Best Order to Watch the 'Fast And The Furious' Movies

For nearly 20 years, yes 20, the Fast and Furious franchise has captivated fans with two decades of heists, street racing, and espionage. Easily named one of the highest-grossing film series of all time, it's no wonder we keep getting blessed with new installments in the stories of Dominic Toretto, Brian O' Connor, and their family.

Making over $5 billion with nine movies including the newly announced spin-off Hobbs and Shaw, another spin-off is hitting the streets as a TV show called Spy Racers, which is in development with Netflix with an unannounced release date.

Similar to the Marvel franchise of films and shows, it isn't as easy as simply watching the Fast and Furious films in the order they were released, however you can watch them in chronological order, but if you want to see the storyline the way it was intended, you'll need to shuffle them around a bit.

I've listed the best order to watch the Fast and Furious movies in, but writer warning, there are spoilers in the immediate list below. If you want the straightforward list without spoilers, then head to the bottom.

So Here's a Peek at How the Films Were Released. If you want to avoid spoilers, scroll to the bottom.

'Fast And The Furious' - Released in 2001

Enter The first Fast and Furious film. Arriving in 2001, this film focused on Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) as an undercover LAPD officer who infiltrates Dominic Toretto's (Vin Diesel) gang in an attempt to uncover those behind a heist crew that involves three modified Honda Civics.

Brian ends up falling for Dominic's sister, Mia, the film ends with Brian helping Dom get away from the police by giving him the 10-second car he owes him after he lost his car to Dom in a street race earlier in the film.

Short Film - 'The Turbo-Charged Prelude' - Released 2003

The Turbo-Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious is a six-minute short film that was included in the special edition DVD set of the second film—2 Fast 2 Furious. It's not essential to watch, but it links the first film and the second together, showing Brian O'Conner as a fugitive wanted by the FBI for enabling Dominic Toretto to escape police capture. I doubt when this movie was created they had any idea how quick skylines would become project cars in the hopes of recreating Brian's famous the Nissan skyline.

In the six-minute film, Brian packs up and leaves LA before he is arrested, traveling across the US, winning multiple street races, while the FBI launch a national manhunt for him. The prelude ends with Brian heading to Miami.

'2 Fast 2 Furious' Released 2003

2 Fast 2 Furious focuses on Brian O'Conner as the lead. Having relocated to Miami, to make a living Brian takes part in street racing, mechanic Tej Parker—a character that goes on to play a big role in later films in the Fast and Furious franchise helps Brian out with modifying his car.

Brian quickly cut's a deal with his former boss—FBI Agent Bilkins—to return to undercover work, and take down drug lord Carter Verone in return for a clean record.

Choosing childhood friend Roman Pierce as his partner—another character that goes on to be a big part of the Fast and Furious franchise—together they end up bringing Verone down, resulting in clean records for them both.

'Tokyo Drift' - Released 2006

Tokyo Drift focuses on high school student Sean Boswell, who goes to live in Tokyo in order to avoid jail for street racing. Whilst in Tokyo, Sean is introduced to drift racing in Japan, where he meets Han, who Sean ends up working for and living with.

Han trains Sean up in drift racing, and Sean asks Takeshi's— known as the Drift King—girlfriend out on a date. After Han, Sean, and Neela steal from Takeshi, they end up in a chase.

'Los Bandoleros Released' - Short Film - 2009

Los Bandoleros is the second of the short films in the Fast and Furious franchise, lasting 20 minutes. Its aim is to detail events leading up to the fourth Fast and Furious film, released in 2009.

'Fast and The Furious 4' - Released 2009

Fast and Furious 4 features the one and only Domonic Toretto and Brian O'Conner who reunite after five years of Dom being on the run.

Dom's crew, which consists of Letty my personal favorite character, Tego Leo, Rico Santos, Cara and Han Lue—some of whom are main characters going forward—are hijacking fuel tankers in the Dominican Republic, before they go their separate ways.

Several months later, Dom finds out Letty has been killed, so Dom returns to the US for her funeral, and to find out what happened. Meanwhile, Brian, now an FBI agent, is trying to track down a drug lord called Arturo Braga, who, it turns out, Letty was working undercover for whilst trying to clear Dom's record when she died (or so the film wants you to believe).

'Fast Five' - Released 2011

Fast Five brings Dom, Brian, and Mia to Rio de Janerio, Brazil, where they are on the run after breaking Dom out of the prison bus in the previous film. Agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) arrives in Rio to arrest Dom and Brian with the help of local officer Elena Neves, of course, Dom and Brian decide to steal money from crime lord Hernan Reyes to start a new life on the run. Pulling together a team, which includes Han, Roman, Tej, Gisele, Leo, and Santos, along with help from Hobbs and Elena they succeed in the heist of hundreds of millions of dollars.

'Fast and The Furious 6' - Released 2013

Fast and Furious 6 takes off with all the members of the heist in Brazil living happily and peacefully.

Mia and Brian have a son called Jack, Dom and Elena are together, Hans and Gisele are also together.

Roman and Tej are living a life of luxury. Agent Luke Hobbs then persuades Dom to help capture a former special ops soldier called Owen Shaw and his crew, one member of which is Letty—Dom's wife. Dom and his crew agree to help in exchange for clean records, allowing them to come back to the US.

'Furious 7' - Released 2015

Furious 7 is all about rogue special forces assassin Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), taking vengeance on Dominic Toretto's team for putting his brother in a coma, Owen Shaw from Fast and Furious 6.

Helped out by a covert ops team led by Mr. Nobody, Dom with the help of his team attempt to track down Shaw, whilst also trying to obtain a computer program called God's Eye and rescue its creator—Ramsay.

'The Fate Of The Furious' - Released - 2017

In the highly anticipated eighth Fast and Furious film, Toretto is coerced into working for cyberterrorist Cipher. Toretto seemingly goes rogue and against his team—Letty, Roman, Tej, and Ramsay—when on a mission led by Hobbs. Hobbs then gets arrested, ending up in the same prison as Deckard Shaw from Furious 7. Hobbs and Shaw are then recruited together by Mr. Nobody to find Dom, and capture Cipher.

So to End Here Is the Chronological Order:

The complete Fast and Furious series in the right order, at a glance

Fast and Furious (2001)

The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

Los Bandoleros (2009)

Fast and Furious 4 (2009)

Fast Five (2011)

Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

Furious 7 (2015)

The Fate of the Furious 8 (2017)

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw (2019)

Furious Films In Order They Were Released

Fast and Furious (2001)

The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

Los Bandoleros (2009)

Fast and Furious 4 (2009)

Fast Five (2011)

Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

Furious 7 (2015)

The Fate of the Furious 8 (2017)

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw (2019)

Hungry For More?

Fast and Furious 9 is currently being filmed and is due to be released on May 20, 2020.

There is said to be a second spin-off film in development focusing on the female characters of the Fast and Furious series. There is also a TV series destined for Netflix called Spy Racers in development.

The ninth Fast and Furious film is said to be coming in May 2020, and filming has started, as we mentioned above. John Cena is expected to star in the ninth film, but Dwayne Johnson is not, so no Luke Hobbs. The tenth film is said to follow in April 2021. Which I think it's safe to say no one expected the franchise to last as long as it has, however I am more than happy to see where they take us next.

Of course, don't speed off without remembering that Netflix is supposed to be announcing the release of their new Spin off series as well!

You can buy all the movies here if you need to add them to your collection!