast & Furious, and Dom was eventually able to spark her memory enough to free her from Shaw.
RELATED: Why The Fast & Furious Franchise Is Ending (& When It Will)
Getting Revenge For Han & Brian’s Departure (2014)
As seen in 2006’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Dom traveled to Tokyo and participated in a street race following the death of his friend Han. After recovering Han’s remains, Dom returned to the U.S. and was attacked by Han’s murderer, Deckard Shaw. The bombing destroyed the iconic Toretto house in Los Angeles, and nearly killed Mia, Brian, and their child. Dom was then recruited by the mysterious “Mr. Nobody” to bring down Shaw, and he succeeded with the help of Luke Hobbs in the film Furious 7 from 2015. Tired of the dangerous life, Brian and Mia stepped away from the family and parted ways with Dom.
Working For Cypher (2017)
While on his honeymoon with Letty in Havana, Dom was coerced by the cyberterrorist Cypher into working for her by kidnapping his former lover, Elena. The 2017 film The Fate of the Furious saw Dom turn evil, and go on several missions for Cypher including stealing the God’s Eye from “Mr. Nobody’s” base. She continued to blackmail him into several other dangerous missions, but he turned on her after learning he had a son with Elena that he never knew about. Dom was eventually able to avert a nuclear war and survived a missile attack from Cypher when he redirected it toward one of her submarines.
Reunion With Jakob (2019)
In 2019’s F9, Dom, Letty, and Dom’s son Brian were seen living a peaceful life in Thailand, when Tej Parker, Roman Pierce, and Ramsey arrived to inform him that Cypher had escaped captivity. While watching the footage of the jailbreak, Dom saw that one of the rogue agents was his estranged brother Jakob, and that spurred him out of retirement to bring him down. F9’s characters returned from every Fast & Furious movie, and Dom set out with his all-star team in pursuit of his brother who had aligned himself with Cypher.
Jakob’s mission to unite the pieces of Project Aries was eventually successful though, and the younger Toretto was eventually betrayed by his employer after he had completed his mission. Putting the past aside, Dom rescued his brother, and they made amends while trying to stop Cypher. Dom launched into orbit using a rocket car and was successful in destroying Cypher’s satellite before safely returning to Earth again. The family then returned to L.A. where the Toretto house was being rebuilt after it was destroyed by Shaw. Many Fast & Furious characters attended the barbecue including Brian O’Connor who was briefly seen pulling into the driveway.
MORE: What The Fastest Anyone Has Ever Driven In The Fast & The Furious Is
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The 69-Year Story Behind The Fast And Furious Name
Summary
The Fast & Furious franchise started with the 2001 movie The Fast and the Furious and went through several major changes in its sequel titles. The title for the original movie was almost different, with options like Race Wars, but the producer fought for The Fast and the Furious.
As the Fast & Furious series has one of the most recognizable franchise names in cinema, some may be curious as to where its origin came from. The multi-billion-dollar franchise started with 2001’s straightforward street racing movie, The Fast and the Furious, but following that, the series went through several major changes, and that was mirrored in the Fast & Furious sequel movie titles. 2 Fast 2 Furious introduced numbered titles, then The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift immediately dropped that format. The fourquel confused things further with the title Fast & Furious, and it only got more confusing from there. However, every title is still a play on the original 2001 title.
The Fast and the Furious came to fruition following a Vibe magazine article called “Racer X”. Universal had the incredible foresight of seeing how popular street racing would become in the 2000s, and the studio quickly grabbed the movie rights to the article. However, while the movie was originally titled after the article, the studio wasn’t totally satisfied with that name, and many other titles, including Race Wars, were considered. The movie even went into production under the title Redline, but producer Neal Moritz had his mind set on one title that seemed unachievable to get; The Fast and the Furious.
