The Fast and the Furious, also referred to as Fast & Furious, is a cult-classic franchise of action-adventure movies that focus on street racing, spies, heists, and the theme of family. In this list, we go over The Fast and Furious films in both production and chronological order.
Never concerned with Academy Awards or the opinions of professional critics, The Fast and the Furious is an unapologetic series that gleefully boasts over-the-top stunts, mad evil villains, and extreme set pieces.
Unfortunately, though, it’s a series that doesn’t quite stick to honest numerical titles like a long film franchise should.
Production Order (Main Series)
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The first film in the series, The Fast and the Furious, features Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), working as an undercover cop for the LAPD with the task of discovering the identities of automobile hijackers, supposedly led by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), the patriarch of a local street racing gang.
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
In the sequel to the original film, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), having been charged with criminal offenses for aiding a felon, teams up with Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), his childhood friend from times past who is currently serving parole for car theft.
They go on a mission for the U.S. Customs Service to take down a known drug lord and have their criminal records erased in exchange.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Sean Boswell (Lucas Black), a high school student and car enthusiast, goes to live in Tokyo, Japan, finding solace within the local community of drifters. He rises through the ranks and eventually goes head to head in a smoky competition with the DK (Brian Tee) or Drift King.
Fast & Furious (2009)
Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), now working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), teams up with Dominic Toretto on a mission to avenge the murder of Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Toretto’s girlfriend, and apprehend Arturo Braga (John Ortiz), a known drug lord.
Fast Five (2011)
Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), his sister Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster), and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) engage in a heist to steal up to $100 million from Hernan Reyes (Joaqium de Almeida), a corrupt businessman, while under legal pursuit by Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), an agent of the United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) offers amnesty to Toretto (Vin Diesel) and O’Conner (Paul Walker) for their crimes in exchange for aiding him in taking down a group of mercenaries led by Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). One of the members of the organization is none other than Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Toretto’s former lover.
Furious 7 (2015)
Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), a covert ops leader, recruits Toretto (Vin Diesel) and O’Conner (Paul Walker) to stop Mose Jakande (Djimon Hounsou), a known terrorist, from obtaining a hacking device. At the same time, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is an assassin from special forces gone rogue who wants to avenge his younger brother Owen (Luke Evans).
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Cipher (Charlize Theron), a cyberterrorist, manipulates Toretto (Vin Diesel) into working for her and betraying his former team. This forces members of the group to take her down and reunite with their lost comrade.
F9 (2021)
Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen), a crazed aristocrat, is harboring a plot to shatter the entire world with aid from Cipher (Charlize Theron) and Jakob Toretto (John Cena), a rogue agent and the estranged brother of Dominic.
Fast X (2023)
Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) faces off against Hernan Reyes’s son Dante (Jason Momoa) to protect his crew and his family.
Chronological Order (Including Spin-offs)
Although the films in The Fast and the Furious series released in a certain production order, the story follows chronologically in a different way. To know the events of the franchise as they happened in the timeline, read the list below.
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The timeline begins with the first film released to production, with an action plot that’s quite straightforward and introduces audiences to series protagonist Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker).
The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
- See it: YouTube
This short film, at only six minutes long, shows Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) running from law enforcement and arriving in Miami from LA just before the events of the second main film. It has no dialogue but some cool races.
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
The second film released to production is, in fact, the second part of the story that shortly follows the events of the first movie. This time, Brian O’Conner teams up with Roman Pearce on an undercover mission to expunge their criminal records.
Los Bandoleros (2009)
Another short film, Los Bandoleros is confirmed to have taken place between the events of The Fast and the Furious (2001), the first film, and Fast & Furious (2009), the fourth film.
Directed and written by Vin Diesel himself, Los Bandoleros takes place in the Dominican Republic, where Toretto is lying low after the events of the first movie. At 20 minutes runtime, the film packs a prison break, corrupt politics, and a war for oil all in one that ends with a romantic reunion between Toretto and Letty.
This short film is also the first time audiences are introduced to Han Lue (Sung Kang), an elite street racer affiliated with the Yakuza.
Fast & Furious (2009)
While The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) can be excused for having a separate plot that makes the number three in its title irrelevant, Fast & Furious will easily confuse newcomers to the series due to the fact it’s actually the fourth film production-wise. Ironically, it takes place before the events of Tokyo Drift.
Regardless of the confusing title, Fast & Furious is set five years after the events of the first film, with Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) teaming up again to avenge the supposed death of Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). Even though Dom is apprehended by law enforcement, Brian, Mia (Jordana Brewster), and Tego Leo (Tego Calderon) intercept the bus carrying him prisoner.
This is also the first film to introduce audiences to Gisele Yashar (Gal Gadot), a former Intelligence agent, and was the Israeli-born actress’s first major role in a film before Wonder Woman (2017).
Fast Five (2011)
This film raises the stakes with enormous setpieces and an all-star cast that introduces audiences to Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson). Following the events of the fourth main film, Toretto (Vin Diesel) goes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and friend Brian (Paul Walker) after successfully escaping prison.
The group steals and races in beefy street cars while running from a new government agency. It’s revealed in the middle of the credits by former U.S. Customs agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) that Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Toretto’s lover, survives.
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) recruits Toretto (Vin Diesel) and co. to go after a group of mercenaries led by Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) with an offer of amnesty to the street racers. More casualties and epic shenanigans await, but of course, the crew lives on. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), the younger brother of Owen, is introduced to audiences for the first time in the credits.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
There can’t possibly be more insane carnage seen throughout the entirety of the series than in Tokyo Drift, which sits between the sixth and seventh main films. This is Justin Lin’s first of five movies he directed for the overall series, and while it features a brief cameo from Toretto, it focuses on a teenage street racer named Sean Boswell and his friend Twinkie (Shad “Bow Wow” Moss).
Meanwhile, Han Lue (Sung Kang), a character originally from an older film by Justin Lin known as Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), serves as a mentor to Boswell.
Furious 7 (2015)
The biggest box office and critical success in the franchise’s history to date and the last film to feature Paul Walker is none other than Furious 7, grossing more than $350 million. Picking up after the events of Tokyo Drift, in which Deckard Shaw is the main villain, it’s easily the best movie in the series.
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Following the story of the seventh main film, The F8 (Fate) of the Furious stacks a massive cast of wacky characters in addition to the series regulars. While the film continues the modus operandi of awesome action, wicked fast cars, and betrayal, this film also manages to include a plot with cyberterrorism and potential nuclear war.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw (2019)
If you don’t count the two short films packed in between earlier entries, then Hobbs and Shaw is the first and only spinoff title in the series to date. It gives audiences a break from Toretto and the rest of the crew, instead focusing on Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham).
These two characters became allies after escaping prison in the previous movie and have to save the world from a killer virus. This chapter also introduces Idris Elba’s supersoldier villain Brixton Lore to the franchise.
Speculation has centered around a potential sequel for several years, but Dwayne Johnson has denied rumors and expressed his refusal to appear in future entries due to issues with co-star Vin Diesel. As of now, there will be no sequel.
F9 (2021)
Justin Lin’s latest directorial entry in the franchise introduces audiences to Jakob Toretto (John Cena), the estranged younger brother of Dom (Vin Diesel). Everyone in the family is here for the film, as nearly all previous characters return. This time, a new threat to humanity comes in the form of Project Aries, a device that has the power to control every weapon on the planet.
Fast X (2023)
The latest film in the franchise has Dom (Vin Diesel) fighting to protect his family from a new foe named Dante (Jason Momoa), who is seeking to avenge the death of his father after the events of Fast Five.