Expend4bles was released in mainland China on September 15, 2023, and in the United States a week later, by Lionsgate.
The film received negative reviews from critics with praise for
Statham’s performance and action sequences, but criticism for its
script, Stallone's limited screen time, the direction, some of the new
characters and the visual effects. It has grossed $51 million worldwide
against a budget of $100 million, making it a box-office bomb. It was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards, winning two, for Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Supporting Actress.
Plot
The Expendables are sent to Libya to prevent mercenary Suarto Rahmat from stealing nuclear warheads
for a mysterious terrorist named Ocelot. The team is led by Barney Ross
and formed of members Lee Christmas, Toll Road, and Gunner Jensen, with
Easy Day and Galan as their recruits. However, they are incapacitated
when all of their vehicles are destroyed in the ensuing fight. When
Rahmat shoots their plane down, the team finds what appears to be
Barney's burned corpse in the wreckage, identified solely by his ring.
At Barney's memorial service, CIA operative Marsh reveals that
the team will pursue Ocelot and Rahmat, but without Christmas, who
jeopardized the mission trying to save Barney. He is replaced by Gina,
his former lover, who also brings an operative named Lash into the team.
The team travels to Asia, but is secretly tracked by Christmas, who had
slipped Gina a tracking device in her belly button earlier. Barney's
apparent death opened a sealed file which states that there is an
eyewitness that could identify Ocelot.
Ocelot plans to provoke World War III by letting the nuclear warheads explode in the Russian Far East, transporting them on a ship disguised as an American aircraft carrier.
As the Expendables and Marsh board the ship, they are ambushed and
taken hostage. Marsh is taken away to negotiate a prisoner-exchange for
the eyewitness.
Meanwhile, Christmas travels to Thailand to recruit former Expendable Decha, who has turned towards pacifism
but agrees to bring him to the ship to avenge Barney. As Christmas
fights his way through the ship, Decha has a change of heart and helps
him rescue the rest of the team. They launch an attack on Rahmat's
forces, during which Christmas fights and kills him. However, Toll has
been severely stabbed and needs immediate medical care.
During the prisoner exchange, Marsh kills the eyewitness, which
acknowledges him to be Ocelot. Marsh hopes to profit financially by
igniting World War III. While the team leaves on Decha's boat to save
Toll, Christmas stays behind to turn the ship around to avoid a global
conflict. He confronts Marsh before the latter is killed by Barney, who
faked his death by surviving the plane crash. They escape the nuclear
explosion and celebrate with the team.
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas: The team's knife expert and second in command.[4]
As Stallone was looking to pass the franchise's lead on to Statham, he
did about 80% of all filming, oversaw post-production, and served as a
producer.[5]
Sylvester Stallone
as Barney Ross. Stallone confirmed that the film would be his final
appearance as Barney Ross, with Statham expecting to take over the
series after his departure. Due to this, his role in the film was
limited.[6]
Megan Fox as Agent Gina, a CIA officer and member of the Expendables as well as Christmas' girlfriend.[6]
Dolph Lundgren as Gunner Jensen: A volatile member of the team, undone by years of combat stress.[4] Lundgren stated that his character has been sober for several years now and is on a philosophical soul search.[7]
Tony Jaa as Decha Unai, a former member of the Expendables.
Jacob Scipio as Galan, a new member of the Expendables and son of former member Galgo. Originally, Antonio Banderas
was slated to reprise his role as Galgo and his dialogue and character
was rewritten into that of Galan when he turned out to be unavailable.[8]
Levy Tran as Lash, a CIA operator and a new member of the Expendables.
50 Cent as Easy Day: a new member of the Expendables and former Army Special Forces operator.[9][5]
Iko Uwais as Suarto Rahmat, a mercenary and the secondary antagonist working with Ocelot.[6][10]
Andy García as Agent Marsh / Ocelot,[6] a CIA officer who hires the Expendables for contract work.[11]
Additionally, Sheila Shah was cast as Mandy / Adele, alongside Eddie Hall as a bouncer.[4][12]
Production
Development
After The Expendables 3 (2014) underperformed at the box office, the future of the series was left in doubt[13]
and production stalled over several years. By November 2014, it was
announced that the project was being developed with intent to retain its
R-rating like the first two films.[14] In December 2016, Sylvester Stallone
announced that the fourth installment would be the final film in the
series, while a scheduled tentative release date was set for 2018.[15]
By March 2017, Stallone had left the project and the franchise, due to
creative differences over the script and direction for continuing the
franchise.[16] In January 2018, after vocal support from other cast members (including Arnold Schwarzenegger),
Stallone announced his return to the series with a post to his social
media platforms; confirming new developments on the fourth movie.[17]
By August 2020, Vértice Cine announced their involvement as a production studio on the movie, alongside Lionsgate and Millennium Films. They also revealed that Patrick Hughes was going to return to the series as director.[18] In November 2020, the president of Millennium Media, Jeffrey Greenstein, stated that the studio was continuing to work on The Expendables 4 after various delays within the industry worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] In August 2021, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Scott Waugh would be directing the film, replacing Hughes, as well as Statham serving as a producer of the film,[4] while Stallone confirmed his involvement with the project, and that The Expendables 4 was the same project as The Expendables: A Christmas Story, previously reported as a spin-off
but in fact the film's working-title during development. Stallone
further stated that production was set to commence in October of that
year.[20][21] According to Dolph Lundgren, the film had a budget of $100 million.[7]
Writing
In July 2018, Gregory Poirier announced his role as screenwriter.[22]
Production was tentatively scheduled to begin by April 2019, though it
wasn't until July of that year that Stallone announced that he was
continuing to work on the script for the project.[23] The script was completed later that year, though negotiations with producers were ongoing.[24] In August 2021, it was announced that Spenser Cohen wrote the most recent draft of the script with Max Adams, from a story by Cohen.[4]
Casting
Over
the years, multiple actors reported interest or claimed they were
approached to star in a fourth installment. In March 2014, Pierce Brosnan stated that he had agreed with producer Avi Lerner to star in a fourth installment.[25] By April of the same year, Sylvester Stallone revealed his first choice for the villain was Jack Nicholson, while mentioning his interest in convincing Clint Eastwood to join the production.[26][27] According to Jackie Chan,
he was approached to star in the film by Stallone but was unsure about
having limited screen time in an ensemble film, which is why he had
turned down roles in the previous two entries.[28]Dwayne Johnson publicly expressed interest to play a villainous character in a new installment during a 2014 Q&A[29] and reiterated his interest to join the series in 2022.[30] In May 2015, Hulk Hogan claimed that he was in talks with Stallone to play the film's main villain.[13]
In June 2020, Jean-Claude Van Damme
expressed interest in returning to the franchise, publicly pitching his
idea of playing Claude Vilain, the brother to his villain character,
Jean Vilain, from The Expendables 2.[31] Despite discontent with how his character was handled in The Expendables 3, Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed he was interested in returning to the series if he liked the script.[32]