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The Fast And The Furious Is Named After A 1954 Movie
Another movie titled The Fast and the Furious already existed, and it was released almost half a century before the 2001 street racing film was released. 1954’s The Fast and the Furious, written by Roger Corman, has nothing to do with street racing as it exists today. The movie follows a prison escapee who kidnaps a rich woman and steals her Jaguar, then ends up in an epic road race that ends in Mexico. While the title perfectly fits the 1954 film, Moritz was desperate to use the title for his own movie that he was producing, having learned about it after seeing a Roger Corman documentary (via Entertainment Weekly).
Moritz detailed how Universal didn’t seem to be completely on board at first. The producer explained, “I called up the head of marketing at Universal the next morning and said ‘Okay, I’ve got the title: The Fast and the Furious!’ And there was just silence on the other end. I was like, ‘Oh, I guess that is the worst title he’s ever heard.’ However, after mulling it over, Universal agreed, and it worked out perfectly, as the whole world now knows that name and it’s synonymous with the Vin Diesel-led franchise. Movie titles are extremely important, and it’s less likely that the movie would have become a billion-dollar franchise if it was titled Race Wars.
Moritz revealed, “we made a deal with Roger to give him the use of some stock footage that Universal owned.” It isn’t clear if Corman ever benefited financially from that footage. In hindsight, he undoubtedly got a terrible deal. The Fast & Furious name is extremely important to the franchise and has made Universal billions. The name has even been used for spinoffs, and Fast & Furious Present: Hobbs & Shaw wouldn’t have made $760 million without the name attached to it. However, there was no knowing how huge the franchise became. After all, The Fast and the Furious was originally just a scrappy crime movie based on a magazine article.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
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Fast X Video Reveals BTS Of Real, Practical Fights In OTT Sequel
Summary
The Fast X fight between Letty and Cipher was filmed using practical effects, resulting in a well-choreographed hand-to-hand combat sequence full of emotions. Cipher’s decision to team up with Dom and “La Familia” was out of necessity, but spending time with Letty after escaping prison could lead to her becoming a member of the family. Cipher’s unexplored history with Giselle and her association with Letty could help in mellowing down the former villain and potentially setting up a redemption arc or even a Cipher spin-off.
A new Fast X behind-the-scenes video shows how Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and Cipher’s (Charlize Theron) intense fight scene was filmed. Dom and his “La Familia” returned on the big screen in 2023 for the tenth main installment of The Fast Saga. In a major twist, however, instead of butting heads again with Cipher, the primary villain of the franchise for several recent entries, Letty had to team up with her. That didn’t stop Letty from expressing her true feelings about her when they were both captured by the Agency.
Courtesy of Collider is a behind-the-scenes clip from Louis Leterrier’s Fast X that offers a look at how Cipher and Letty’s one-on-one fight scene was filmed. Check out the video below:
The Fast X fight is arguably one of the best choreographed hand-to-hand combat in The Fast Saga, and it’s all because they filmed it with practical effects. The result, coupled with the history between the pair, is an effective action sequence full of emotions.
How Cipher & Letty’s Relationship Evolves In Fast & Furious 11
Granted that Cipher’s decision to team up with Dom and “La Familia” came from necessity after she was targeted by Jason Momoa’s Dante, spending more time with Letty after escaping prison can lead to her becoming a proper member of “La Familia.” There’s precedent to this, with a few of the recent The Fast Saga villains ending up being redeemed and joining Dom and his crew. This has been the case with Deckard Shaw (despite his attempted murder of Han Lue), and more recently, John Cena’s Jakob, who sacrificed himself in Fast X to save Little B.
Increasing the chances of this happening is Cipher’s unexplored history with Giselle. After she and Letty finally escaped the Agency’s bunk prison, they found themselves in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, Giselle came to the rescue after Cipher notified her of their escape plan. There has never been any indication that Cipher and Giselle know each other before the massive Fast X twist. Making this more surprising is that Giselle has been believed to be dead for several years now. Her association with Giselle could help Letty mellow down on the former villain when they all return for Fast and Furious 11.
RELATED: Fast X Cliffhanger Ending Explained
Perhaps, this unexpected turn could be a set-up for the in-development Cipher spin-off. Specific plot details about the project are currently scant, with Universal still not announcing a tentative release date. Nevertheless, the events of Fast X could be the start of her redemption arc, with her relationship with Letty functioning as a barometer of whether viewers can finally forgive her for all of her transgressions.
