It had become a tradition to have a new entry in the Fast & Furious franchise every couple of years, but we’ve had to wait a bit longer for the ninth film’s release. Now that the first official trailer has dropped, the movie’s outlook has become clearer.
For one to be fully prepared to watch the film, they need to be aware of what they’re getting into. For that reason, we’ve dissected the official trailer to present 10 points that should be what the movie centers around. That said, check out this list and see what you might have missed in the trailer.
The Official Title Of The Film And Series
Much like how the series timeline confused fans, the names of the films have also been subject to change with each installment. While Fast & Furious 9 is colloquially used, the trailer confirmed that the official title is actually F9.
Along with that, the overall series title has also been confirmed to be The Fast Saga rather than The Fast and the Furious as was popularly believed. This also sets up the next installment to be named in a unique way, while hinting that F9 will lean toward the “fast” aspect than the “furious.”
Connections To Tokyo Drift
There had been some criticism over the lack of screen time that The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift main character Sean Boswell had in Furious 7, and the latest film’s trailer goes some way in rectifying it.
While Sean is only fleetingly seen, the fact that he’s around the main crew - and even cracking a wide smile of familiarity - shows that there will be a connection made to Tokyo Drift’s events. This will go a long way in establishing a better continuity with the third film.
Dom’s Family Secrets
We’re stressing on how these are Dom’s secrets and not Mia’s, as the trailer specifically called Jakob out to be Dom’s younger brother. Fans had been wondering for a while what John Cena’s role would turn out to be, and it was confirmed that Dom’s secret was linked to family.
A huge point to note is the fact that Dom doesn’t look surprised when Jakob confronts him, and a violent sibling rivalry was mentioned with Jakob seeking to best Dom in every arena.
Cipher’s Still The Main Villain
While the trailer might have heavily relied on Cena’s role as the new villain in the series, the actual antagonist spot is still occupied by Cipher. Those aware of The Fate of the Furious will recall how Cipher had been revealed to be pulling the strings even in earlier films, and she continues to do so in F9.
As she had done with the Shaw brothers, Cipher is shown to be manipulating the younger sibling; here, she’s fueling Jakob’s hatred of Dom. We can expect the final showdown to once more be against Cipher as she fulfills her role as the main villain.
No Hobbs Or Shaw
The Rock and Jason Statham’s involvement hadn’t been announced beforehand, but neither had the actors from Tokyo Drift whose role was revealed in the trailer. Unfortunately, it appears to be confirmed that neither Luke Hobbs or Owen Shaw will be returning for this adventure.
However, we did see another Shaw appear in the form of Owen’s mother Queenie. Her part was to remind Dom about the consequences of going against family, meaning we’ll at least have some connection to Hobbs & Shaw even if the main characters won’t be present.
Crazier Action Sequences To Come
The over-the-top antics of the group has led to some joking they can perform feats greater than Superman could, and we have more reason to believe that now since the trailer dropped a bunch of stuff that defies the laws of physics.
What we learned here was that F9 is looking to up the ante with the action, as one involved a Pontiac Fierro being strapped to a rocket engine as a magnet plane hovered nearby. Even crazier, though, was how Dom drove off a car from a cliff, while having it attached to a hook to slingshot him to safety.
Roman’s Role Remains The Same
There was some hope that the characters might get some development rather than be stuck with their stereotypical roles, but we know for sure that Roman will continue being the comedy act who’s in for a few action sequences.
In the trailer, his role remains the same as before, with Roman mainly commenting on stuff, making some wisecracks, and eventually having one of his classic freak outs. Although it is slightly disappointing that he won’t have more to offer, at least fans can take heart in the fact that we’ll be having more comedic bits from the character.
A Significant Time Has Passed Since The Last Film
While most of the films in the series did feature the passage of time between releases, these gaps weren’t always that long. For F9, though, the trailer confirms it has been a couple years at the very least.
This is evident by the appearances of the characters, almost all of whom have a different look and feel about them. The clearest indication has to be Dom’s son, who is now a toddler compared to being a baby in the last installment. We can expect a reunion between the heroes around the same as when they got together in Fast Five.
Mia Back In Action
Mia also took her leave with Brian at the end of Furious 7, but her return was made more notable in the trailer since she was seen engaging in action. If you’ve noticed, Mia hasn’t really had much to do with the fighting or racing aspect since the fourth film.
That indicates F9 will be a personal story for Mia as well, as she was seen contributing to the fight sequences along with Letty. This should make her return carry some real weight, as we’re guaranteed to see her fiery side once more.
Justice Coming For Han
One of our biggest complaints with the characters was how they easily forgave Shaw for killing Han. And after believing him to be dead since 2006’s Tokyo Drift, we’re finally getting justice where Han is concerned.
Of course, Sean Boswell’s return definitely has something to do with Han’s return, but we got one better by witnessing Han reuniting with Dom. The trailer itself mentioned how justice would be coming for Han, meaning the long-awaited explanation surrounding the events of his car crash will be revealed.
