It’s unfortunate that F9 has seen so many delays, but the Fast & Furious series is confirmed to be receiving a tenth installment. Since F9 has finished filming long ago, speculation has already begun over who might be the bad guy in the next film.
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It’s worth indulging in this discussion, as the Fast & Furious franchise requires a certain type of actor who can be believable as the antagonist to go up against Dominic Toretto and company. The qualities required generally have to do with a blend of charisma, class, intensity, and a taste for action. Let’s see who could be the best fit for this role.
Ryan Reynolds
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Reynolds actually has a character within the Fast & Furious chronology. He appeared as CIA Agent Victor Locke, a man with ties to Luke Hobbs. Having established him with a background, and more importantly, as a funny character, nobody will see it coming if he becomes the villain.
Ryan Reynolds does have the acting chops to pull off a sinister antagonist, and this job will be a lot easier due to Victor Locke’s connection with Hobbs. It would be very interesting to see how his comedy and potential diabolical mind will clash with Dominic Toretto’s gang.
Samuel L. Jackson
The actor has played so many characters in his career that they’ve even been ranked according to their potential Hogwarts Houses. Jackson has also starred next to Vin Diesel in xXx, so there’s no question about his chemistry with the actor.
His turn as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction should be answer enough as to whether Jackson will fit in this universe, although he could derive elements from his villainous turn in Kingsman: The Secret Service as well. With his brand of ruthless energy, he could easily play a force of a villain.
John Travolta
If one were to look into John Travolta’s filmography, there will be many roles he’s played that have been villains. He excelled in movies like Face/Off and The Taking of Pelham 123, among many others. In fact, even his hammy villainous roles are highly entertaining in their own way.
With such a decorated career of playing baddies, Travolta will have no problem stepping into this new world. He could be placed as the dark counterpart of Kurt Russell’s Mr. Nobody, or another street boss out to make the heroes pay.
Sean Bean
Of course, just the prospect of watching a new addition in the long list of Sean Bean’s on-screen deaths will sell film tickets. Regardless of that joke, Bean has been in fine form as the antagonist before, most notably in GoldenEye.
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He brings a wide range in his villainous roles, being able to channel a charming demeanor and even outright violent characters where necessary. Considering he was even a villain in the video game Hitman 2, there’s no doubt that Sean Bean can accommodate himself in the Fast & Furious universe.
Jet Li
There’s always been the feeling that Jet Li needs that one big villainous role that will truly bring out his talents. He’s been the antagonist in Lethal Weapon 4, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and The One, yet these films didn’t fully utilize him.
A series like Fast & Furious, which features many fighting styles, will be perfect for Li to be his most imposing self. He’s easily believable in beating guys like Dominic Toretto and Luke Hobbs, which would make him the strongest villain seen in the franchise.
Christoph Waltz
He was criminally underutilized in Spectre, thus missing out on topping the list of best James Bond villains. However, his on-screen presence was more than felt, as Waltz commanded the direction of the scenes he shared with Bond.
Likewise, Christoph Waltz is sure to have unique chemistry with Fast & Furious heroes, as these guys don’t take too kindly to silent and sinister types. Waltz can be the type of villain who avoids getting his hands dirty but is in control of all the happenings in the movie.
Sigourney Weaver
It’s very easy to see Sigourney Weaver in an action-packed role due to her history with the Alien franchise. She was cast as the villain in Marvel’s The Defenders, a series with similar over-the-top antics and high-action sequences.
Like Charlize Theron, Weaver can be the thinking man’s villain and has the potential to be more as the actress has a particular talent in coming across as an imposing figure. She could even be cast as the overall big bad who’s been delegating roles to the other villains the whole time.
Priyanka Chopra
Chopra was the antagonist in Baywatch, which starred The Rock. That film might not have been the best, but it did more than prove that the actress can hold her own opposite an all-star cast. She’s previously been heavily involved in action roles in Bollywood movies like Don and Jai Gangaajal.
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Her ability to come across as a well-meaning figure can be used to initially portray her character as one of the protagonists, with a possible scenario for her to surprise the heroes with her villainy. It would also align well with her role in the similarly action-packed Matrix 4.
Cate Blanchett
Those who have seen her in Thor: Ragnarok know very well that Cate Blanchett likes to mix around in her variety of roles. She was absolutely destructive as Hela in the MCU and can evoke the same sense of mad charisma in Fast & Furious.
She generally prefers to bring in a sinister kind of delight to her villainous roles, which is something the Fast & Furious series very much needs since almost all of its antagonists have been so stoic in nature. Not to mention that Dom and his crew will have to find a new way to deal with her kind of threat.
Keanu Reeves
There are already enough reasons for fans to know that Keanu Reeves is absolutely breathtaking, but him as a villain in this series will be like a dream come true. In fact, Keanu was approached by The Rock to be the main antagonist in Hobbs & Shaw.
While that idea might not have panned out, the actor can shift focus to the main series. Having a villain version of John Wick will blow fans’ minds, throwing each main character’s life in doubt. The series needs a bad guy with a believable level of intensity and danger, and there might not be anyone better than Keanu Reeves.
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