Source: Collider
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10 Characters Who Should Be In It
Summary
Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty is the franchise’s biggest female character and the obvious pick to lead the all-female spinoff. Jordana Brewster’s Mia deserves a big role in the spinoff to expand on her character and showcase her growth. Brie Larson’s Tess is needed in the spinoff to explore the mystery surrounding her character and add her engaging screen presence to the team.
The Fast & Furious saga is meant to continue with an all-female-led movie, and casting the returning characters presents exciting options. An all-female spinoff could be the perfect way to continue the Fast &Furious story, as it will be able to retain the elements of the franchise that make it iconic while offering a new perspective. From the beginning, the franchise has been very male-dominated, and told male-centric stories, so offering the high-octane thrills of a Fast & Furious movie from a female perspective could be a welcome change of pace.
The series is known for having an all-star cast, so any female spinoff will have to match the previous films. Thankfully, the franchise already has several incredible female movie stars. Fast X, the latest film in the franchise, introduced and reintroduced some exciting female characters, setting the groundwork for the upcoming Fast & Furious movie. Obviously, whatever happens in the next film will determine who will be on the team and what side they will fight for. The franchise already has a healthy supply of female characters, both good and evil, who can factor into a Fast & Furious female spinoff.
10 Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty Can Lead The Fast Spinoff Ensemble
She’s the franchise’s biggest female character
Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty has been a key member of the Fast family since the first movie, and no female spinoff would feel right without her leading the team. Dominic Toretto’s wife is one of the fastest drivers in the world. Letty has made her way from street racer to international woman of mystery, becoming one of the franchise’s best characters in the process. Rodriguez is an incredibly engaging screen presence thanks to her charisma and action pedigree. An all-female action movie is right in her wheelhouse, making her the obvious pick for the lead in the movie.
9 Jordana Brewster’s Mia Deserves A Big Role
The Toretto family member has been sidelined recently
Another extension of the Toretto family tree, Jordana Brewster’s Mia is Dom’s brother and the wife of Paul Walker’s Brian. Since Walker’s tragic death, as well as the introduction of countless new characters, Mia has been sidelined in recent films, which is a shame because she is one of the best parts of the earlier films. A spinoff with just the women could be a great time to expand on Mia’s character and see how she has grown over the past couple of years, especially now that she is the mother of two. Brewster is an underrated talent, and Mia should be heavily involved in whatever spinoff the filmmakers plan.
8 Brie Larson’s Tess Is Needed After Fast X Introduction
Mr. Nobody’s daughter has a bright future
Fast X introduced several new faces to the franchise, but perhaps most notably was Brie Larson as Tess “Nobody”, a secret agent on a quest to protect Dom and his family. Larson had relatively little screen time in the movie, and her introduction felt like it was mostly included to set up a future spinoff. The Oscar winner is the perfect name to include in a spinoff. Larson is an incredibly engaging and vulnerable screen presence and a great addition to the team. As her family name would imply, there is still a lot of mystery about Tess that this spinoff could explore.
7 Ramsey’s Return Can Give Nathalie Emmanuel A Major Role
The hacker has a growing set of skills
After her first appearance in Furious 7, Nathalie Emmanuel’s Ramsey has been the Fast team’s resident hacker and tech wiz. The Game of Thrones star has mostly been used for exposition and comic relief since joining the team, but Ramsey has a distinctive style and skill set that would make her a great addition to the female spinoff. While Mia and Letty are great drivers, Ramsey has skills in the digital realm that could help the team on whatever mission they are on. It would also be interesting to see how Ramsey functions outside the trio of her, Tej, and Roman.
Related Fast & Furious Showed How To Continue The Franchise After Vin Diesel 17 Years Ago (With A Catch) Fast & Furious finds itself at a crossroads with the end nearing, and Universal should look to the franchise’s most underrated movie for inspiration.
