Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs will lead his own Fast and Furious movie following the actor’s return in Fast X, and this spinoff will be far more important to the saga than it initially seemed. Shortly before Fast X arrived in theaters, news broke that The Rock would be returning to the franchise through a cameo appearance in the newest installment. While Fast X’s ending did not actually feature Hobbs, the character appeared in a post-credits scene teasing a confrontation between him and Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes.
Fast X marked The Rock’s first appearance in one of the main Fast Saga movies since 2017’s The Fate of the Furious. Considering the public feud between Johnson and Vin Diesel that led to the former not returning for F9, Hobbs being part of Fast X’s cast of characters was major news. Johnson’s return to the franchise would soon be expanded, though, as a Hobbs spinoff movie was announced not too long after Fast X premiered.
The Rock’s New Fast & Furious Spinoff Will Be Set Between Fast X And Fast 11
The Fast Saga continues to expand
Fast and Furious’ Hobbs spinoff movie will be set before Fast & Furious 11, as confirmed by Dwayne Johnson’s announcement post. According to Johnson, the Hobbs movie will be a “fresh, new chapter” that will “set up Fast X: Part 2,” meaning this new film will be set between Fast X and Fast & Furious 11. When the Hobbs movie will premiere remains to be announced, but given its placement in the franchise’s timeline, it should arrive in theaters before the upcoming Fast 11. That said, the Fast Saga does have a confusing chronology.
The announcement of a Hobbs spinoff film shortly after Dwayne Johnson returned to the franchise in Fast X’s post-credits scene was somewhat surprising, especially considering that Hobbs & Shaw 2 has yet to happen. The Hobbs movie will not be a sequel to Hobbs & Shaw but rather a different project entirely, and it will likely have far more ties to the Fast Saga than Johnson’s previous spinoff did. Whereas Hobbs & Shaw was treated as its own adventure within the Fast and Furious universe, The Rock’s new movie is being described as a setup for Fast 11.
Fast X’s Disappointing Box Office Could Mean Trouble For Fast & Furious 11
Fast X had a large budget but was poorly received
Fast X grossed $704 million at the worldwide box office, which would have been a solid number if not for the movie’s reported budget of $340 million. Between the star-dusted cast and the change of director days into shooting, Fast X was bound to have a massive budget, a problem that a lot of recent blockbusters are facing. As such, doing okay numbers at the box office would not be enough for the film to be considered a hit. Even without considering the financial aspect of it, Fast X’s reception could mean trouble for Fast 11.
Fast & Furious Movies The Rock Has Been In | Release Year |
|---|---|
Fast Five | 2011 |
Fast & Furious 6 | 2013 |
Furious 7 | 2015 |
The Fate of the Furious | 2017 |
Hobbs & Shaw | 2019 |
Fast X (post-credits scene only) | 2023 |
The Fast Saga’s conclusion was originally announced to be a two-part movie, meaning Fast X was expected to be immediately followed by Fast X: Part 2. On one hand, a short window between the two films is now impossible considering the next Fast and Furious movie has yet to start filming, which plays against the franchise’s two-part finale idea. On the other hand, Fast X: Part 2 may have to position itself as a standalone film rather than a direct sequel to Fast X considering the latter’s poor reviews and relatively weak box office.
Will The Rock’s Hobbs Movie Be A Better Setup For Fast & Furious 11 Than Fast X?
The Hobbs spinoff can’t repeat Fast X’s mistakes
As the first entry in a two-part story, Fast X should have done a much better job in setting up the next Fast and Furious movie, which could be the Fast Saga’s final. It is still unclear whether Fast and Furious will truly end with Fast X: Part 2, but regardless, any franchise depends on the previous entry doing well enough for audiences to be interested in another installment. This is why The Rock’s Hobbs film is now even more important considering it is set to come out before Fast X: Part 2.
Fast & Furious Complete Timeline (Including Fast X Flashbacks & Retcons)
Here’s a complete breakdown of the Fast & Furious franchise timeline, including new details provided by Fast X’s flashbacks and Tokyo Drift retcons.
The Hobbs movie needs to do a better job than Fast X when it comes to setting up the saga’s finale, and it may be able to do so if it truly connects to the main franchise rather than being a standalone spinoff. There are rumors regarding Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes being part of the Hobbs film, which would make sense considering the villain is now after The Rock’s character. Connections and cameos aside, Fast and Furious’ Hobbs movie needs to be a commercial and critical success if it wants to help the series regain some of the momentum it recently lost.
Sources: @therock (via Instagram), The Numbers
Watch Fast X on Prime Video
Fast X
- Director
- Louis Leterrier
- Release Date
- May 19, 2023
- Cast
- Vin Diesel , Michelle Rodriguez , Jason Statham , Jordana Brewster , Tyrese Gibson , Ludacris , Nathalie Emmanuel , Charlize Theron
- Runtime
- 141 Minutes
- Franchise(s)
- Fast and Furious
