The Complete Fast and Furious Universe Watch Order Guide: Chronological Timeline and Release Order for Movies, TV Shows, Short Films, and Video Games
The Fast and Furious franchise has become a cultural phenomenon since its debut in 2001. With a total of nine movies, including spin-offs, two TV shows, and several video games, and a tenth installment (Fast X) set to release in 2023, it can be confusing for newcomers to the series to know where to start. In this post, we'll break down the franchise's confusing naming system and provide a recommended viewing order for those who want to experience the Fast and Furious story in chronological order.
Understanding the Naming System
Before we dive into the recommended viewing order, it's important to understand the naming system of the Fast and Furious movies. The series began with The Fast and the Furious in 2001, followed by 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2003, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift in 2006. The fourth movie, released in 2009, was titled simply Fast & Furious. From there, the movies began to incorporate the word "Fast" and "Furious" into their titles in different ways. For example, the fifth movie is titled Fast Five, while the sixth is titled Fast & Furious 6. The seventh movie is called Furious 7, while the eighth is titled The Fate of the Furious.
So why the confusing naming system? According to the filmmakers, the titles were chosen to reflect the themes and storylines of the movies. For example, Fast Five was chosen because the movie is set in Rio de Janeiro and involves a heist involving fast cars. The title The Fate of the Furious reflects the betrayal and shifting alliances that occur throughout the movie.
Recommended Viewing Order
1. Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
- This independent film directed by Justin Lin served as a prequel to the Fast and Furious franchise, introducing the character of Han Lue.
2. The Fast and the Furious (2001)
- The first film in the franchise, which established the characters of Dominic Toretto, Brian O'Conner, and Mia Toretto.
3. Turbo Charged Prelude (2003)
- A short film that bridges the gap between the first and second films, following Brian O'Conner as he flees from the police and makes his way to Miami.
- Turbo Charged Prelude can be found on the DVD release of 2 Fast 2 Furious.
4. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
- The second film in the franchise, which sees Brian O'Conner teaming up with childhood friend Roman Pearce to take down a drug lord.
5. Los Bandoleros (2009)
- A short film directed by Vin Diesel, which serves as a prequel to Fast & Furious, depicting how Dom and Letty escaped to the Dominican Republic.
- It is included as a bonus feature on the Blu-ray release of "Fast & Furious" (2009).
6. Fast & Furious (2009)
- The fourth film in the franchise, which reunites Dom, Brian, and the rest of the gang as they work to take down a drug lord.
7. Fast Five (2011)
- The fifth film in the franchise, which sees Dom, Brian, and their team pulling off a heist in Rio de Janeiro while being pursued by a federal agent.
8. Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
- The sixth film in the franchise, which sees Dom and his team teaming up with a British intelligence agent to take down a former Special Forces operative.
9. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
- The third film in the franchise, which introduces the character of Sean Boswell and takes place in Tokyo.
10. Furious 7 (2015)
- The seventh film in the franchise, which sees the gang facing off against a terrorist and his team while dealing with the death of one of their own.
11. The Fate of the Furious (2017)
- The eighth film in the franchise, which sees Dom betraying his team and working with a cyberterrorist.
12. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
- A spin-off film that follows the characters of Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw as they team up to take down a cyber-genetically enhanced terrorist.
13. Fast & Furious Spy Racers (S1-4)
- Netflix original animated series that follows the adventures of Tony Toretto, the cousin of Dominic Toretto.Tony.
- Note that "Fast & Furious Spy Racers" is a spin-off series and is not considered canon to the main film series.
14. F9: The Fast Saga (2021)
- The ninth film in the franchise, which sees Dom facing off against his estranged brother Jakob, who is working with a dangerous mercenary.
15. Fast X (2023)
- The upcoming tenth film in the franchise, which has yet to be released.
Video Games
It's worth noting that there are also several video games in the Fast and Furious universe, six mainline video games in the Fast and Furious franchise, each of which allows players to experience the high-octane action and racing that the movies are known for. These games include:
- The Fast and the Furious (2006) - This arcade-style racing game was released for the PlayStation 2 and features characters and cars from the first two movies in the franchise.
- Fast & Furious: Showdown (2013) - This game was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and PC and features a new storyline that takes place between the events of the fifth and sixth movies.
- Fast & Furious 6: The Game (2013) - This mobile game allows players to join the crew and take on missions inspired by the sixth movie in the franchise.
- Fast & Furious: Legacy (2015) - This mobile game features cars and characters from all seven movies in the franchise and allows players to take on missions and compete in races around the world.
- Fast & Furious Crossroads (2020) - This game was released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC and features an original storyline that brings back fan-favorite characters from the movies.
- Fast & Furious Spy Racers: The Video Game (2021) - Based on the Netflix animated series of the same name, this game allows players to race and perform stunts as the Spy Racers team.
The Fast and Furious franchise video games are not considered canon to the movie franchise. However, some of the games have their own original storylines that are set within the same universe as the movies, and they may feature characters and cars from the movies. For example, Fast & Furious: Showdown takes place between the events of the fifth and sixth movies and features voice acting from Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and other actors from the movies. Additionally, Fast & Furious Crossroads features an original storyline that brings back fan-favorite characters from the movies and expands on their backstories. While these games may not be considered part of the official movie canon, they can still offer fans a fun and exciting way to experience the Fast and Furious universe.
Whether you're a fan of the movies, the spin-offs, or the video games, there's no denying that the Fast and Furious franchise has become a cultural phenomenon. By following the proper viewing order, you can experience the full story of the franchise and join the rest of the fans in enjoying the high-octane action and thrilling racing scenes that the movies are known for.
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