However; on May 29, 2023, Schwarzenegger confirmed that he would not be
returning to the franchise, citing a general uninterest.[33]
While he was not included in the fourth movie, Kellan Lutz proclaimed interest to return in a fifth installment in an Instagram post.[34] On the other hand, Terry Crews,
who had starred in all previous films, refused to appear in any new
entries after claiming he was sexually assaulted by Stallone's agent,
Adam Venit, alleging he was pressured by producer Avi Lerner to drop the
case if he wanted to stay in the series.[35]
In August 2021, it was stated that principal photography would begin in October.[4] Filming officially commenced on September 29, 2021.[36][37] In October 2021, Stallone announced on social media that he had finished filming his scenes for the movie.[9] The film was shot in London and Bulgaria and the Jackie Chan Stunt Team handled stunt choreography.[38] In November 2021, production was shot in Greece, including the city of Thessaloniki.[39] Members of the Greek Armed Forces were used as extras and alleged they were not compensated for their month-long official deployment, despite working overtime.[40] On December 3, 2021, Tony Jaa confirmed filming had wrapped.[41]
Post-production
The film title had been retitled Expend4bles by June 2023,[42][43][44] a name that was widely ridiculed by commentators.[a]
When asked why they chose this title, producer Les Weldon stated that
it had always been the filmmakers' desire while retaining The Expendables'sbrand identity.[50]
Music
On April 26, 2023, Guillaume Roussel announced that he would be composing the film's score, replacing Brian Tyler from the previous three installments.[51]
Release
Theatrical
Expend4bles was released in mainland China on September 15, 2023, and was theatrically released by Lionsgate Films on September 22, 2023.[53] The film was originally scheduled to be released in 2022.[54]
Home media
Expend4bles was released for digital platforms on October 13, 2023, followed by a DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray release on November 21, 2023.[55][56]
Marketing
In April 2022, the first standee posters for the film were unveiled at CinemaCon.[57] The first teaser trailer footage was released exclusively to the attendees at Lionsgate's presentation at the convention.[58][59] On June 6, 2023, the first poster for the film was released, with the first trailer releasing a day later.[60] A second trailer advertising the film's R rating was released August 23, 2023.[61]
Reception
Box office
As of November 5, 2023, Expend4bles
has grossed $16.7 million in the United States and Canada, and
$34.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of
$51 million.[3]
In the United States and Canada, Expend4bles was initially projected to gross $15–17 million from 3,518 theaters in its opening weekend.[2]
After making $3.1 million on its first day (including $750,000 from
Thursday night previews), estimates were lowered, and it went on debut
to $8 million, finishing second behind holdover The Nun II.[62] The film fell 69% to $2.5 million in its second weekend, finishing in ninth place.[63]
In China, the film opened to $10.7 million, narrowly finishing first before a Chinese film.[64]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes,
14% of 124 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of
3.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Solid work from Jason Statham
and some halfway decent set pieces aren't enough to make up for Expend4bles' lackluster action and cheap-looking effects."[65]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 30 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[66][67] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B–" on an A+ to F scale, the lowest of the series, while those polled at PostTrak gave it a 64% overall positive score.[62]
Owen Gleiberman, writing for Variety, said: "This is true 21st-century trash: a movie in which the action itself is expendable."[68] Referencing the poor CGI effects, Collider wrote that Expend4bles was "[o]ften resembling more of a mobile game than a movie";[69] several reviewers compared it to Hidden Strike, another film by Waugh with similarly bad CGI.[69][70] Simon Thompson of IGN
voiced similar complaints, stating: "the special effects, [...] look
either unfinished or just so bad that it's sad, [...] like they were
ripped from the graphics package of a mid-to-low-budget video game from
the early 2000s".[71]
The acting, plot, dialogue, and violence were criticized by
various reviewers. Thompson called the "clunky and uninspired dialogue"
awful, concluding that the film was overall a "crushing disappointment
that lacks any of the nostalgia, charisma, and charm that made the
franchise appealing".[71]Todd McCarthy of Deadline criticized that the movie was lazily executed, feeling that especially the final battle was an exact copy of Meg 2, another 2023 action film starring Statham.[72]
Furthermore, multiple reviews criticized the overall weak cast in
comparison to its predecessors, with many noting that the movie hardly
retains the franchise's original selling point of featuring an all-star
cast of action legends.[73][69][70] A review in Paste noted that "Statham opts to accept a promotion to series lead" but added "Refashioning The Expendables into a Statham star vehicle only highlights the wrong kind of expendability from many of his long-time costars; why can't we just watch our man kick ass on his own or in various duos?"[74]
An otherwise negative review at /Film conceded however that the film might be the best of the franchise,[75] while a review from Digital Spy
stated while "the sense of cheesy throwback fun is restored in both the
gleefully violent action and the script... It's absolutely not enough
to save a movie that is two-thirds boring, but it does at least elevate The Expendables 4
above the irredeemable third movie. You'll be left on such an
adrenaline high that you wouldn't be surprised if – like the
aforementioned STI – the Expendables will be back for another round."[70]
Development on a tenth main Fast & Furious film began by October 2020, with Lin returning to direct. The film's official title was revealed when principal photography
began in April 2022. Lin left as director later that month, citing
creative differences, though he retained writing and producing credits.
Leterrier was then hired as his replacement a week later and performed
several uncredited rewrites to the screenplay. Longtime franchise composer Brian Tyler returned to score the film. With an estimated production budget of $378 million, Fast X is the fourth-most expensive film ever made. Filming lasted until that August, taking place in London, Rome, Turin, Lisbon, and Los Angeles.
Fast X premiered in Rome on May 12, 2023, and was released in the United States on May 19, by Universal Pictures.
The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its
action sequences and Diesel’s and Momoa's performance but criticism
towards the writing. It grossed $714 million worldwide, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2023. A sequel that reportedly serves as the final main installment is in development and is scheduled to be released in 2026.
Plot
Dominic "Dom" Toretto and his team are requested by the Agency to steal a computer chip during its transit in Rome.
He and his wife Letty Ortiz stay behind with his son Brian "Little B"
Marcos, while the rest of the team, consisting of Roman Pearce, Tej
Parker, Han Lue,
and Ramsey, travels to Rome. A wounded Cipher arrives at Dom's home in
the middle of the night. She tells him and Letty that Hernan Reyes's son
Dante has turned her crew against Cipher and is using them to target
Dom as revenge for his father's death and the loss of his family's
fortune ten years prior.[b]
The next morning, when Little Nobody informs Dom and Letty about the
unplanned Agency mission in Rome, they realize this as a setup and
travel to Rome to rescue the team.
