Summary
TheFast & Furiousfranchise has always focused on the Toretto family, but with Dom’s future becoming uncertain, there is a perfect replacement already in the movies. Although it was Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner who took on the lead role early on, theFast & Furiousmoviesonly really took off once Vin Diesel returned as Dominic Toretto. This brought a renewed focus around Dom and"mi familia"for every subsequent film. Whether related by blood, marriage, or a shared love for the road, the Fast Saga has been built on the importance of Dom’s family.
The franchise has introducedDom’s brother, sister, father, grandmother, son, and cousin, and officially made Letty his wife as part of the expansion of theToretto family tree. However, withFast & Furious 11expected to end the main Fast Saga,there is a strong likelihood that the Toretto storyline will come to a close. This puts the franchise in a familiar spot, as it previously tried and failed to move the series beyond Vin Diesel’s character. If replacing the Torettos is necessary,Fast & Furioushas an excellent option established who can lead the next saga of films.
Fast X Set Up Dom & Letty’s Perfect Ending (& Showed How The Franchise Will Continue)
A throwaway gag from Fast X could have laid the groundwork for Dom and Letty’s ending in the series (and how the franchise could return.)
Fast & Furious Could Need To Replace The Toretto Family After Fast 11
Dom’s Story Is Expected To End
The idea ofFast & Furious 11ending the Fast Saga, as Diesel has confirmed, indicates that it will be the end of Dom’s story. Given the success of the franchise, there is no way Universal will not continue to makeFast & Furiousmovies in some capacity. This raises the question of what to do in the franchise if Dom is out of the equation. There could be thetemptation to keep the Toretto focus going with prequels or a legacy sequel focused on Little Brian. This would limit how much the franchise can truly move on from Dom.
The previous films have done an excellent job of introducing a vast number of characters who could be used to fill this void
Instead of relying on the Toretto name to carry the franchise forward, it would be smarter forFast & Furiousto replace Domand his entire family. The good news for the series is that the previous films have done an excellent job of introducing a vast number of characters who could be used to fill this void.There are options like Han and Gisele taking the lead roles from Dom and Lettyor Luke Hobbs stepping up, giving Dwayne Johnson the franchise leading role at last. Either could work, butFast & Furious' family focus makes another candidate ideal.
The Shaw Family Can Be The Face Of Fast & Furious After The Torettos
Deckard & His Family Can Do More
The best way for theFast & Furiousfranchise to move on from the Toretto family is to embrace an entirely different bloodline, the Shaw family. The Shaw family have strong ties throughout the most recent run of movies and are allmostly well-liked characters audiences would be excited to see take on larger roles. Jason Statham’s Deckard has gone fromFast & Furiousvillain to hero, as has Luke Evans' Owen after hisFast & Furious 6role. Vanessa Kirby’s Hattie stole scenes inHobbs & Shaw, while Helen Mirren’s Queenie frequently pops up for small bits of fun.
Jason Statham
Fast & Furious 6 post-credits
Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, F9 post-credits, Fast X
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
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It would be smart forFast & Furiousto make the Shaw family the lead of the next Fast Saga after the Torettos' storyline has come to an end. For starters, the four established characters provide a lot of star power for future films, with Statham a reliable box office draw and Kirby’s profile only getting bigger.The Shaws are also deeply connected to many otherFast & Furiouscharacters, which opens the door for other familiar faces to keep returning, whether that’s Han, Cipher, Hobbs, or someone else. Plus, they help keep the franchise’s familial focus.
Fast & Furious Can Go In A New Direction With The Shaw Family
The Shaws Are Very Different From The Torettos
Just becauseFast & Furiouscould focus on another family after the Torettos does not mean that everything would stay the same. The Shaws are very different from the Torettos and would give the franchise a chance to go in new directions. For example, Dom and most of the Torettos became quite heroic despite their previous illegal activities. While the Shaws found redemption in various ways,they are still a criminal-based family who could have larger connections to the criminal underworldthan previous installments have shown.Fast & Furiouscould become more based on crime and espionage as a result.
Making the Shaw family the main focus of theFast & Furiousfranchise could also help it further expand internationally. The movies have visited different parts of the world on multiple occasions, but the Torettos are ultimately rooted in Los Angeles. This means the series frequently comes back there.The Shaws are all based out of Englandand could help futureFast & Furiousmovies retain a European setting. That would help create a clean break from the Toretto storyline, solving issues about why they aren’t appearing as the Shaws save the world from various threats.
