Summary
- Fast X teases the return of Gal Gadot's Gisele, setting the perfect stage for a Tokyo Drift sequel.
- A Tokyo Drift sequel could give Han and Gisele the happy ending they deserve.
- Fast X: Part 2 may be the last main installment, but a spinoff film like Tokyo Drift 2 presents a clear path forward.
The Fast & Furious franchise has seen success with a spinoff film before, and Fast X sets up the possibility of what should be their next one in Tokyo Drift 2. Their first spinoff movie was 2019's Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, which reunited Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham after their on-screen chemistry proved popular in the eighth film of the series, The Fate of the Furious. The spinoff earned over $760 million worldwide, proving the franchise can thrive outside the mainline movies.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift was the third film in the series, which was released in 2006, starring Lucas Black, Bow Wow (Shad Moss), and Sung Kang. It was an interesting venture for the franchise after Vin Diesel chose not to return for 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Paul Walker followed suit for the third entry. Tokyo Drift took the Fast & Furious branding, but told an original story that featured new characters, making it seem as though the franchise was beginning to falter.
However, with a reported budget of $85 million, it still managed to gross $158 million at the worldwide box office, proving popular with fans, even if critics disagreed. The franchise brought back its core characters for the fourth film, beginning to reinvent itself with large-scale spectacles. Still, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift continues to be a fan favorite, with Fast X laying the groundwork for a sequel to their most unique installment.
The One Fast And Furious Character That Should Return For Fast X: Part 2
The Fast and Furious franchise has seen several returning characters but seems to have forgotten the one who should return in Fast X: Part 2.
How Fast X Set Up The Possibility For Tokyo Drift 2
The end of Fast X teased the return of Gal Gadot as Gisele. She first appeared in the fourth movie, returning for two more sequels, until her character was seemingly killed off at the end of Fast & Furious 6, during the finale on the airport runway. It was a devastating blow for Dom's crew, especially Sung Kang's Han, who was in a romantic relationship with her. However, the Fast & Furious franchise regularly resurrects dead characters, having brought back previously deceased ones, such as Michelle Rodriguez's Letty and Han, who was technically revived twice. Han's most recent return was in F9: The Fast Saga, where it was explained that Mr. Nobody helped him fake his death.
The ending of Fast X shows a submarine in the Antarctic ice, with Gisele atop it, her eyes set toward rescuing Cipher and Letty from a black site prison. Given that it was a quick tease, no explanation was provided as to how she is alive, though theories suggest that Mr. Nobody helped fake her death, much like he did with Han, or that Cipher might have been the one who saved her. No matter how the franchise chooses to explain Gisele's return, her presence sets the perfect stage for a Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift sequel featuring her and Han.
Why The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift 2 Is The Right Move For The Franchise
During Gisele and Han's romance, they talked about how Tokyo would be the city where they could retire from their criminal ways and live peacefully together. However, Gisele died before they were able to realize their dream together. Han went to Tokyo himself, which led to the events of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, where he then faked his death. Now that both Han and Gisele have returned, the franchise has the perfect opportunity to give them the happy ending they deserve, and seeing the two together in a Tokyo Drift spinoff is the best way to tell the story. While a Tokyo Drift sequel would still need action and emotional stakes, it could also give fans the ending they were always promised for Han and Gisele.
Fast X: Part 2 is said to be the final installment of the main franchise, but given the IP's profitability, it is likely to continue in new ways, as it already has with the Fast & Furious Crossroads video game and the Fast & Furious Spy Racers animated series. While the films could take another unique swing with new characters, like they first did with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw has proven that focusing on popular characters in their own stories can be the best way forward for the series. Gisele and Han are the perfect characters to focus on in a spinoff, as their relationship resonated with audiences despite being rife with tragedy, making them due for a happy ending in Tokyo.
Beyond Gisele and Han, it would also present an opportunity to bring back Bow Wow and Black's Sean Boswell, who were last seen in F9: The Fast Saga. Sean mourned Han's death in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, as the two had become close friends. After Han was revealed to be alive in F9, they only shared a brief moment together, meaning there is more story that could be told between them.
What's Next For The Fast & Furious Franchise At Large?
Fast X: Part 2 is set to be the next installment, with it also slated to be the last. The story is expected to pick up from the cliffhanger ending of Fast X, which leaves the fates of several characters uncertain. Most of the core Fast & Furious cast is expected to return, including Diesel, Rodriguez, Kang, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, and more. Details about the sequel are under wraps, but filming is expected to start this summer, with Universal targeting a spring 2026 release. Diesel has promised that the film is going back to its roots, teasing Toretto's Garage on social media and implying that the spectacle could potentially be toned down, which is representative of how the franchise started.
There is also another spinoff in the works with Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Reyes, which would act as a follow-up to Hobbs & Shaw. While details are scarce, Johnson has confirmed that they are developing the film, which would see Jason Momoa's Dante Reyes, the antagonist of Fast X, seeking revenge against Hobbs for killing his father in Fast Five. The franchise is likely to explore further projects following Fast X: Part 2. Although nothing has been announced, it already has the perfect setup for its next great spinoff, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift 2.
Fast and Furious 11
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 4, 2025
- Director
- Louis Leterrier
- Writers
- Christina Hodson, Oren Uziel
- Prequel(s)
- Fast X, The Fate of the Furious, F9: The Fast Saga, Furious 7, Fast and Furious 6, Fast Five, Fast & Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Fast and the Furious
Cast
-
Nathalie EmmanuelRamsey -
Dwayne JohnsonHobbs -
Jason StathamDeckard Shaw -
Jason MomoaDante Reyes