In Rome, Tej and Ramsey break into a truck presumably containing
the computer chip, only for them to realize it as a DM-79 sub-nautical
neutron mine. Dante begins controlling the truck remotely, activating
and releasing the bomb into the streets. Dom arrives and pushes the bomb
into the Tiber River, minimizing the damage, and Letty is apprehended by the police. Aimes, the Agency's de facto leader since Mr. Nobody's disappearance,[c]
assumes that Dom and his team are responsible for the bombing and
begins a manhunt. In Los Angeles, Dom and Mia's brother Jakob rescues
Little B and Mia from a squad sent by Aimes to apprehend them, and with
Mia's approval, takes Little B to a secret location in Portugal, where
they will await Dom. Mr. Nobody's daughter Tess is convinced of the
team's innocence and uses God's Eye, a mass surveillance computer program, to find Dom in Naples, informing him that Dante is in Rio de Janeiro.
Dom challenges Dante to a race in Rio with Elena Neves's sister
Isabel and his ally Diogo. In the ensuing race, Dante kills Diogo when
Dom chooses to save Isabel and wins. Tess visits Letty at the black
site, covertly wounding her in the process; this sends Letty to the
prison's treatment center, where Cipher is present. Deducing that the
black site is located in Antarctica,
they must work together to escape. In London, Dom's team turns to
Deckard Shaw for help, through the convincing of Han after a scuffle
between himself and Deckard. Aimes apprehends Dom in Rio before Dante
intercepts them on the same bridge where the two previously met for the
first time during the vault heist. After a sniper injures Tess, Dante
steals God's Eye from her.
While Tess is taken to the hospital, Aimes allies with Dom to
fight Dante. He locates Little B in Portugal and kidnaps him. As Dom is
cornered by mercenaries, Jakob sacrifices himself to wipe them all out,
allowing Dom to rescue Little B. Dante again corners the pair and
acknowledges Aimes as a double agent working with him, at which point
the latter shoots down a plane carrying Roman, Tej, Han, and Ramsey. Dom
drives off the edge of the dam he and Little B are on to avoid another
trap. Witnessing their escape, Dante triggers explosives planted onto
the dam, intending to kill the pair. In Antarctica, Gisele Yashar, who was presumed dead,[d] emerges from a submarine to rescue Letty and Cipher.
In a mid-credits scene,
Luke Hobbs infiltrates an abandoned theatre with a team of agents where
he is contacted by Dante, who tells him that he will be his next target
for killing his father. Hobbs replies that he is not hard to find, and
crushes the phone Dante contacted him on with his bare hands.
Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto: A
former criminal and professional street racer who has retired and
settled down with his wife, Letty Ortiz, and his son, Brian Marcos.[6] In an interview, Louis Leterrier described Fast X
as exploring the fallout of Dom's actions in previous installments,
saying "[Dom] has fought so hard to keep faith and protect family [but]
there is a price to pay. His enemies are coming after him".[7]
John Cena as Jakob Toretto:
Dom and Mia's brother and a master thief, assassin, and
high-performance driver who once worked as an agent for Mr. Nobody. He
has since reformed into a kinder person, sharing a loving relationship
with his nephew, Little Brian.
Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey: A computer hacktivist and a member of Dom's team. Emmanuel said that the character would see increased involvement in Fast X compared to the previous films.
Sung Kang as Han Lue: An expert drifter and member of Dom's team who previously faked his death during a covert operation for Mr. Nobody.
Scott Eastwood as Little Nobody: A government law enforcement agent who worked under Mr. Nobody.[6]
Daniela Melchior as Isabel Neves:[8] A Brazilian street racer and the sister of Dom's former girlfriend and Little B's mother, Elena Neves.[9]
Alan Ritchson as Aimes: The new leader of Mr. Nobody's agency who is covertly working with Dante.[10] In early drafts, Aimes and Dante were brothers, and Ritchson revealed the film's plot twist
was filmed alongside another ending, saying, "Aimes wouldn't care [if]
he's evil [if] his methods made him feel like he was a good guy".[11]
Helen Mirren
as Magdalene "Queenie" Ellmanson-Shaw: The leader of a female militia
and an ally of Dom, as well as the mother of his former enemies Deckard
and Owen.[12] Mirren drew inspiration for the character from her aunt (also nicknamed Queenie) and from her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006).[13]
Brie Larson as Tess: Mr. Nobody's daughter and agent who allies with Dom and his crew.[14][15][16] According to Diesel, Larson drew inspiration from his daughter, Pauline, for the character.[17]
Jason Statham
as Deckard Shaw: A former opponent of Dom and his team, who became an
ally and new member after saving his son. Deckard's younger brother,
Owen, was hospitalized working for Cipher.[21]
Jason Momoa as Dante Reyes: The son of drug lord Hernan Reyes, seeking revenge against Dom and his crew for the death of his father and loss of his family's fortune in Fast Five (2011).[22][23] Momoa described the character as Dom's foil,[24]
saying Dante is "very sadistic and androgynous and he's a bit of a
peacock... He's got a lot of issues. He's definitely got some daddy
issues".[25] Momoa expressed a desire to play against type when portraying Dante, taking on a "less macho" character,[26] and he performed his own stunts for the film.[27]
Charlize Theron as Cipher: A criminal mastermind and cyberterrorist who was previously an enemy of Dom's team.[6][28]
Leterrier described Cipher as the "devil", and speaking on her dynamic
with Dante, Leterrier said, "They are bad news, but one is more afraid
than the other. One is worse news than the other".[7][29]
Justin Lin, who directed five films in the franchise, originally returned as director of Fast X.
