With more than $7 billion earned at the box office, Fast & Furious is one of the biggest franchises around, yet it’s still sitting on a long list of characters it never quite knew how to use.
That could soon change. A new live-action Fast & Furious TV show is in the works. Few details have surfaced so far, but it shapes up as a major release for the franchise, and a series offers space for the kind of character development the films abandoned years ago.
From street racing flick to $7 billion juggernaut
In the beginning, the films were fairly low-stakes racing thrillers: entertaining, but not much more. The series then traded realism for outlandish stunts and globe-trotting crime, and that gamble worked. Relentless action set pieces and life-or-death missions turned the IP into something far larger than anyone predicted, and Fast & Furious reached its 25th anniversary in 2026.
The ride hasn’t been entirely smooth. Fast X delivered a disappointing box office result, a sign the franchise may have already peaked. On top of that, Fast & Furious 11 is reportedly set to close out the main saga.
Still, the brand keeps expanding into new territory. It lives on in video games and theme parks, and it has already made the jump to television: the animated Fast & Furious Spy Racers premiered in 2019 and lasted six seasons. A live-action series is the logical next move, and here are eight characters it ought to revive.
Isabel is owed more than one rescue storyline
Since Fast Five, Elena Neves had been a regular ally of the core crew, which gave her death real impact. It also created an opening for her sister, Isabel.
So far, Isabel has made just one appearance. As a Brazilian street racer who now has a connection to Dom, she has more than enough to anchor a lead role. The trouble lies in how the film handled her. Apart from her race against Dom, Dante and Diogo, she was largely a passenger in the story, someone Dom kept needing to rescue.
With Fast & Furious 11 boasting a packed cast, it’s difficult to picture where Isabel would slot in. A TV series solves that problem. Daniela Melchior has grown into a major star on her own, giving doubtful viewers another incentive to watch. Bringing her back is an easy call.
It’s time Queenie Shaw took center stage
Every member of the Shaw family is fun to watch. Owen and Hattie could each leave a mark if they came back, but both have already enjoyed stints as central characters. Queenie has not.
She ranks among the franchise’s strongest recent additions, which is why she keeps popping up. Helen Mirren portrays her as a modest-looking older woman with a lengthy criminal record who handles supercars as recklessly as anyone in the series, whether hero or villain. The performance is unforgettable, yet it has always been confined to a supporting role.
Mirren is currently appearing in Mobland, so she’s evidently willing to do television. Seeing Queenie play off a new group of characters while continuing to inject humor into all the mayhem would be a delight. The show would be foolish to skip it.
Leon is the forgotten member of the original crew
In 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, Dom’s original crew consisted of Vince, Jesse and Leon. Both Vince and Jesse have died. Leon, however, is alive and well, and what we actually know about him could be scribbled on a cocktail napkin.
Following the first film, he turned up in a brief cameo in Fast Five and a flashback in Fast & Furious 6. After Fast Five, his storyline simply ends.
Since Fast & Furious 11 marks the end of an era, it’s the more obvious spot for a full-circle Leon moment. Even if that comes to pass, the TV show could still carve out a role for him. Leaving an OG character lingering in the background without any backstory feels off, and dropping him altogether would be a missed opportunity. A meaningful part in the series would at last turn Leon into an F&F legend.
Suki is the car fanatic the franchise abandoned
As time went on, Dom’s crew became packed with people who bring combat or tech expertise and also happen to be excellent drivers. That shift pushed pure petrolheads like Suki to the sidelines.
She has never crossed paths with Dom. Her film was 2 Fast 2 Furious, in which she became entangled with Brian and Roman. During a street race, she had the nerve to mimic Brian’s daring driving and came in second behind him. She later drew police attention away from Roman and Brian and onto herself, a genuine maverick move from someone who adores racing.
She hasn’t been seen since. Suki appeared on Dante’s target list in Fast X, so a cameo in the final film is possible. Still, a TV appearance might be a better fit. If Dom’s crew halts Dante before he exacts his revenge, holding Suki back for a more substantial role in the series would land with greater impact.
Should Roman and Tej be part of it, that makes for a fun reunion. If they’re not, discovering what she’s been up to all this time and learning more about her as a person would also work. More than 20 years after her first appearance, she remains memorable.
Tess could become the next Dom Toretto
Any opportunity to cast Brie Larson in a project deserves consideration, and in this case it’s logical. Tess made her debut in the most recent film and had a fairly sizable role for a new character. That’s likely to hold true in the sequel as well.
The franchise will almost surely continue through spinoffs, making Tess an ideal candidate to lead the way. Admittedly, Larson is a better fit for the big screen. Even so, a TV run could cement Tess as the next Dom Toretto.
Fast & Furious has brought back plenty of dead characters already. It’s time to look ahead. Having Tess return, and perhaps headline the series, is the best way to get acquainted with her while giving the IP a chance to thrive beyond the main crew.
Sean Boswell starred in a movie and then disappeared
One would expect the star of a full Fast & Furious film to play a major part in the saga’s broader narrative. Sean doesn’t. Beyond Tokyo Drift, his screen time has been restricted to a few other films, where he’s largely been squeezed in.
That helps explain why Tokyo Drift feels out of step with the rest of the franchise. It sits so far apart from everything else.
The show could remedy this by teaming Sean with other prominent heroes, expanding on his years in Japan and strengthening his ties to the main crew. Fast & Furious 11 isn’t able to do that. A TV series has room for character arcs and development, not merely action, which is precisely why Sean belongs there.
Elle matters too much to be pushed aside
The franchise has yet to fully commit to its next generation. Dom’s son is taking on a larger role in the story despite his youth, but Han’s adopted daughter got only a single film.
Elle had a reasonably significant role in F9 and hasn’t returned since, apart from a photo on Dante’s target list. That points toward a Fast & Furious 11 comeback. Given how many characters and plotlines need tying up, though, it’s hard to envision her getting a central role there.
Positioning her as the beginning of a new generation of outlaws on TV could make for a gripping storyline. Anna Sawai won an Emmy for her lead performance in Shogun, so she’s clearly capable of carrying a series. If the show manages to secure her, she’d add considerable depth to one of the franchise’s most underutilized characters.
Monica Fuentes deserves a resolution
Much like Suki, Monica was introduced in 2 Fast 2 Furious before largely slipping into obscurity. A small part in Fast Five confirmed she’s still alive. Considering how prominent she was in the second film, her infrequent returns are surprising.
She shares history with Brian, Roman and Hobbs, and she has worked for the Diplomatic Security Service. Together, those factors make her a worthwhile addition to the show. Much about her remains unknown, but her record proves she’s willing to get her hands dirty when the situation demands it.
Eva Mendes is yet another big name who would draw attention to the series, and Monica is a fan favorite who should have been a much bigger presence over the last decade. A Fast Five post-credits scene featuring her has gone unresolved for years. The new show is the ideal place to finally deliver on it.