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Brian O’Conner’s return in Fast and Furious 11 allows the franchise to deliver on a four-year-old tease from one of its recent sequels. At FuelFest 2025 (via HotCars), Vin Diesel made the surprising announcement that Paul Walker’s character, Brian, would reunite with Dominic Toretto and the rest of the family in Fast X: Part 2. While it sounds exciting, Diesel’s reveal raises many questions.
Walker died in 2013 following a car crash, but the filmmakers found a way to finish Brian’s story in Furious 7 through impressive filmmaking and visual effects. While his character is still alive, the franchise hasn’t tried to recast him or use CGI to recreate him. Brian’s ending was perfect, and it delivered a heartwarming tribute to Walker’s life and legacy.
Diesel didn’t confirm how Brian would return to the franchise, but it could be through a similar strategy as Furious 7. It may be shocking to see him again, but the franchise has already teased his return in F9. As long as it’s respectful, Brian’s return could be a superb way to pay off this tease and end the franchise on a high note.
F9’s Ending Set Up Brian’s Return 4 Years Ago
Brian Arrived At The Closing Cookout
In Furious 7, Brian drove off into the sunset, retiring from Dom’s crew to raise his son with Mia, Dom’s sister. It’s a bittersweet ending as Walker is gone, but his Fast character will always be around. In The Fate of the Furious, the crew doesn’t bring Mia or Brian back after Dom’s betrayal, agreeing to keep their retirement intact.