In November 2014, Universal Pictures chairwoman Donna Langley confirmed that a discussion regarding three sequels to Furious 7 (2015) had taken place.[40] Actor Vin Diesel reaffirmed this in September 2015, alluding the trilogy could lead to the mainline series' conclusion.[41] Universal began developing two further sequels to F9 (2021) by October 2020. Justin Lin was to direct both films,[42] with the tenth, Fast X,[43] reworked to make its story the first half of a two-part finale, with the eleventh serving as the second half.[44]Neal H. Moritz, Diesel, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Samantha Vincent, and Lin served as producers; Joe Caracciolo Jr., David Cain, Amanda Lewis, Chris Morgan and Mark Bomback were executive producers.[45]
Writing
Lin and Dan Mazeau began writing their first draft in April 2022.[46] That June, Tyrese Gibson announced Fast X would see the franchise "going back to its roots", with reports indicating this to be a return to street racing elements of previous entries,[47]
although he also shared details the film would also continue to explore
the history of the Toretto family in a "similar" vein to F9.[48]
Leterrier later revealed the film focuses on increased familial
responsibilities, saying, "Dom was always a lone wolf. He was living a
quarter mile at a time [but] the stakes are real now. [He is]
responsible for a human being, an innocent life [he] brought into the
world".[29] During an August 2022 interview with ComicBook, Nathalie Emmanuel
said "the stakes are higher on a more personal level in this [film]",
indicating a more grounded approach compared to previous installments.[49] In developing the character of Dante, Leterrier revealed they wanted to forge the "anti-Dom", saying, "[Dante] is the yang of [Dom's] yin,
the antichrist of his Christ", and wanted to give Dante clear
motivation with Dom's role in Dante's origin story, noting, "There are
strong ties with [Dante and Dom] and that is what makes an amazing
villain because you understand why they became this and [their
motivations]".[29]
Leterrier noted Larson's character as also being influenced by "the
generational legacy of the characters", saying, "Everybody [in the
franchise] has a different point of view on Dom and his own influence on
their lives. And that's how she [fits in]".[29]
Describing the film's retcon of Fast Five (2011), Leterrier said it was to "explore the price of justice", noting, "[We] Rashomon'ed
[the fifth film] to experience it through the eyes of Reyes, with Dom
and Brian the thieves. We [wanted to] guide the audience to rethink
everything they've experienced in the franchise [because] a good
antagonist has their own truth, [separate] from the protagonists".[29]
Leterrier noted the film touches on each previous installment, saying,
"The snowball [of Dom's actions] has picked up speed and became an
avalanche". Leterrier also said his favorite film in the franchise is Fast Five.[29] Leterrier later revealed he performed several uncredited rewrites
to the entire screenplay on his initial travel to the set, stating he
lacked sleep for the first four days he worked on the film.[50] During its early promotional run, Leterrier said Fast X
explores the potential breakup of family, noting "people are going to
need to take sides [and] alliances will need to be made" compounded by
"[the] war brewing" between the characters, saying "there will be some
tremendous casualties".[51] He later confirmed the film will end on a cliffhanger,[52]
and further hinted at character deaths, saying, "The beauty of the end
of this franchise [is] understanding these characters will [not] live
forever. Only in Westerns do cowboys gallop out into the sunset. This is different; the stakes even more than they've been before".[53] This was seemingly confirmed by Michelle Rodriguez,
who considered the fan reaction to the ending, saying, "You're going to
feel so cheated in a way, but then so gratified and excited about
what's to come. After 23 years of [making films], it's really tough at
this stage to shock me, and they got me good".[54] She reiterated this in a promotional interview with Collider for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), saying the ending of Fast X would "[leave] people really surprised and we're [going to] get open mouths at the end. In [the] theater, I was like, 'Oh my god. What have we done?!'".[55] As one of his early ideas, Leterrier considered to have Jakob killed off due to the character's previous villainous role in F9. He felt the stakes of Jakob's death were important to Fast X's overall story and concluded Jakob's character arc, as it represented sacrifice to save Dom and Little B.[56][57]
In June 2021, Diesel announced the film would be split in a two-part
culmination to the franchise, with principal photography slated to begin
in January 2022 and take place back-to-back.[58][59] In December 2021, Dwayne Johnson ruled out returning as Luke Hobbs for Fast X, and labeled an Instagram post by Diesel asking for his return as "manipulation",[60] with publications indicating he was referring to a feud with Diesel stemming from Diesel's role as a producer on The Fate of the Furious (2017).[61][62] He ultimately reprised his role in a mid-credits scenecameo appearance.[31][32][30]
In early 2022, Jason Momoa was cast as Dante, the villain,[22] while Daniela Melchior, Brie Larson, and Alan Ritchson joined the cast by that April.[9][14][10]Keanu Reeves
was originally approached to play Aimes, having been previously in
talks to join the franchise as the villainous Eteon Director in Hobbs & Shaw (2019): Ritchson was ultimately cast after being contacted by Lin while Ritchson was filming Ordinary Angels (2024). Ritchson accepted the role while production on Ordinary Angels was halted due to a blizzard affecting the film's Winnipeg set.[63] Ritchson assumed the directorial change would subsequently result in his own replacement but he was retained on Fast X by producer Jeff Kirschenbaum.[63] Larson was initially hesitant to immediately join another franchise after starring in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), saying, "I was scared of what would happen [by joining Fast & Furious].
But what I always come back to is, I have to live with myself in a way
that nobody else has to. The choices I make, I have to live with,
whether I regret them or not",[64] but stated Fast & Furious
was her "dream franchise", saying, "I've been begging to be in this for
years. Being part of something you've watched your whole life and that
you love is an amazing feeling".[65]
In a March 2023 interview with Total Film,
Larson revealed she would portray Tess, the daughter of government
agent and covert operations team leader Mr. Nobody; she described Tess
as "a bridge", saying, "she doesn't go along with the Agency. She
believes in the legacy her father set up, standing with Dom and the
Toretto family".[66] Describing Momoa's addition, director Louis Leterrier said Dante is "an incredible new character. It's 1,000 per cent Momoa",[67] while Michelle Rodriguez said Dante is "malicious but he can be playful. It's like a fresh energy. There's something charming about him".[68] She later labeled Dante as the best male villain in the franchise, describing him as "revenge with a smirk".[69]
After being cast, Momoa was initially apprehensive over filming
conditions due to the reports of conflict on set between Diesel and Lin,[70] and said he accepted the role to play against type.[71] In May, Rita Moreno was cast as Abuelita, the grandmother of Dom, Jakob, and Mia,[19]
with Leterrier describing her inclusion as the "guiding light that Dom
is following", adding, "[Abuelita] is his conscience, [she is one] of
the people that keep him grounded. When your grandmother you haven't
seen for years gives you a message that becomes guiding for the second
part of your life, you listen".[29] In a February 2023 interview with Collider, Moreno's grandson said he pitched for her inclusion in Fast X after he met Diesel at the premiere for West Side Story (2021), which starred Moreno.[72]
On December 23, 2022, it was revealed that Gal Gadot, who portrayed Gisele Yashar in three previous installments, filmed a scene for Fast X;
