Jason Momoa explains why Fast X doesn't include a massive showdown between Dominic Toretto and his character, Dante Reyes. The Fast and the Furious franchise has grown into huge action movies with physics-defying vehicle stunts, with the street racing thieves from the original movie have grown into impressive criminals turned secret agents. In every movie, the Fast Family faces off against a new powerful threat, with Dominic Toretto inevitably squaring off against them to protect his loved ones. However, Fast X will break the usual expectations with Dante Reyes.
During an exclusive interview with Screen Rant for Fast X, Momoa revealed there was initially a big fight planned between Dominic Toretto and Dante Reyes. However, he also explained why they decided to change that and how his character enjoys pain, which makes him an even more terrifying villain for Dominic Toerrto to fight. Check out the full Momoa quote and interview below:
Jason Momoa: We had a big fight scene planned for me and [Dom], and we've seen that we've done that. They don't need to get into the showdown of fighting each other. I think it's way more interesting; he gets the kicked out of him, and he loves it. To get off on being beat up and just how he can get close to him because he's got the upper hand.
He constantly has the upper hand on Dom. And it's not that we don't want to see them fight because that showdown's going to come and that'll be violent, especially with someone who just adores pain and is probably already dead inside. It's scary when someone's getting off on that pain. I wanted that to be there and, through that, his humor.
I lost a molar. I never took my wisdom teeth out because I'm a wussy and I'm terrified of dentists. I cracked my molar, and I have this gap here. I was like, "This would be funny if you just beat the s—t out of me, and I'll pull my tooth out and just throw it at him..." And we just made all that up, where I'm like, "You don't like ballet?" And he's like, "What?" And they let me do it. I started doing Swan Lake, and I literally am googling Swan Lake on set going, "I've got to figure out how to do this."
Is Fast X Setting Up A Final Showdown Between Dominic Toretto And Dante Reyes In Fast 11?
Each Fast and Furious movie leads up to a final showdown between Dominic Toretto and the antagonist he has been fighting against, whether that is a fight, race, or heist. However, it seems that isn't the case with Fast X, which actually makes Momoa's Dante Reyes even more terrifying as a villain. Not only is he always a step ahead of Dominic Toretto, but he relishes pain, which means that in a fight, whether he is winning or losing, he'll enjoy the fight itself.
The Fast franchise has introduced some truly terrifying villains over the course of ten films. Some, like Deckard Shaw and Jakob Toretto, have personal grudges against Dominic Toretto; others, like Cipher, have proven to be brilliant and cruel in targeting Dominic Toretto's loved ones. Dante Reyes does both, but with a sadistic, unhinged streak that makes him more unsettling for Dominic Toretto than ever before. With Fast X being the first part of what was a two-part but now seems to be a three-part finale for the Fast franchise, it makes sense that the massive showdown between these characters isn't happening yet.
Fast X introduces Dante Reyes to the Fast world and needs to set him up as the most dangerous enemy Dominic Toretto and the Fast Family have ever faced. Part of this will likely include making Dominic Toretto's own motivation more personal than ever, which could mean that Dante Reyes will not only target the Fast Family but actually succeed in wiping it out to some degree. The final showdown between Dante Reyes and Dominic Toretto needs to be the biggest and most personal fight to date.
