The Definitive Fast & Furious Movie Timeline: The Only 2 Orders You Need To Know (Updated 2025)

The Fast & Furious franchise, or "The Fast Saga," has evolved from a simple street racing film into a globe-trotting action epic about heists, spies, and the power of "family." With over ten main films, two short films, and a spin-off, figuring out the correct viewing order can be a major challenge for new fans and veterans alike. As of December 2025, the series continues to expand, with the next major installment confirmed to be on the horizon, making the timeline more complex—and more rewarding—than ever.

This article provides the definitive, up-to-date guide to watching every entry in the franchise, from the original 2001 classic to the latest news on Fast & Furious 11, giving you two distinct viewing paths: the simple release order and the story's true chronological timeline. It’s time to rev your engine and settle the debate once and for all.

The Fast Saga: Full List of Movies and Short Films by Release Date

For most franchises, the release date order is the chronological order. Not so with The Fast Saga. However, watching the films in the order they were released is often the best way to experience the story for the first time, as you will see the characters evolve and the franchise’s scope dramatically expand, just as the original audience did. This order also preserves the intended surprise of the retconned timeline.

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Here is the full, official list of all main films and short films in the order they were released in theaters:

• 1. The Fast and the Furious (2001)
• 2. The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) (Short Film)
• 3. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
• 4. Los Bandoleros (2009) (Short Film)
• 5. Fast & Furious (2009)
• 6. Fast Five (2011)
• 7. Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
• 8. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) (Note the jump in release date)
• 9. Furious 7 (2015)
• 10. The Fate of the Furious (2017)
• 11. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) (Spin-off)
• 12. F9: The Fast Saga (2021)
• 13. Fast X (2023)

The core of the chronological confusion stems from the placement of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, which was released third but takes place much later in the timeline, primarily to allow the return of fan-favorite character Han Lue (Sung Kang).

The True Chronological Timeline: Watching The Fast Saga in Story Order

If you want to follow the story of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), and the rest of "The Family" exactly as the events unfold, you must follow the chronological timeline. This order corrects the time jump that was introduced to explain the death of Han Lue, which was originally shown in Tokyo Drift.

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This is the definitive chronological order, including the essential short films that bridge the gaps between the main movies:

1. The Fast and the Furious (2001): The origin story of Dom Toretto and Brian O'Conner.
2. The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003): A short film detailing Brian O'Conner's journey from Los Angeles to Miami after letting Dom escape.
3. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003): Brian and Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) team up in Miami.
4. Los Bandoleros (2009): A short film directed by Vin Diesel that sets the stage for the fourth film, showing Dom and Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) back together in the Dominican Republic.
5. Fast & Furious (2009): Dom and Brian reunite to track down a drug trafficker. This film also introduces Gisele Yashar (Gal Gadot).
6. Fast Five (2011): The film that officially shifted the franchise from street racing to international heist thrillers, introducing Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson).
7. Fast & Furious 6 (2013): The team hunts down Owen Shaw. The post-credits scene is the first chronological scene of the next movie, showing Han's "death."
8. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006): This movie is chronologically placed here. The final scene of Fast & Furious 6 and the beginning of Furious 7 retcon the events of Tokyo Drift to fit into the new timeline, confirming that Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) was responsible for the crash.
9. Furious 7 (2015): Deckard Shaw seeks revenge on Dom’s team. This film also served as the emotional send-off for Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner.
10. The Fate of the Furious (2017): The team faces a cyber-terrorist named Cipher, who forces Dom to betray his "family."
11. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019): The spin-off is chronologically next, focusing on Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw. It is not essential to the main saga's plot but expands the universe.
12. F9: The Fast Saga (2021): Dom confronts his long-lost brother, Jakob Toretto (John Cena), and the team goes to space.
13. Fast X (2023): The first part of the final trilogy, introducing the main antagonist Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), the son of Fast Five's villain.

Key Entities and Iconic Cars That Define The Fast Saga

The longevity of The Fast Saga is not just due to its action, but its memorable characters and the iconic muscle and tuner cars they drive. The franchise has created a deep lore, thanks to the vision of creators like Gary Scott Thompson and frequent director Justin Lin.

The Core "Family" and Recurring Characters

Beyond Dom and Brian, the core "family" has grown significantly over the years. Key entities that drive the plot and the emotional core of the series include:

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• Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez): Dom's wife and a fierce street racer.
• Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster): Dom's sister and Brian's partner.
• Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) & Tej Parker (Chris "Ludacris" Bridges): The comic relief and tech experts, respectively, who were introduced in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
• Han Lue (Sung Kang): The "cool" driver whose story is central to the chronological retcon, originally introduced in the deep-cut entity film Better Luck Tomorrow.
• Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) & Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham): Former antagonists turned anti-hero allies, whose chemistry earned them the Hobbs & Shaw spin-off.

The Most Iconic Cars

The true stars of the early films were the cars, which are entities in their own right. The most legendary vehicles that appear across the timeline include:

• 1970 Dodge Charger R/T: Dominic Toretto’s signature muscle car, a recurring symbol of his past and power.
• 1994 Toyota Supra Turbo Mk IV: Brian O'Conner’s legendary orange tuner car from the first film.
• 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34: Another of Brian's signature vehicles, heavily featured in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
• 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII: Roman Pearce's ride in 2 Fast 2 Furious.

What's Next for The Fast Saga? Latest Updates on Fast & Furious 11

The current chapter of The Fast Saga is a planned trilogy, with Fast X serving as Part 1. The final film, tentatively titled Fast & Furious 11 (or Fast X: Part 2), is highly anticipated. While Universal has not yet set an official date, star and producer Vin Diesel has teased a potential release in April 2027.

The conclusion of Fast X left several major characters in perilous situations, setting the stage for a dramatic finale. Furthermore, one of the most significant pieces of news surrounding the next installment is the potential return of Brian O'Conner. Vin Diesel has confirmed that Paul Walker’s character could return for Fast & Furious 11, which would provide a powerful, emotional bookend to the entire saga.

The final film is expected to conclude the main storyline of Dominic Toretto and his family’s conflict with the new super-villain, Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa). Fans can expect the final chapter to tie up all loose ends, from the fate of Jakob Toretto to the ultimate confrontation with Cipher, and deliver the most over-the-top action sequences yet.