according to social media reports, she appeared in one of two versions
of the film screened three days prior, with further details about the
nature of her return undisclosed.[73]
Gadot's potential return was met with mixed reception by fans and
critics; some criticized the franchise's history of reviving dead
characters to capitalize on star power, labeling it "ineffective" fan service which negatively impacts the previous installments and the story of the franchise.[74][75][76] Others were positive about Gadot's potential return, citing her portrayal of one of the franchise's most popular characters.[77] In a February 2023 interview with ComicBook, Sung Kang refused to rule out Gadot's character being resurrected in Fast X.[78] As the final cast rounded out, it sparked debate that it could create a story problem for the film; writing for Screen Rant, Ryan Northrup said, "With such a large cast, it's uncertain whether Fast X
will be able to serve [every] character in a satisfying way. With many
new and returning characters, [every] arc may not be as fleshed out [and
if] new characters aren't given much screen time or development, [it
will be] a disappointment. [It may be] up to the finale to rectify
[it]".[79]
A month later, a leaked email from The Hollywood Reporter revealed some crew returned after principal photography had completed to film a "button or tag" (a mid or post-credits scene) that will feature "a guest cameo".[80] Gadot and Johnson ultimately reprised their roles in cameo appearances.[30]
Rodriguez and Diesel later said Gadot's return had been planned for
previous installments (going as far as to film unused cameos), with
Diesel reasoning the decision to include Gadot in Fast X was done
because it "fit the [film]". He also said, "Doing tags is tricky
because you want great talent but at the same time you have to be very
careful to maintain the emotional state of your audience".[81]
Following the release of the film's trailer on February 9, 2023, Leterrier hinted archival footage featuring Paul Walker from previous films may be used in Fast X, saying, "Brian
is very much alive in [this franchise]. This [film] jumps back and
forth between the past and the present. You will see Brian in the past,
you won't see Brian in the present. [His] family is part of this
franchise. It has to be the right moment, the right tone [if] Brian has
to re-enter the franchise. [It must be] as perfect as how he left".[82]
Regarding Walker's inclusion, Rodriguez said, "It's really hard to
[make the films] without a blessing of some sort from [his] family
because it's everything. Without that kind of like that love from them,
we would be lost". She also revealed Furious 7 (2015) is her favorite film in the franchise, citing its emotional tribute to Walker.[83] Diesel similarly commented on Walker's potential inclusion in the film in a March 2023 interview with Total Film,
saying, "[Universal] made a bold, righteous, and daring decision to
keep Brian O'Conner alive. I couldn't image this saga ending without
truly saying goodbye to Brian".[53]
Filming
Principal photography began on April 21, 2022, with the film's title being revealed and Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, and Charlize Theron confirmed to reprise their roles.[6][28] According to Diesel, an earlier draft excluded Brewster's character, which he overturned. Fast X's
production budget was initially reported to be $300 million in May
2022, which was revised to $340 million that November; the cast was
reportedly paid $100 million for their involvement,[84] including $20 million for Diesel.[85] Other costs for the rising budget (which factors in tax-incentive offsets) included increases in production costs caused by global inflation and charges for pandemic testing requirements mandated by COVID-19 safety protocols.[86] According to unnamed sources reporting to Radar, Diesel reportedly "stressed" over the increased budget and the creative decisions in Fast X;
sources wrote Diesel is considered by Universal as "simultaneously the
greatest star [they've] had and their biggest headache" and that
"[Diesel] doesn't let anybody forget [how] the Fast & Furious franchise is important to the whole [film] industry".[87]
A week after filming commenced, Lin exited the film as director
due to "creative differences", leaving primary production stalled.
However, Lin remained on board as a producer.[88]
Later reports alleged that Lin clashed on set with Diesel, who
purportedly arrived out of shape, was often late, and did not remember
his lines.[89]
Lin was also upset with rewrites to his screenplay, as well as changing
filming locations and one of the film's villains having yet to be cast;[84]
a disagreement with Diesel reportedly escalated to the point it caused
Lin to shout, "This movie is not worth my mental health".[90] Lin reportedly forewent pay in the region of $10–20 million in his departure.[91]Second unit production remained ongoing in the United Kingdom while the studio sought a replacement director and Universal Pictures reportedly spent $1 million a day to pause production.[92][93] Former Fast & Furious directors F. Gary Gray and David Leitch, who previously directed The Fate of the Furious (2017) and Hobbs & Shaw
(2019) respectively, were considered by the studio to replace Lin,
however neither were seen as likely to step in due to their commitments
with Lift and The Fall Guy (both 2024), respectively.[94][46]Furious 7 (2015) director James Wan, who was once considered to direct The Fate of the Furious (2017) and F9 (2021) but declined due to his straining experience on Furious 7 (2015), was seen as a "viable option" but was tied up with commitments to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), the final DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film.[46][95]Variety
reported hiring an "A-list" director was not probable without drastic
changes to the screenplay and Universal would likely turn to a second unit director "well-versed" in big-budget action films.[46] On May 2, 2022, Louis Leterrier was announced as Lin's replacement;[96] he was previously shortlisted by Universal to direct The Fate of the Furious (2017).[97]
Louis Leterrier replaced Lin as director a week after filming began
Leterrier had an established relationship with Universal, having directed the MCU film The Incredible Hulk (2008), and he was knowledgeable about the franchise;[98] he and franchise star Jason Statham went to watch the original film in Paris in 2001 while on a break from filming The Transporter (2002).[99] Leterrier joined filming in London after scheduling and contractual considerations were confirmed;[100][101] he later revealed he initially rejected the offer to direct the film, labeling it a "massive" task.[50]
Leterrier went onto use elements of Lin's original contributions, such
as the established crew, as well as Lin's shot lists and storyboards, to
complete the film.[91] Production in London concluded in mid-August, with scenes filmed at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden.[102]
Rodriguez later revealed a fight sequence between her and Theron was
shot without a principal director, being done while studio negotiations
with Leterrier were ongoing.[54]
Describing his style for the film, Leterrier said, "I'm more practical
than other directors, and I brought [the franchise] back to earth",
revealing he favored more practical stunts (including a return of racing
scenes featuring a "vertical quarter mile race") enhanced with visual
effects,[103] as opposed to the extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the recent installments.[51][29]
Filming took place in Genzano di Roma[104] in mid-May. Filming took place in Rome for two weeks in mid-May,[105] and one week in mid-July,[106] with scenes being shot at the Via Cristoforo Colombo, Lungotevere, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Ponte Umberto I, Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, and the area around the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Spanish Steps.[107] Filming then took place in Turin
between May 24 and June 6, with action sequences filmed at the Piazza
