Director says Brian is alive and well in Fast & Furious 9

The new Fast & Furious 9 trailer sees Dominic Toretto squaring off against his estranged brother, and the crew messing with magnets in a spectacular driving sequence. But the teaser also features a glimpse at Brian O’Conner, who was played by Paul Walker until the actor’s untimely death.

Director Jamie Lin spoke to Variety about the character’s inclusion, stating it was important that Brian continues to be a part of the Fast & Furious universe.

“The idea of Brian O’Conner still alive in this universe, it’s very impactful, and it’s very important” explains Lin. “When we talk about Fast 9, this is the first time for me creatively approaching it not as just the one film. In the past, I’ve always felt like, we’re lucky enough to do one, let’s do everything that we can. But Vin [Diesel] finally talked me into it, you know when I came back, he’s like ‘Well, let’s think about it as a final chapter.’

“So Fast 9 is really the beginning of the final chapter of the saga. So in doing that, I think there’s a lot of room to really place out characters, and Brian obviously is a big part of the universe still.”

In the trailer, Toretto can be seen watching O’Conner play with his child in a video, and Lin adds that the film is being careful with how they use Walker’s image, explaining “I want to always be very respectful and how we present that. I think that in 9, you will feel the presence of Brian, for sure.”

Fast & Furious 9 hits screens this summer, with the official synopsis as follows…

Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves the most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob.

Feature image courtesy of Universal Pictures.