The Fast and Furious franchise has seen many changes, from new characters to old ones that yield surprising results. F9 doesn’t seem to be any different, especially with the return of Han Lue, who was believed to be dead after the events of the third movie. Another person who appeared in the recent F9 trailer is Brian O’Conner – but could he really be back?
Brian O’Conner was played in the Fast and Furious franchise by actor Paul Walker, who starred in six of the eight films.
However, he was absent from subsequent films after Paul and his companion Roger Rodas were killed in a car accident on November 30, 2013.
Filming was in progress for the seventh film, Furious 7, at the time of his death, forcing production to be halted.
The seventh film then had to be reworked to show Brian’s retirement when he said goodbye to his friend Dom Toretto (played by Vin Diesel).
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Fast and Furious – is Brian O’Conner back? (Image: Universal)
Brian O’Conner and Dom Toretto in Fast and Furious (Image: Universal)
Paul’s brothers, Cody and Caleb Walker, were used as doubles in further filming, which took place for several weeks in early 2014.
However, despite his death, Paul’s character was later seen again in The Fate of the Furious, the eighth movie in the franchise, when a photo of him was spotted in Dom’s car.
The most recent trailer for F9, the upcoming Fast and Furious movie, shows Brian again, but he can’t return, can he?
According to director Justin Lin, Paul’s character will not return in the franchise.
Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in the Fast and Furious franchise (Image: Universal)
Instead, this movie will be much more of a reflection on past events, meaning Brian will inevitably play a part.
He told Variety: “When it comes to Fast 9, this is the first time I’ve approached it creatively, not as just one movie.
“In the past I’ve always felt, ‘We’re lucky to do one, let’s do everything we can.’
But Vin [Diesel] finally got me into it, you know, when I got back he said, “Well, let’s think about it as a final chapter.”
Mia Toretto returns in F9 (Image: Universal)
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“So Fast 9 really is the start of the last chapter of the saga. So in doing so I think there’s a lot of room to really place our characters, and Brian is clearly still a big part of the universe.
“I always want to be very respectful in how we present that.
“I think [in] Nine, you will certainly feel Brian’s presence. ‘
At one point in the movie, Dom is seen watching a video of Brian with a child, apparently his second child with Mia, Dom’s sister and Brian’s partner (played by Jordana Brewster.)
When asked what it was like to find the right and appropriate ways to include Brian, he added, “The fact that Brian O’Conner still lives in this universe must be acknowledged.
“We’re treating F9 like the first movie of the last chapter, and at some point it’s something I think about and how we can really show its presence, but in a respectful way. So it always goes on.
“I feel like we did it in 9 in a way that makes me feel good, but as we try to wrap up the saga it’s something I’ll always keep thinking about.”
If this movie is the beginning of the end of the franchise, it only seems a good thing that these characters will return, and while Brian isn’t officially returning, he’ll be remembered and remembered in the movie.
F9 will be released in UK cinemas on July 8
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