Crimea and Corso Fiume, Murazzi del Po, Via Roma, and the Piazza IV
Marzo.[108]
To allow filming in Turin, local authorities, the Film Commission
Torino Piemonte, and city councilors were required to conduct a
five-month planning schedule from September 2021 to January 2022,
collaborating with the Departments of Culture to coordinate the city's
major events, roads and transport, public, and security around the
film's requirements. This included managing the overflight of drones and
limitations on circulation made necessary for the management and safety
of the set.[109]
Momoa began shooting his scenes on May 16.[105]
Like previous installments, Diesel supervised writing and design of the
film's action sequences; according to unnamed sources to The Hollywood Reporter,
Diesel's creative control and frequent last-minute changes reflect "a
process [which] is like a mosaic that doesn't stop moving", labeling him
"demanding" and a perfectionist.[90] On June 6, it was reported a stuntman was injured in an accident after being hit by part of a car after an explosion.[110] On July 22, in an interview with Deadline Hollywood while at San Diego Comic-Con, Rodriguez announced she had completed filming her scenes and said "only four [or] five weeks [are] left" in production.[111] Filming in Angelino Heights
(the location of the Toretto house) faced protest from some local
residents after production gave notice of the filming of a sequence
which would involve "simulated emergency services activity, aerial
photography, wetting down of street and atmospheric smoke". According to
those residents, the protest was to raise awareness for road safety
education, claiming the franchise caused their neighborhood to become a
hot spot for fans to engage in street racing and other dangerous
activity.[112] Filming managed to occur following the protest on August 26,[113] while other portions were filmed in Portugal, including Lisbon, Almada, Viseu, and Vila Real. Conceição Azevedo, the mayor of Viseu, announced filming would take place on IP5, a highway in the Vouzela municipality, during an interview with Lusa News Agency.[114] Ritchson finished filming his scenes by August 16,[115] and hinted at flying cars in the film, stating "we're going to take it to the sky".[116]
During filming, Sofia Noronha, a producer for Sagesse Productions (the company in charge of overseeing production of Fast X
in Portugal) said a "brutal economic investment" will be made in the
country by the film. Highlighting the weather, affordability through tax breaks,
and flexibility of the production, Noronha argued "investments [from
film] made in the country is almost double that tax incentive. The
[producing] country always benefits".[114] This was echoed during filming in Turin, with it reported the two-week schedule generated €3.8 million
for the local economy, coming mainly from expenses related to location
rent, hospitality, technical staff and local workforce employment,
security and sanitation, and storage and unloading. It was also reported
the film regularly brought troupes of close to 400 people (5 times
above average for comparable films) and often collaborated with hundreds
of local professionals on the research of locations and finalization of
the working filming plan.[108] In a statement, Beatrice Borgia, President of Film Commission Torino Piemonte, said "Fast X is a confirmation of the key role Turin and Piedmont
has gained in filmmaking. [We have] proved to have all what is needed
to host complex productions: skilled professionals, supportive
institutions, and amazing locations".[108]
Vehicles
Fast X is the first film in the series to feature electric cars, with leaked set photos featuring the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee Concept and the gull-winged DeLorean Alpha5. Other vehicles include the 2022 TorRed Dodge Charger R/T, the 2023 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye, and the 1970 Charger R/T, the latter a franchise staple.[117] On June 27, 2022, it was reported Fast X would include the fan-favorite orange and black VeilsideMazda RX-7 FD Fortune, which first featured in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006).[118]
The inclusion of the electric Dodge Chargers in the film was confirmed
upon release of the first trailer on February 9, 2023, with the "Greys
of Thunder" Dodge Charger Daytona SRT also appearing in other
promotional material. In an interview with Fox News, a Dodge spokesperson said the company "has a long-standing marketing partnership with Fast & Furious", which will continue with Fast X.[119] Other vehicles which featured in the film include the foreign-made Lamborghini Gallardo, Alfa Romeo 159, Nissan Silvia, Porsche 911 997 GT3 RS, Pagani Huayra Tricolore, and the Datsun 240Z, as well as the U.S.-made Chevrolet Impala and El Camino, Lenco BearCat Armoured Vehicle, and the 1966 Ford Fairlane.[120] In an interview with vehicle co-ordinator Dennis McCarthy, who worked on every Fast & Furious film since Tokyo Drift (2006), each significant car featured on screen required around seven duplicates, resulting in an estimated 200 cars built for Fast X to race-car standards required for the stunt work.[121] In April 2023, Momoa revealed that he personally contacted Jochen Zeitz, the CEO of Harley-Davidson, to secure six motorcycles to be used in the film for his character.[122]
He is seen riding the Harley-Davidson Pan America throughout the film,
which was modified with an upgraded exhaust system and extra shielding.[123]
Post-production
Dylan Highsmith and Kelly Matsumoto, both of whom were two of the three co-editors on F9, return as editors. Peter Chiang returns as the visual effects supervisor for the production, after doing so for F9, with DNEG and Industrial Light & Magic as the returning visual effects vendors. In a July 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter,
Michelle Rodriguez praised the addition of Leterrier and his
predominantly French-speaking creative team, labeling it "the French
takeover, dude". She stated Leterrier "came with all this energy of love
[from] a real fan of [the] franchise who really wants to take it places
that it hasn't gone before. It reminds you [how] beautiful and magical
[filmmaking] is".[124] Several aerial shots were filmed with first-person view
(FPV) drones with an attached WarpCam piloted by Johnny Schaer, similar
to the filming techniques used for the action sequences in Michael Bay's Ambulance (2022). Schaer previously supervised the drone-led filming in Rawson Marshall Thurber's Red Notice (2021).[125]
To create Fast X's flashback sequence, the filmmakers used the dailies from Fast Five
sourced from the archival department at Universal to secure "alternate
takes and different angles". The pre-existing and unused footage was
then composited to create the sequence, with characters into the footage
using motion control photography and CGI.[126]
In March 2023, the writing credits were finalized; Mazeau and Lin
received screenplay credits, and both shared story credits with Zach Dean.[127] In May, despite his initial refusal to return to the franchise, it was revealed that Dwayne Johnson accepted a late-stage return as Luke Hobbs in the film's mid-credits scene.[32]
The first single for the film's soundtrack, "Let's Ride", was released on February 10, 2023, performed by YG, Ty Dolla Sign,
and Lambo4oe. The soundtrack features hip hop, pop, reggaeton,
electronic rock, and rhythmic Latin tracks. The second song from the
film, "Won't Back Down", performed by YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Bailey Zimmerman, and Dermot Kennedy, was released on May 4. The soundtrack of the film was released on May 19, by Artist Partner Group.[128]
In March 2023 during post-production, Brian Tyler returned to composed the film score. Tyler had previously scored six of the franchise's installments, starting with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006).[129] The official score album was being released on June 2, 2023, by Back Lot Music.[130]
Marketing
Parts of Fast X previewed at CineEurope in Barcelona in June 2022, including a first look at Jason Momoa and Brie Larson.
