As with most movies, the scripts for Fast & Furious films rarely look anything like their final form when the writers first put pen to paper. This has been a tradition going back to the first movie, The Fast and the Furious, which originated as a screenplay called Redline (titles ranging from Race Wars to Racer X were also considered) with a completely different ending.
Concepts, characters, and entire storylines have been excised from Fast & Furious movies on their way to the big screen. So, here are the 10 best unused ideas from the recently rebranded The Fast Saga.
Revealing Han’s Survival In Fast & Furious 6
In the post-credits scene of Fast & Furious 6, the franchise’s convoluted timeline finally caught up with Tokyo Drift as it was revealed that the explosion that killed Han was an act of retaliation by Owen Shaw’s brother, Deckard, played by Jason Statham. This scene was originally going to reveal that Han survived, but it was cut as the producers thought it might be too unrealistic following Letty’s resurrection.
However, the trailer for F9 has confirmed that Han did indeed survive the explosion, so that was going to happen anyway. There was no need to unnecessarily vilify Statham’s character, since his character’s irresistible charms went on to divide the F&F fan base who demanded #JusticeForHan.
Jason Momoa As Hobbs’ Brother In Hobbs & Shaw
During the making of Hobbs & Shaw, Dwayne Johnson desperately tried to get Jason Momoa on board as Hobbs’ brother. However, due to scheduling conflicts, Momoa was unable to make the shoot and Roman Reigns played Hobbs’ brother instead.
Still, Johnson is optimistic about getting Momoa into the sequel. Contrary to popular belief, Johnson and Reigns are not related in real life, although their grandfathers were blood brothers, so there is a familial connection between them.
The Markham Twist In 2 Fast 2 Furious
In an early draft of 2 Fast 2 Furious, there was a plot twist that revealed that Markham had been working for Carter Verone the whole time. This twist could’ve added a whole new layer to 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Nothing punches up a Fast & Furious movie like a good plot twist, whether it’s a dead character turning out to be alive or a family member coming back for revenge.
Tommy Lee Jones As Hobbs In Fast Five
Originally, the Luke Hobbs character was not created with Dwayne Johnson in mind. The top choice for the role was Tommy Lee Jones, who would’ve played him as a straight-shooting government bureaucrat similar to his U.S. Marshal character in The Fugitive.
The role was retooled for Johnson when a fan told Vin Diesel she’d love to see them work together. Grumpy old Tommy Lee Jones would’ve made a more interesting counterpoint to Diesel than a fellow bald bodybuilder, and the ensuing rift between Diesel and Johnson has put a downer on a lot of recent Fast movies.
Shooting Fast & Furious And Fast Five Back-To-Back
When Vin Diesel returned to the Fast & Furious franchise for its fourth installment, he planned to make the fourth and fifth movies back-to-back. However, Universal got cold feet as they didn’t want to commit to a fifth movie without knowing if the fourth would be a box office hit.
The idea is instead being reused with the ninth and tenth Fast movies, which are being shot back-to-back as a sort of two-part finale, like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Lucas Black’s Return In The Fate Of The Furious
When the Fast & Furious franchise finally caught up with itself and the events of Tokyo Drift were in the past, there was a plan for Lucas Black to reprise his role as Sean Boswell in The Fate of the Furious.
It would’ve been fascinating to see him join Dom’s crew and clash with the other characters, but unfortunately, Black’s NCIS: New Orleans shooting schedule prevented it from happening.
Brian Returns To Mia At The End Of The Fast And The Furious
There’s an alternative ending to The Fast and the Furious that can be found on various DVDs where Brian returns to Mia and tells her that he quit his job at the FBI in order to give their relationship a real go.
It would’ve been interesting to see how this ending affected 2 Fast 2 Furious, which begins with Brian leaving L.A. for Miami to have a fresh start.
Denzel Washington’s Role In Furious 7
Denzel Washington was offered a part in Furious 7. It would be a small part at first, leading to a larger role in the sequels. It would’ve been great to see Washington’s subdued acting style in a Fast & Furious movie, but he turned down the part.
Before the role was retooled for Kurt Russell and named “Mr. Nobody,” both Halle Berry and Taylor Lautner were considered for the same role.
Dom Toretto Starring In 2 Fast 2 Furious
When a sequel to The Fast and the Furious was first in development, it was unclear if Vin Diesel would return, so Universal commissioned two scripts: one featuring Toretto, and one that wrote him out.
Ultimately, Diesel didn’t return and the script that didn’t feature Toretto was used. 2 Fast 2 Furious is plenty of fun with Paul Walker leading the charge, but it would’ve been even greater if he had Toretto at his side.
Keanu Reeves’ Voice Cameo As The Director In Hobbs & Shaw
In Hobbs & Shaw, the Director of the Eteon terrorist organization is mentioned, but he doesn’t make an on-screen appearance. Originally, his voice was going to be heard — and his voice was going to be that of Keanu Reeves.
However, after discussions with Dwayne Johnson and director David Leitch (with whom Reeves had worked on the first John Wick film), Reeves ultimately turned down the opportunity.