The Fast and Furious franchise has come a long way from its humble street racing beginnings and based on the trailer for Fast X, the bar is continuing to be raised. However, since Furious 7 there has been something of a cloud hanging over the franchise. Since the death of Paul Walker, there has been something missing on the big screen and it has been clearly difficult for the other stars to move on, but that has apparently been helped by having Walker’s recently married daughter Meadow appearing in the new film.
While details are unknown it appears that Meadow Walker will appear in the soon-to-be-released Fast X in an as-yet-unknown capacity. Michelle Rodriguez tells Extra that Meadow being on set is a “blessing” and says that she appreciates the support that Walker’s family has provided because it would be difficult to move on without it. Rodriguez explained…
It’s really hard to move on without a blessing of some sort from that family because it’s everything… Without kind of like that love from Meadow and Cody [Walker] and the family, we would be lost a little bit.
The Fast & Furious franchise has never been hotter than it was with Furious 7 the last film in which Paul Walker appeared. While the movie found a way to give the actor and the character a proper sendoff, using a bit of CGI trickery and Paul Walker’s brother, the franchise has continued and has continued to need to find a way to explain why Brian O’Conner hasn’t returned when so many others in the franchise have.
He will return in at least one way in Fast X. The trailer for the film shows that the movie will include flashback sequences to Fast Five, and thus Brian O’Conner will at least be seen there. Jason Momoa's villain is a character who has been retconned into that story and is now looking for revenge. And that revenge will likely include Paul Walker's character since, in the world of the movie, he is very much still alive. How else the character might appear, either physically or through other plot elements, remains to be seen.
Some have suggested that Brie Larson's new Fast X character might be connected to the O'Connor family, though that's just speculation at this point. Meadow Walker’s role in Fast X is apparently just a cameo, but one assumes it will be connected to her father in some way.
Life imitates art in the Fast & Furious franchise, or maybe it’s the other way around, as the cast of the film certainly does come across like a family. Various members of the cast have celebrated Meadow Walker when she’s had professional milestones and reached personal milestones. Having her on the set was apparently special for Rodriguez and that’s likely the case with the rest of the cast. Fast X opens in theaters on May 19.