Speaking of the film, Universal Pictures International President of
Distribution, Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, stated the studio's drive was to
continue to "cater to the diverse tastes" expected from the franchise.[131] At the 2022 Grio Awards, Tyrese Gibson
stated he watched the completed film on October 20, 2022, describing it
as "crazy" with "just too much magic", and announced an extended
version of the film's trailer would first premiere at Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023.[132] This was seemingly confirmed in a December 2022 social media post by Vin Diesel, who wrote the trailer was "less than two months away",[133] and was made it official in January 2023 post.[134] In a January 2023 report by Collider,
it was confirmed the first trailer would debut worldwide on February
10, 2023 (after being screened at a private fan event a day prior); it
was three minutes long,[135] and was followed with a Super Bowl spot alongside Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Cocaine Bear, Scream VI, 65, Air, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Flash (all 2023).[136][137] Beginning February 1, to promote the release of the trailer, official recuts of the trailers of each of the previous nine films, dubbed "Legacy Trailers", were released daily in conjunction with IGN.[138] The fan event took place at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, being hosted by Maria Menounos and featuring Diesel, Rodriguez, Gibson, Ludacris, and Cody Walker, the brother of the series' longtime initial star Paul Walker.[139] Similar fan events also took place in Mexico, France, and Japan but did not feature the cast.[140]
On February 1, the film's teaser poster was released, depicting
Diesel alone in the center, bowing his head and clutching a cross
between his fists on a dark to light backdrop. Writing for Collider,
Safeeyah Kazi said his positioning depicts "an intense prayer" with the
"small amount of light [from the cross] engulfing his fist acting as
the optimism in the dark". She also said that the relative simplicity of
the poster compared to the "color explosion" for F9 could indicate a grittier storyline in Fast X.
Kazi wrote the film's "the end of the road begins" tagline depicted "a
new level of intensity", and speculated it could refer to the end for
some of the franchise's characters.[141] In an analysis by Matt Singer of WBUF,
Singer described the poster as "somber", noting it as "remarkably
tense" compared to the posters for other entries in the franchise.[142] Stills from the film detailing Momoa, Larson, and Diesel's characters were publicly released on February 9,[143] and was followed by a teaser showcasing the main cast a day later.[144] The official trailer then released soon after,[145] featuring an orchestral flip of "Notorious Thugs" by The Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony from the former's album Life After Death (1997).[146] The trailer was mostly positively received; writing for GQ,
Grant Rindner labeled the trailer "glorious absurdity", stating it is
"as glossy and over-the-top as recent features". He commended the return
of racing scenes, saying it "restores the original feeling" of the
films, and said the music was an "operatic nail-biter".[147]
According to data from social media analytics company RelishMix,
the film's Super Bowl trailer (dubbed "The Big Game Trailer") clocked
94.1 million views across social media in the 24-hour period following
the game; it was the third most viewed trailer that aired at the event,
behind Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (134.1 million views) and The Flash (97.4 million).[148] It was the highest-viewed trailer which did not debut at the event,[148] but its view count was down from the 110.9 million views received by F9's Super Bowl trailer in 2020, prior to that film's eventual delay. According to unnamed sources reporting to Variety, the first trailer accumulated an estimated 295 million views globally within the first 72 hours of release;[140]Instagram drove nearly 30% of views, followed by TikTok (25%), Facebook (22%), YouTube (18%) and Twitter (6%), with a majority of viewership coming in from international territories. Fast X also trended as the top topic on Twitter in the U.S. immediately after the trailer debut.[140] Similar to other Fast & Furious releases, Hot Wheels announced a themed basic assortment of cars set to feature in Fast X, which is set to be released with the film.[149]
On March 14, 2023, the official theatrical poster was released; writing for Collider,
Aidan King positively reviewed the poster, saying the vehicles placed
around the characters are similar to a "high-octane drag race",
indicating a return to the franchise's history as car-oriented films. He
also noted the characters "loom above the drag [race] scene",
referencing the franchise's thematic shift away from car culture.[150]
Two featurettes were released, first on March 31 and then on April 7,
2023, with the main cast giving a behind-the-scenes look (with
previously unseen footage) at the production of the film.[151][152]
An additional featurette highlighting Diesel and Perry's characters was
released on May 5, with the pair and Leterrier providing commentary.[153]
On April 19, the second full-length trailer and the film's
official synopsis was released; it was generally praised by critics for
its action and Momoa's presentation.[154] On May 2, a character trailer featuring Diesel and Rodriguez, titled "Fast X: Open Road", was released; writing for /Film, Bill Bria described it as "reflective". The trailer featured elements of Max Richter's "On the Nature of Daylight" and Dinah Washington's
contributions from "This Bitter Earth", which Bria said "lent even more
gravitas to the Dom/Letty highlight reel". He further praised the
combination, stating "visuals so nakedly frivolous and music so achingly
earnest" created "an exquisite tension".[155] Two days later, the free to play 8-bit style game Fast X: Let's Race was launched online. The game features multiple top-downrace courses set in the film's locations of Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, and Rome.[156] Diesel and Rodriguez then appeared in promotional spots at the 2023 Miami Grand Prix,[citation needed] while in the United Kingdom, the film partnered with the Capital radio network to launch a competition for a listener to win a trip to Rome.[157] The extended four and a half-minute final trailer was released on May 15.[158]
On May 16, Philips
announced a partnership with Universal Pictures in the Philippines,
where one could win tickets alongside purchases of an Evnia gaming
monitor.[159] Universal also partnered with Frito-Lay's Ruffles to create limited-edition Fast X potato chips, which come with raffle tickets where fans could win a ticket; a lucky prize included the 2023 Dodge Charger R/T.[160]
Release
Theatrical
Fast X premiered on May 12, 2023, at the Colosseum in Rome.[161] It was initially scheduled for release on April 2, 2021,[162] but was postponed to April 7, 2023, and finally May 19.[163] These shifts were reportedly made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to F9's eventual postponement to June 2021 that caused Fast X to be delayed.[164][165] It was widely released in IMAX and other premium large formats including ScreenX.[166][167]
The film was cleared for release in China on March 28, 2023, marking
one of the first large American films released in the country in 2023; Fast & Furious films have grossed over $1.2 billion in China since the release of Fast & Furious 6 (2013), and was one of the first countries where F9 (2021) was released, being five weeks ahead of its domestic release.[168]
Fast X
grossed $146.1 million in the United States and Canada, and
$568.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $714.4
million.[4][5] Prior to its release, TheWrap estimated the film would need to gross $800–850 million worldwide in order to turn a profit.[172]Variety later reported that the film "barely crawled into the black" but would post a modest profit for the studio.[173]
In the United States and Canada, tickets went on sale at midnight