6 Daniela Melchior’s Return As Isabel Gives The Spinoff More Legacy
Isabel is the sister of Elena
For a while, Elsa Pataky’s Elena was viewed as an obvious candidate to appear in a Fast & Furious female spinoff. However, after her untimely demise in The Fate of the Furious, her younger sister can fill that void. Another new female protagonist introduced in Fast X, Daniela Melchior’s Isabel also felt like she was included mostly to set up this future spinoff. Melchior is one of the more promising young actors to pop up this decade, and her work in The Suicide Squad proves she is more than ready to have a large part in a team-up action movie.
5 Gal Gadot’s Place In The Fast Spinoff As Gisele Is Likely
Fast X confirmed Gisele is still alive
Gal Gadot made her return to Fast and Furious in the final moments of Fast X’s ending, which confirmed that Gisele is alive after Fast & Furious 6. The character’s return had been speculated for a long time, and audiences should see much more of her now that her fate is confirmed. A Fast & Furious female spinoff can answer lingering questions about Gisele’s life, such as how she survived falling from a plane or what she’s been doing for the last several years. The movie can also finally give Gisele a prominent role in the franchise once again.
4 Charlize Theron’s Cipher Could Play Both Sides In The Spinoff
The franchise’s villain is not to be trusted
In both The Fate of the Furious and F9: The Fast Saga, Charlize Theron’s Cipher served as the franchise’s primary antagonist. While Fast X puts her allegiance into question, she is still one of the best villains in all of Fast and Furious and would make an excellent baddie for the all-women team to go up against. While Cipher could be a reluctant ally to the team, Theron is just much more fun hamming it up as the bad guy, and the film could serve as a fitting conclusion to her movie-spanning scheme.
3 Eva Mendes Can Return As Monica Fuentes At Long Last
She hasn’t been seen since Fast Five
The Fast & Furious female spinoff would also be a great opportunity to finally bring back Eva Mendes as Monica Fuentes. Following her debut in 2 Fast 2 Furious, she returned briefly in Fast Five’s post-credits scene. Eva Mendes has since mostly retired from acting, leaving audiences without a chance to see Monica’s story continue. A Fast X Easter egg did provide a reminder of her presence in the franchise. This could be to help set up her appearance in Fast 11, but a return alongside the franchise’s biggest female characters would be more fitting.
2 Vanessa Kirby’s Hattie Needs To Crossover With The Main Franchise
She’s from the franchise’s only current spinoff
Only appearing in Hobbs & Shaw, Vanessa Kirby’s Hattie is the third sibling in the Shaw family and one of the most dangerous women in the Fast universe. She was a scene-stealing presence in the previous Fast & Furious spinoff movie that left audiences wanting more. It would be great to see Kirby return for an even bigger role in the franchise spinoff, allowing her to interact with some of the other prominent characters along the way.
1 Helen Mirren’s Queenie Should Be The Female Ensemble’s Mentor
She’s become a frequent face
With her appearances in the past four movies, including Hobbs & Shaw, Helen Mirren has become a surprising mainstay of the Fast & Furious franchise. Her role as British gangster Queenie is such a fun role for the Dame, and her time in the universe should continue especially in the all-female spinoff. Mirren’s roles in the movies have mostly been one-scene cameos, so this film could be a great space to expand the character and give her a chance to interact with more actors than just Vin Diesel.
Fast X Release Date: 2023-05-19 Director: Louis Leterrier Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Charlize Theron, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Scott Eastwood, Jason Momoa Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 141 Minutes Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime Writers: Justin Lin, Dan Mazeau, Gary Scott Thompson Budget: $340 Million Studio(s): Universal Pictures Distributor(s): Universal Pictures Sequel(s): Fast and Furious 11, Fast & Furious 12 prequel(s): Fast & Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The Fast And The Furious, Fast 5, Fast and Furious 6, Furious 7, Fast and Furious 8, F9: The Fast Saga1 Franchise(s): Fast and Furious
The 69-Year Story Behind The Fast And Furious Name
Fast X Video Reveals BTS Of Real, Practical Fights In OTT Sequel
10 Characters Who Should Be In It
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