Fast X: Release Date, Cast, And More

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The "Fast and Furious" saga, which kicked off way back in 2001, is approaching its last lap. After over two decades of watching gearheads graduate from illegal street racing and pulling off heists of DVD players and VCRs to international espionage and foiling world-ending threats, you might be tempted to think that we've wrung as much motor oil out of the cylinder as we possibly can. (Look, I have no idea if that actually works as an analogy or not, but I'm sticking with it.) But it sure seems like the most over-the-top action is yet to come. That said, as much as Universal would like this franchise to keep going ad infinitum, raking in the box office profits from one of the more profitable blockbusters series, the main narrative will come to a close in a two-part finale. Here's what you should know about "Fast X."

"Fast X" will roar into theaters on May 19, 2023. Production hasn't been the smoothest ride for this tenth entry into the "Fast" canon (and eleventh overall, including the spin-off movie "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw"), first with the release date for its predecessor "F9" being bumped back due to the pandemic and taking over the slot once reserved for "Fast X." 

Originally dated for April 2, 2021, various targets cropped up that included February of 2023, April 7 of 2023, and finally its current May 2023 date. Barring another catastrophic global event, you can bet that Universal will give this film an exclusive theatrical release to kick off the beginning of the end of this wildly profitable franchise. The studio learned a big lesson by holding on to "F9" and not dumping it onto a streaming platform: "F9" raked in more than $725 million during a pandemic.

A sure-to-be explosive and over-the-top blend of high-octane action and family drama, "Fast X" will seemingly begin to complete the story of Dominic Toretto, a world-class street racer who has evolved from being a low-level DVD player thief into a planet-saving paterfamilias who has orchestrated an untold number of jaw-dropping heists, daring escapes, and gravity-defying vehicular exploits.

After "F9" resurrected Han, a fan-favorite character who was thought to be dead, the film's credits scene hinted that "Fast X" would finally reckon with the "Justice for Han" idea that's been looming over the franchise for the past couple of movies. "[Justice] hasn't been served," Kang said in June of 2021. "It hasn't been served because someone that is dear to Han [Gal Gadot's Gisele, who died in 'Fast & Furious 6'] is not here anymore. So how is that resolved? And if I find the man responsible for it [Luke Evans' Owen Shaw], what do I do to him? So we'll see."

The recent trailer release teased even more hard-hitting action and plot details, which revolves around a major retcon to "Fast Five" that will involve Jason Momoa's villainous Dante seeking revenge on Dom and the gang for their involvement in the death of his father. "Fast" fans will know that drug kingpin Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida) met a grisly end during the brazen vault heist through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. Now, his previously-unknown son Dante who witnessed those events is back and angrier than ever.

Remember when I mentioned earlier that production on "Fast X" hadn't exactly been the smoothest? Well, Justin Lin, the franchise's most frequent director ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," "Fast & Furious," "Fast Five," "Fast & Furious 6," and "F9"), was originally meant to return to direct and write both "Fast X" and its untitled follow-up that will bring the franchise to a close. However, those good ol' fashioned creative differences cropped up between Lin and star Vin Diesel, resulting in Lin parting ways just as production on the film had just begun. Upon scrambling at the eleventh hour to find someone to step in and take the film to the finish line, Universal landed on "The Incredible Hulk" and "Now You See Me" director Louis Leterrier. After his hiring, he promptly set about rewriting entire swaths of the script until finalizing the draft that will end up in theaters in due time.

Chris Morgan, the writer/producer who has been one of the chief creative architects of this sprawling, multi-movie story, is returning as a producer on the film. Meanwhile, Vin Diesel -– who also has a tremendous amount of influence over the story -– will be producing as well, alongside Neal H. Moritz, who has been with the franchise since the beginning (minus a since-resolved legal squabble regarding "Hobbs and Shaw"). The final script is credited to Justin Lin, Zach Dean, and Dan Mazeau.

All the expected cast members will be returning to live their lives another quarter mile at a time, of course. That includes Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, Jordana Brewster as his sister Mia, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz, Tyrese Gibson as Roman, Ludacris as Tej, Sung Kang as the not-quite-dead Han, Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey, Jason Statham as the villain-turned-antihero Deckard Shaw, Helen Mirren as Shaw's mother Queenie. We've also got John Cena as Dom's secret brother Jakob, Charlize Theron as returning villain Cipher (as revealed in the trailer), and even rapper Cardi B reprising her "F9" cameo as Leysa.

As for new cast members making their first appearances in "Fast X," fans can expect to see Brie Larson as a character named Tess, the unparalleled Rita Moreno as Dom's grandmother, Jason Momoa as the new villain Dante, Alan Ritchson (of "Jack Reacher" fame) as Aimes, and "The Suicide Squad" breakout star Daniela Melchior.

If you've watched one "Fast and the Furious" movie, then you know exactly what kind of franchise this is. The action blockbusters have always prioritized spectacle, violence, a bit of sexuality, and plenty of ruminations on family above all else. While other competitors like Marvel and DC tend to skew towards all ages, the "Fast Saga" are geared for audiences of a certain age. That said, each and every movie in the franchise has garnered a PG-13 rating for various reasons: from "violence, language and sexual content" to "intense sequences of violence and action and mayhem," among other content warnings. Following the grand tradition of the franchise, "Fast X" is also rated PG-13, likely for very similar reasons as the previous movies. By now, it's safe to say that audiences are well-aware of what they're getting each time out.

You've heard of Marvel Cinematic Universe marathons before every new movie or show, but may we interest you in how best to catch up on the entire so-called "Fast Saga" in release order and from the comfort of your own living room?

To wind back the clocks, we'll have to go back to the one that started them all: 2001's "The Fast and the Furious." The downright quaint movie about illegal street racing, petty theft of then-modern technology like VCRs and DVD players, and yes, family, it's currently available to rent on major providers such as Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, and Apple. Meanwhile, the 2003 sequel, "2 Fast 2 Furious," is also available to rent on Apple, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. 

That brings us to "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006), which is also available to rent on the usual platforms but can also be watched by subscribers on HBO Max. But moving back away from streaming, 2009's ridiculously-titled sixth installment "Fast & Furious" and 2011's "Fast Five" can both be rented through Apple, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. 

"Fast & Furious 6" and "Furious 7" are also available to rent on the aforementioned platforms, but they're also streaming for subscribers on Peacock's premium tier. "The Fate of the Furious" (2017) and the spin-off film "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw" are streaming for Fubo subscribers along with the usual rental platforms: Apple, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. 

And finally, the most recent film in the series "F9" is currently streaming on HBO Max in addition to the usual rental platforms.

Of course, availability is subject to change in the weeks leading up to the film's release.

Here's the official synopsis for "Fast X" from Universal Pictures

The end of the road begins.

"Fast X," the tenth film in the "Fast & Furious Saga," launches the final chapters of one of cinema's most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began.

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved, and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they've ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who's fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything — and everyone — that Dom loves, forever.

In 2011's "Fast Five," Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn't know was that Reyes' son, Dante ("Aquaman"'s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.

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. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, "Black-ish") is the ultimate target of Dante's vengeance.