After starring in the first two movies of the wildly popular Fast & Furious franchise, Paul Walker wasn't part of the Fast and Furious 3 cast, as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift took the franchise in a new direction. Walker originated his role as Brian O'Connor in 2001's The Fast and the Furious alongside franchise co-lead Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto. The first sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, brought Walker back, but without Diesel. The franchise followed the trend of shedding its previous stars, as Fast and Furious 3 didn't have Walker either.
Following 2 Fast 2 Furious, Universal Pictures journeyed to Japan with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and the Fast and Furious 3 cast is once again totally different from the previous movie. It focuses on new characters, led by Lucas Black's Sean Boswell, while the standout member of the ensemble is Sung Kang, making his debut as Han in the movie. Though there are many who consider the third movie the most underrated of the franchise, many fans still wonder why Walker wasn't included in Fast and Furious 3's cast.
Paul Walker Missing Tokyo Drift Was A Studio Choice
The Studio Attempted To Take The Franchise In A New Direction
While Vin Diesel turned down the offer to return for the second Fast and Furious movie, Paul Walker's absence from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift may not have been a decision made by the actor. Despite having led the franchise for the first two movies, Walker revealed that his absence came down to a new direction that the studio wanted to take the Fast & Furious franchise.
According to the LA Times, Walker was quoted saying, "politics, studio stuff, a regime decision" as to why he didn't appear. While that might hint at some negativity behind the scenes, it is apparent that the decision ultimately didn't create any long-lasting bad blood between the actor and the studio as Walker was invited back for the fourth movie.
The Original Plans For Fast And Furious 3 Included Vin Diesel
Diesel Made A Cameo In The Third Movie Instead
Writer Chris Morgan told Tokyo Drift was meant to star Diesel. The story would have followed Dom visiting Tokyo after a family friend is killed and he learns about drifting as he attempts to solve the murder. The threequel would have been a detective movie, but with 2 Fast 2 Furious' disappointing box office performance, Universal switched the focus to a high school setting instead.
The Fast & Furious Movies In Chronological Order:
Movie |
Release Date |
|---|---|
The Fast and the Furious |
2001 |
2 Fast 2 Furious |
2003 |
Fast & Furious |
2009 |
Fast Five |
2011 |
Fast & Furious 6 |
2013 |
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift |
2006 |
Furious 7 |
2015 |
The Fate of the Furious |
2017 |
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw |
2019 |
F9 |
2021 |
Fast X |
2023 |
The studio turning the focus on a younger cast could be tied to the reasons the actor gave for his absence, especially as some sources report that Walker was dropped because he was too old (via Medium).
Tokyo Drift Has Only Gotten More Important Over Time
Han's "Death" Continues To Be Addressed In The Sequels
The decision to not include Walker in the Fast and Furious 3 cast might have made sense to Universal at the time, but the choice made the sequel stand out for a while, as it was the only movie in the franchise to not include Brian O'Conner. This changed after the ing of Walker during Furious 7's production, as The Fate of the Furious, F9, and Fast X ed The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift as entries in the franchise without the former star.
Given the series' declining box office figures and increasingly negative reception to newer Fast and Furious films, Walker's absence has absolutely impacted the franchise. However, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift stood out for its lack of Walker and has become one of the most important movies in the series.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth Fast and Furious movies were prequels just so that fan-favorite character Han could return following Han's death in Tokyo Drift, and Lucas Black, Shad Moss, and Jason Tobin reprised their roles as Sean, Twinkie, and Earl in F9. Above all else, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift has aged surprisingly well, as it's the most original entry in the series, has a unique aesthetic, and has grown a huge cult following since its release.
Brian Still Has No Real Connection To Tokyo Drift
Brian's Absence From The Franchise Means That Connection Will Never Be Solidified
Part of the fun of the Fast and Furious franchise is how connected everything is. Fast Five was the first to really start this trend as it brought together various characters from all of the previous sequels to Dom and Brian on their new adventure. However, while the connections to Tokyo Drift grew stronger over time, Brian never really had anything to do with the third movie.
Despite not appearing in the lead role as planned, Vin Diesel did return as Dom in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift in a brief cameo at the end, establishing his friendship with Han. This was revisited in Furious 7 as the aftermath of Dom's meeting with Sean Boswell is shown. With Sean and the other characters returning in F9, along with the reveal that Han is alive, it is clear the third movie is a huge part of the mythology.
However, Brian doesn't have the connection with Han that Dom does and despite them working together for a number of movies, he never connects with Han's life in Tokyo. Likewise, when the Tokyo Drift characters make their return in the franchise, it comes at a time when Brian has already stopped appearing in the movies as a result of Paul Walker's death. While Brian might be brought back in a more significant way in the final Fast and Furious movie, it is unlikely there will ever be a solid connection between him and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
- Release Date
- June 4, 2006
- Runtime
- 104 Minutes
- Director
- Justin Lin
Cast
Lucas Black-
Bow Wow
WHERE TO WATCH
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is the third installment in the Fast and Furious franchise. Tokyo Drift follows Sean Boswell, a car-loving teenager shipped off to live with his Navy lieutenant father in Tokyo when his racing antics find him running foul of the law. When Sean discovers Tokyo's nightlife, he embraces the dangerous underground world of drift racing.
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