The amount of bankable A-list actors playing theatrical characters in the Fast and Furious franchise is unbelievable, and Fast X is going to significantly add to that pool of talent. With each consecutive release, the Fast Saga introduces more and more characters, and F9 alone introduced Cardi B as Leysa, a member of an all-female paramilitary group, and Jakob (John Cena), Dom’s long-lost brother, both of whom will return in Fast X. The 10th movie will see Dom and his family taking on a new threat, and it’s the first movie of a two-part narrative, so it’s essentially the series’ very own Avengers: Infinity War.
Despite a couple of setbacks, including losing director Justin Lin, the 10th movie in the series is expanding the world more than any previous release, as five key characters will be introduced in Fast X. And, unsurprisingly, they’re all family in some capacity, whether it’s Dom and Mia’s grandmother or Fast Five’s drug lord’s melodramatic son. The Fast and Furious franchise amazingly attracts actors from drastically different backgrounds, whether it’s Academy Award winners like Helen Mirren or former wrestlers like Cena. And Fast X will see the addition of more Oscar winners and charming superhero actors, and one actor being introduced fits into both categories.
5 Dante Reyes Is Fast X’s Main Villain
Jason Mamoa’s introduction into the Fast and Furious franchise as villain Dante Reyes has been well-documented, and his scenes in the trailer reveal how much of a threat he’ll be to Dom’s crew. The character is the son of Hernan Reyes, who was the drug lord who had $100 million stolen from him in Fast Five. Mamoa is clearly hamming it up as Dante, and it’s the most theatrical a Fast and Furious villain has been since Carter Verone in 2 Fast 2 Furious. The actor explained the character is “very sadistic and androgynous and he’s a bit of a peacock… He’s definitely got some daddy issues” (via Variety).
In the 2011 movie, Dom and his gang orchestrated an epic heist that saw them successfully rob Hernan Reyes, and he’s killed by Luke Hobbs. Dante is looking to avenge his father’s death in Fast X, even though it wasn’t actually Dom who killed him. It’s likely that Dante will come to this revelation and inevitably join Dom’s crew, teaming up against the much greater threat that is Cipher. That’s exactly what happened with Jakob, and to an extent, what happened with Hobbs too. However, Fast X could be building a villain team, so Mamoa’s character could be a refreshing change to the formula if he actually joined Cipher.
4 Agent Aimes Is The New Leader Of Mr. Nobody’s Agency
Alan Ritchson is playing Agent Aimes in Fast X, and while not much is known about the character’s background, he has taken over Mr. Nobody’s agency, but he doesn’t approve of Dom’s crew. Ritchson’s role raises the question of why Little Nobody isn’t leading the agency, as Scott Eastwood is returning in Fast X too. Ritchson hasn’t had many roles outside of single episodes of TV shows, but the actor played Arthur Curry, a.k.a. Aquaman, in four episodes of Smallville. That means two Aquaman actors have main roles in the film, and It’ll be a wasted fan service opportunity if Ritchson and Mamoa don’t have a scene together in the movie.
3 Isabel Is Dom’s Old Street Racer Friend
Daniela Melchior became the most in-demand actor almost overnight. While she was a complete unknown two years ago, she is now a part of almost every billion-dollar movie franchise. The actor played Ratcatcher 2 in The Suicide Squad, has an undisclosed role in The Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3, and will play Isabel in Fast X. Melchior’s Isabel is somehow connected to Dom’s past. Given that the story is heavily tied to Fast Five with Dante’s relationship to that movie’s villain, and the fact that the 2011 movie is set in Brazil, Isabel will likely be retconned into that film’s narrative.
However, the most interesting thing about Isabel is that she’s a street racer, meaning that the movie could be going back to its roots in a major way. Every Fast and Furious movie features some kind of street race, but ever since the 2009 requel, Fast & Furious, there have been significantly fewer car-related scenes with each consecutive release. And while the later movies have featured souped-up police cars, $500,000 sports cars, and the occasional muscle car, the series has totally distanced itself from heavily customized Japanese imports, the very style it popularized. But Isabel’s inclusion could bring that missed street racing format back.
2 Tess Is Mr. Nobody’s Rogue Daughter
Brie Larson’s introduction into the Fast and Furious franchise is one of the most high-profile. The Captain Marvel actor and Academy Award winner will be playing, Tess, Mr. Nobody’s daughter. Tess seems way more of a light-hearted and fun role than anything Larson has done in her career, whether it’s an indie movie or in the MCU. It’s likely that Tess will have some run-ins with Agent Aimes, as the character has been described as a rogue agent in Mr. Nobody’s agency, and unlike Aimes, Tess becomes an ally of Dom’s. However, while this creates an interesting dynamic within Mr. Nobody’s agency, Larson’s Fast X role is ultimately disappointing.
Before details were revealed about her character, it was heavily theorized that the actor was playing a relative of Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and that she’d bring the same charm and cavalier attitude to the character that Walker brought to Brian. That would have been more than welcome, as nobody has been able to fill Walker’s shoes following Furious 7. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. However, Larson did draw inspiration for the character from Dom’s daughter, Pauline (via Uproxx), who was named after Walker. The actor even had the wardrobe department recreate Pauline’s “Good Vibes Only” T-shirt. So there is some kind of link there, even if it is paper-thin.
1 Abuelita Is The Oldest Member Of Dom’s Family
While younger audiences might not be familiar with Rita Moreno, she’s a Hollywood icon, having starred in classics such as Singin’ in the Rain and The King and I. And in 2023, Fast X will be added to that list, as Moreno is playing Dom and Mia’s grandmother, Abuelita. Given that Dom has a rocky relationship with his family, as he watched his father die and became enemies with his brother, Moreno’s casting hints that Fast X will dive even further into the soap opera-like narrative that F9 fully embraced. Moreno will be joining other seasoned Hollywood elites like Helen Mirren in the movie, making for one of the weirdest and most wonderful casts ever.