on February 9, 2023, a day prior to the premiere of the trailer.[166] According to a Fandango study, which surveyed over 6,000 ticket buyers between February and March 2023, Fast X was revealed to be the sixth-most anticipated film of the summer.[174] In April 2023, box office projections estimated that the film would gross $65–75 million in its opening weekend.[175] By the week of its release, estimates had been lowered to $60 million.[176]
The film made $28 million on its first day, including $7.5 million from
Thursday previews. It went on to debut to $67 million from 4,046
theaters, topping the box office.[177] Writing for TheWrap, Jeremy Fuster predicted that Fast X
may be less profitable than some of its predecessors, citing the film's
sudden increased overall production budget (at 70% larger than F9) and the expected large marketing budget.[86] In its second weekend, the film made $23 million (dropping 66%), finishing second behind newcomer The Little Mermaid.[178] In its third weekend, Fast X finished in fourth place and made $9.2 million for a drop of 61% behind The Little Mermaid, The Boogeyman and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.[179]
In the United Kingdom, tickets went on sale on May 5.[180]
The film was projected to gross around $280 million worldwide in its
opening weekend, including about $220 million from 84 countries.[176]
Like its domestic debut, the film ended up slightly out-performing
projections, making $252.7 million internationally and a total of
$320 million worldwide.[181] It was the sixth-best opening weekend for a studio film since 2019, and second-biggest non-superhero title (behind Avatar: The Way of Water).[182] Its largest markets were China ($78 million), Mexico ($16 million), France ($9.6 million), and Brazil ($9.6 million).[183] The film set records for the highest-opening weekend release for a foreign film in Pakistan, with 19.98 crore ($701,052).[184]
It would remain Universal's twentieth highest-grossing film of all time worldwide until 2024 with the release of Wicked.[185]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes,
56% of 310 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of
5.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "As irredeemably silly as it is
satisfyingly self-aware, Fast X should rev the engines of longtime fans while leaving many newcomers in neutral."[1]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 56 out of 100, based on 59 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[186] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, the same as F9 and the first film but below other installments. PostTrak reported filmgoers gave the film an 82% positive score, with 67% saying they would definitely recommend it.[177]
Momoa's performance was widely praised by critics; Eric Eisenberg of CinemaBlend said Momoa "plays Dante like [the] Fast & Furious version of The Joker", concluding it was a "delightful" portrayal of a "gleeful psychopath". Liam Crowley of Comicbook seconded this view, calling Momoa "hilarious", while Screen Rant's Joseph Deckelmeier said Momoa brings "magic" to a performance which "oozes charisma".[187] In a mixed review, Brian Truitt of USA Today
also praised Momoa's performance but criticized the screenplay, saying,
"Laws of physics are pummeled at length and all logic is shot out of a
cannon [with] its bizarre character choices and decisions".[188] The Chicago Sun-Times's Richard Roeper
gave the film two out of four stars and was more critical of Momoa's
performance, writing, "[He] comes across as more of a preening,
performance-art, sociopathic clown than a truly menacing villain".[189] Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent
said that an "arbitrary" plot serves a "biblically-scaled soap opera
[that] happily rewrites the laws of gravity and physiology to put a
smile on its audience's faces", and praised the cast performances,
namely Momoa's.[190]
In a less positive review, Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge
criticized the return of former characters, saying the film has
"convoluted twists and turns" which contribute to making it feel
"exciting, but airless". He also wrote the large cast made its
characters "feel like souped-up cameos meant to remind you of the past
rather than figures organically existing in the present—especially when
they just pop up out of nowhere, which happens more often than you'd
expect". He also criticized the screenplay, saying "[Dom and Dante's]
conflict ends up feeling like something that was mapped out on paper,
but was not crafted tightly enough for on-screen".[191] This was echoed by Den of Geek's
Don Kay, who lamented the lack of character beats for the supporting
cast and the lack of stakes in the plot, although he praised Cena's
performance, writing, "He plays to his comedic strengths and gets by on
his sheer charisma".[192] Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post gave the film a one out of four rating, describing it as "another moronic Fast film that plods along like 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall and features increasingly fake chases".[193] James Verniere of the Boston Herald gave it a C+ and wrote, "Dimwitted takes on The Godfather films with street racers instead of gangsters".[194]
Alison Willmore of Vulture
criticized Leterrier's direction, writing the film "plays like it was
made by an AI versed in the existing [films] but not quite up to
spitting out something coherent itself" and called its plot "deliriously
unwieldy". She also criticized its cast as being bloated and its
dialogue as feeling "engineered to be clipped and used without context
for promotional purposes", concluding watching Fast X "feels like sustaining a head injury".[195] Writing for Slant,
Greg Nussen criticized the acting performances and cinematography,
calling it "overly lit [with] ultra-saturated images" and wrote that the
film was "closer to fan fiction or self-parody than the real deal".[196] Writing for The Wall Street Journal,
Kyle Smith also criticized Leterrier's direction as overzealous,
saying, "Leterrier rarely misses an opportunity to shred the storyline
[to] end up with confetti, serving ridiculous action scenes [that]
require much narrative corner-cutting".[197]
In a scathing review, GameSpot's Phil Owen said the film possesses "blurry backgrounds and weird close-up
shots", negatively comparing it to low-budget films, and called the
editing "distractingly frenetic". He also said the storyline "just
rehashed plot threads and set pieces from past [films]", criticized the
ending, and called Diesel's performance a "full-on parody of himself:
[he plays] a bland character".[198] Kevin Maher of The Times called the film a "jaded and lackadaisical patch-up job", criticizing the cast performances,[199] while Rolling Stone's Chris Vognar said that the cast (besides Momoa) "mailed [their] performances in" and called the film uninspiring, writing, "Fast X feels like it was written by a software program".[200]
Immediately following Fast X's
release, Diesel claimed that, depending on the film's performance,
Universal aimed to produce two sequels. Leterrier later did not confirm
whether the eleventh film would be the franchise's last installment.[212] A standalone sequel to Fast X, titled Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Reyes was soon announced, with Dwayne Johnson and Jason Momoa set to star.[213][214] Several reports in late May 2023 indicated that although Fast X would directly lead to the development of an eleventh film,[215]Fast X's
budget and relative modest box office performance meant any sequel
would serve as the final film in the franchise. In January 2024, it was
reported that an eleventh film could be "a throwback to the original",
consisting of a single mission and a different antagonist instead of
Dante.[216] One month later, Diesel confirmed the eleventh film would be the final installment in the franchise.[217]
In May 2024, Leterrier announced that the film was delayed from its
expected release date of April 4, 2025, to an unspecified date in 2026.[218]
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