Over 22 years and 10 films (thus far), the Fast & Furious franchise has defied all expectations – and physics – and driven its players to constant peril, but ultimate safety, all in the name of family.
With Fast X now riding high in cinemas across the globe (you can read our review here), in which a few past sequel players have returned to the fray (we won’t say who, just in case), proving that your supposed fate is never final, we at The AU Review thought we’d put together a wish list of sorts as to who should come play with Vin Diesel and co. now that Fast 11 (and possibly Fast 12) are on the way to bring the series to a close.
1. Chris Hemsworth
Whilst Thor has his own star franchise within the MCU – and possibly another on the way with Netflix’s Extraction – the hulking Aussie has a habit of joining other long-standing film series. So what’s one more? With Men In Black: International unlikely to globe-trot again anytime soon, his Ghostbusters himbo unfortunately out of action, and the forthcoming Furiosa already a prequel in itself, we say bring the Furious-ness to Australia and have our sweet Hemsworth introduce Diesel to home-grown street racing.
2. Jennifer Lopez
Next to franchise player Dwayne Johnson, Jennifer Lopez may be the busiest, hardest working woman in the industry, so it makes sense she may not have been able to lock down a meeting with the family, but if The Rock can, surely J.Lo too? With the series loving its Puerto Rican and Spanish locales, Lopez would feel an all-too comfortable position in joining the action. If not on screen, could we convince her to do a cut for the soundtrack?
3. Keanu Reeves
Even though they’re playing in rival studios, we can all agree a Dom Toretto v John Wick would spin the action genre off its axis. But in place of that pipe dream, how about Keanu revisits his Point Break days? Given that the original Fast film was essentially a remake of Reeves’ 1991 action hit, the actor could easily give us the likeable law enforcement hero that’s been sorely missed since we said goodbye to Paul Walker.
4. Goldie Hawn
Hear us out on this one. She’s not the most obvious choice, but with her real-life partner Kurt Russell joining the franchise as Mr. Nobody, an intelligence operative, whose presence has been felt across the sequels of 7, 8 and 9, and Fast X giving us Brie Larson as his daughter, why can’t there be a Mrs. Nobody?
5. Michelle Pfeiffer
We know Michelle Pfeiffer can handle herself as an action heroine – her roles as Catwoman and The Wasp has assured that – and the actress herself has mentioned in the past she’d love a role akin to Kiefer Sutherland’s in 24, so let’s give her what she wants! The Fast films have always given shine to strong female characters, and we think Pfeiffer as Charlize Theron’s Cipher’s femme fatale mother would be truly furious!
6. Liam Neeson
Imagine hearing his voice on the end of a phone call threatening to find [insert Fast character here] and kill them? Liam Neeson’s career as-of-late has practically been an audition to join the franchise, so let’s just give him the job already. We think a Neeson v Statham showdown is the action spectacle we don’t know we need.
7. Channing Tatum
With all the family members that go by unmentioned until it proves narratively convenient, why can’t Brian O’Connor have a baby brother ready to step up (ha!) to the action seat? Tatum has the right sensibilities for the part, he’s no slouch in the action department, and surely he’ll even get gratuitously shirtless for a sweaty driving scene that’s designed solely for the female fans’ benefit, no?
8. Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson is awesome! And she makes anything she’s in infinitely better. If the series has already convinced fellow Dame Helen Mirren to join the fun, a phone call to Emma shouldn’t be too far off. Mirren’s Queenie Shaw already has one helluva brood in Statham’s Deckard, Luke Evans’s Owen and Vanessa Kirby’s Hattie, so how’s about an eccentric sister just as eager to get behind the wheel? We like it!
9. Daniel Radcliffe
If Jason Momoa’s Fast X villain, Dante Reyes, is showing us anything, it’s that the Fast films are always better when they let the unlikeliest of actors loose with an unbound glee. If you’ve seen any of Radcliffe’s work outside of the Harry Potter films you’ll know he’s something of a loose cannon – see Guns Akimbo and Swiss Army Man for proof – so, honestly, seeing him playing on Momoa’s level would be cinematic perfection.
10. Hugh Grant
Actually, Hugh Grant may be the best companion to Momoa’s lavender-coloured peacocking. Embracing the camp, villainous era of his career, Grant would be so deliciously smarmy in a series that works best when it’s taking the absolute piss out of itself. And no one’s going to do that better than Mr. Grant.
Fast X is now screening in theatres.
