Fast X Director Teases Higher Stakes & Potential Deaths In The Franchise's Latest
The characters of the "Fast & Furious" franchise might as well be superhumans at this point. They've gone on numerous globetrotting adventures, performing stunts that would kill lesser men. That's not to say there haven't been a few casualties along the way (R.I.P. Gisele), but it's pretty impressive how many members of the Toretto extended family have stuck around for so long.
But that may not be the case for much longer. "Fast X" is the tenth installment of the mainstay franchise (not including spin-offs), and it's clear "Fast & Furious" is nearing the finish line. "Fast X" director Louis Leterrier spoke with Total Film in its April 2023 issue (transcribed by SyFy) to discuss how far the characters have come, as well as the freedom that comes with closing in on the finish. He said, "That's the beauty of arriving near the end of this franchise: I don't have to go, 'Oh, well, these characters will live forever.'"
It's time for Fast X to raise the stakes
The "Fast & Furious" franchise has made a habit of bringing supposedly dead characters back to life. Infamously, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) met her demise in 2009's "Fast & Furious," only to have it suggested in "Fast Five" that she was still around. However, that was several movies ago, and this franchise's days are numbered. To get fans to get invested in the series once again, it's time to start making deaths count again, and director Louis Leterrier seems ecstatic to play around with viewers' expectations.
He went on to say, "They might not because it's the end. Only in westerns do cowboys gallop out into the sunset. This is definitely different. It allowed me some freedom to raise the stakes even more than they've been raised before." "Fast X" certainly boasts an impressive cast with big-name stars who have populated the series for a while now, and that doesn't even get into newcomers like Brie Larson and Jason Momoa.
Granted, Leterrier can't kill everyone off. He's attached to direct "Fast & Furious 11," so some people still have to be around to race fast cars. But getting rid of a major player in "Fast X" would be a great set-up for the sequel to get fans even more thrilled about what could happen next. For now, fans will have to wait until "Fast X" comes out in theaters on May 19 to see who lives and who dies.