Fast and Furious has already marked itself as one of the more ridiculous franchises around. Starting out as a simple, unashamed Point Break rip-off, over sixteen years and seven movies it's evolved into a flat-out bonkers action series, with a twisting timeline, sprawling cast and stunts so extreme they're probably going to have to go into space before they hit double figures to keep up the escalation.
The latest piece of adrenaline-fueled action comes in the form of The Fate of the Furious and director F. Gary Gray's really trying to up the ante. From the trailers, we've got a taste of sequences involving wrecking balls smashing cars, all of New York's vehicles being remotely controlled and a chase in the arctic where the team is attacked by a submarine and The Rock kicks a moving torpedo. It's safe to say this isn't a grounded reboot. So far we've only got teases of these moments, but as the film's April 14th release moves closer there's sure to be more reveals.
Universal have released a clip from the film that shows Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto in a street race where his enhanced ride bursts into flames and he just keeps going, using the blaze to up the ante. Check it out above.
The scene would appear to be from the movie's Cuba-set opening, which will reintroduce the characters through their time-tested love of street racing. Clearly something goes wrong, though, with a rival trying to cheat and Dom ending up locked in a deadly chase. From the second trailer, we actually know how the sequence will end, with Dom diving out of the car as it flips into the sea. For fans of the series it's hardly anything new, but it promises that even the most well-trodden elements aren't limited when it comes to reinvention.
Of course, the movie's plot will take us far beyond Cuba, with Toretto betraying his assembled family under the command of Charlize Theron's mysterious Cipher, leading to a global game of cat-and-mouse. It's a major narrative step up from the rather simple previous films and has led to a lot of speculation over what exactly is going on, but like the previous entries still allows for the bringing back of presumed finished characters (a new ally is previous villain Jason Statham) and an overall focus on camaraderie.
Furious 7 was one of the biggest hits of 2015, making a franchise-best $1.5 billion worldwide, a number only beaten at the international box office that year by Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. As such, hopes are high for the eighth installment; projections already have it set for a gigantic opening weekend and with the marketing ramping up that only seems more certain.
Source: Universal Pictures