Well Fast Family, it’s Day 7 of celebrating the legacy of The Fast and the Furious film by film. Which brings us to the seventh feature in the franchise, Furious 7.
After securing pardons for their crimes in the last film, Dom and the crew have returned to the US to live normal lives. But Deckard Shaw wants revenge, and a government agent named Mr. Nobody soon requests their help to recover a dangerous piece of technology posing a global threat.
A lot goes down in Furious 7, to say the least. Dom and the crew become (unofficial) government agents on a world-saving mission. (A far cry from heisting trucks to steal DVD players in the first film.) It also continues to build up the series’ soap-y family drama; we see Mia hiding her pregnancy from Brian, and Dom and Letty struggling to amend their relationship amid Letty’s memory loss. The film even shows the aftermath of Han’s death in Tokyo Drift, re-aligning the franchise’s timeline chronologically.
In terms of star power, Furious 7 introduces Kurt Russell as Mr. Nobody, Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey, and Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw – all of whom appear in subsequent films in the franchise. It also features a significant cameo by UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, and brief appearances by artists Iggy Azalea and T-Pain.
But most significantly, Furious 7 marked an emotional end of an era for the films. It features the last appearance of Paul Walker, who died in 2013. Furious 7 gives Brian a deeply emotional and appropriately symbolic sendoff, as he races Vin Diesel’s Dom one final time before their paths diverge. (Does hearing “See You Again” still make me tear up years later? You bet it does.)
More ‘Fast and Furious’ Legacy Highlights
Universal Pictures is currently dropping special legacy trailers for each film in the Fast and Furious franchise, leading up to the reveal of the Fast X trailer. Here’s the highlights so far:
The Fast and the Furious legacy trailer
2 Fast 2 Furious legacy trailer
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift legacy trailer
Fast & Furious 6 legacy trailer
The tenth film in the franchise, Fast X, will premiere in May. Check back here for more legacy trailers leading up to the debut of the Fast X trailer on February 10.
Meanwhile, feel free to drop your favorite Paul Walker moments from the franchise in the comments below.