Among the initial Fast and Furious movies, one underperformed at the ticket sales, yet it could be seen as crucial to the series’ development. Nowadays, it seems almost unthinkable for a Fast and Furious film to bomb at the box office. Over time, this action series has grown into one of Hollywood’s most successful franchises, with the past six installments each earning at least $700 million, and two even surpassing the billion-dollar mark. With the upcoming release of Fast and Furious 11, it is expected to be another box office success, as it marks the end of this popular franchise.
As a die-hard fan of the Fast & Furious series, I must admit that the success of these high-octane films wasn’t always a given. In its early days, the franchise was more about street racing than explosive action sequences and massive ensembles. One movie, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, stands out as an exception. This film, though critically acclaimed and crucial to the series, didn’t perform well at the box office.
Tokyo Drift’s Box Office Failure Confirmed Fast & Furious Needed Brian And Dom
Diesel & Walker Returned To The Fast & Furious Franchise After Tokyo Drift
In the initial “Fast & Furious” movie, the story primarily revolved around the dynamic between Vin Diesel’s character Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker’s character Brian O’Connor. Initially, Brian was an undercover officer investigating Dom’s crew, but their connection deepened into a unique friendship. Interestingly, Diesel did not reappear in “2 Fast 2 Furious”, where Brian partnered with Tyrese Gibson’s Roman Pierce instead. However, unlike the first two films, the third installment of the series, released in 2006 as “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” did not center around either Dom or Brian.
Rather than that, the movie named “Tokyo Drift” revolves around Sean, a high school student who is compelled to reside with his father in Tokyo. He then becomes engrossed in the city’s street racing culture. The film “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” while being one of the best in the series, didn’t perform well financially. Unfortunately, it made only $157 million on a substantial budget of $85 million (as per “The Numbers”). This underwhelming box office performance suggested that the franchise needed either Diesel or Walker to boost its success. However, luckily for fans, Diesel made an appearance in the post-credits scene of “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
One Of Fast & Furious’ Greatest Characters Would Not Exist Without Tokyo Drift
The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift Introduced Han
Following the underperformance of “Tokyo Drift” at the box office, Dom and Brian emerged as the primary personalities in the Fast & Furious franchise. Despite being an excellent film, “Tokyo Drift” lacked the necessary stardom to persuade audiences to watch it in cinemas. Nevertheless, a significant character within the franchise wouldn’t have been created without “Tokyo Drift.” Han, who was introduced in “Tokyo Drift,” rapidly became one of the most influential characters in the series.
In essence, Han, portrayed by Sung Kang, was first introduced in Justin Lin’s 2002 movie “Better Luck Tomorrow,” but it isn’t considered a part of the official “Fast & Furious” series. However, when he appeared in “Tokyo Drift,” this marked his debut in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. Notably, Han meets a tragic end in “Tokyo Drift,” which is one of the most emotional scenes in the film and serves as a significant plot point for later installments, like “Fast & Furious 6,” where more details about his death are revealed.
Han’s Death In Tokyo Drift Has Been A Major Plot Point Since Fast & Furious 6
Han Didn’t Actually Die In Tokyo Drift
As a film enthusiast, I must say that despite the seven-year gap between “Fast & Furious 6” and “Tokyo Drift,” it never neglected the storyline or character of Han. Intriguingly, in the post-credits scene of “Fast & Furious 6,” it was unveiled that none other than Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw was responsible for Han’s demise. This revelation sets up Deckard as the chief antagonist in “Furious 7,” a narrative arc that finally bridges the gap between “Tokyo Drift” and the “Fast & Furious” series.
| Every Fast & Furious Movie | Worldwide Box Office | RT Critics Score |
|---|---|---|
| The Fast and the Furious (2001) | $206,458,372 | 55% |
| 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) | $236,410,607 | 37% |
| The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) | $157,794,205 | 38% |
| Fast & Furious (2009) | $359,347,833 | 29% |
| Fast Five (2011) | $629,975,898 | 78% |
| Fast & Furious 6 (2013) | $789,300,444 | 71% |
| Furious 7 (2015) | $1,511,986,364 | 82% |
| The Fate of the Furious (2017) | $1,235,534,014 | 67% |
| Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) | $760,732,926 | 67% |
| F9: The Fast Saga (2021) | $719,360,068 | 59% |
| Fast X (2023) | $714,375,114 | 57% |
Following a surprising turn of events in “Fast & Furious 6”, the character Han reappeared in “F9”. In this installment, he met up with characters from “Tokyo Drift”. Han made another appearance in the latest film, “Fast X”. Interestingly, in “Fast X”, Han crosses paths with Deckard Shaw once more, years after an attempt on his life. The dynamic between these two is expected to be delved into further in “Fast & Furious 11”. Consequently, despite being the lowest-earning film in the series, “Tokyo Drift” laid the groundwork for numerous character journeys and narrative elements in future films within the “Fast & Furious” franchise.
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2025-04-21 18:41