When Dwayne Johnson debuted as Luke Hobbs in 2011's Fast Five, he revitalized a Fast & Furious franchise that appeared to be on its last legs. Hobbs provided the perfect rival to Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto (on and off-screen), and his subsequent appearances in the Fast & Furious franchise allowed Johnson to team with his former adversaries. This led Johnson to team up with another rival, Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw, in the franchise spinoff Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
However, after leaving the franchise behind, Johnson announced that he would return to the Luke Hobbs character in another sort of spinoff that will bridge the gap between Fast X and Fast X: Part 2. But the film is not another Hobbs & Shaw film and will instead focus solely on Johnson's lawman. This is an odd move for both the film franchise and the action star, who would benefit from an official Hobbs return to the mainline series.
A Hobbs Film Sends the Fast & Furious Franchise Off Course
The Fast & Furious franchise will never be considered a prestige film series. It's about a wide variety of characters who have come together under the Toretto umbrella to create a series that fans across the world have come to love. Whether it is the love story between Dom and Letty, the brotherhood of Roman and Tej, or the introduction of new characters like the Shaw family, the Fast & Furious franchise has always stuck to its core group of people.
This makes the decision to center a film around Hobbs all the more puzzling. The franchise and its fans have expectations for what the movies are about. While it is easy to make a joke about the Fast & Furious films and "family," the reality is that these characters have been with the fanbase for over 20 years. Singularly focusing on a character whose best asset is his relationship with the other heroes and potentially not including those characters seems like a mistake.
A Solo Movie Dilutes the Impact of Hobbs
Hobbs' debut in the Fast & Furious franchise kick-started the franchise into iconic action status. But adding new characters like Charlize Theron's Cipher and Brie Larson's Tess add star power to the franchise while taking time away from long-time favorites. Centering an entire film around the Hobbs character has the potential to do the same.
Johnson's character was at his best when he was a figure who was part of the ensemble cast. The actor's ability to realistically play an action figure come to life, matched with the character's interactions with Dom, Shaw and others, is what made Hobbs a standout character. Being in a film where he is the centerpiece leaves all of that potential out while overloading the character with some unnecessary plot.
Does the World Want More Fast & Furious?
Fast X is a box office success, earning over $500 million worldwide. But some believe that the franchise is past its peak creatively. The Fast & Furious series has died and been reborn, gone into outer space and saved the world countless times. This makes one wonder how much story the franchise has left in it, especially with a film focused primarily on one character. And Hobbs already had his own spinoff, which received a lukewarm response.
Additionally, Johnson himself has not had the individual success he once had. While still a megastar, his previous films like Black Adam and Red Notice were not well received by critics and fans alike. So, Johnson returning to an official Fast & Furious movie as opposed to another solo project makes more sense for his career and the future of the franchise.
Fast X is now in theaters.