Summary
TheFast and Furiousfranchise follows Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and his crew of found family as they graduate from stealing low-rent electronics to thwarting global terror plots, with a heavy emphasis on cars and over-the-top action set pieces. Each film has upped the ante, throwing larger, more bombastic scenarios at audiences, with a large cast of eclectic characters to round out the action, with an ever-changing roster.
Some characters simply move on, like Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs, who appeared alongsideJason Statham in the spin-offFast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shawafter appearing in several films in the main franchise. He later reappeared in the closing credits ofFast X, leading to speculation that Johnson would return to a more significant role in the upcoming sequel. However, other characters have died, only to come back with some unique maneuvering to explain it. For example, Sung Kang’s Han died in the third film and then reappeared in the fourth, which turned out to be a prequel, allowing him to stick around. When the timeline caught up to his death, it was eventually retconned to enable the character to return once more.
The films have seen many characters come and go, but one forgotten character deserves to return forFast X: Part 2. What happened toLeonfromThe Fast and the Furious, and why is the franchise content to leave him in the dust?
Who Is Leon inThe Fast and the Furious?
Despite the franchise going to such great lengths to bring back so many characters, and with Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto always emphasizing the importance of family, it is surprising to see someone abandoned bytheFast and Furiousmovies. Still, it seems as though Dom and his friends have forgotten a crew member who was there when it all started in the originalThe Fast and the Furiousfilm. Dom’s original crew consisted of Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Jesse (Chad Lindberg), Vince (Matt Schulze), andLeon (Johnny Strong).
Leon was part of Dom’s found family, acting as a lookout when they were racing and taking part in their elaborate truck hijackings. It was Leon who was there for Dom when Johnny Tran tore into him at Race Wars. When the crew was gathered at the shop, having a party, or enjoying their backyard barbecues, Leon was there for the entirety of the first film, loyal to Dom throughout.
What Happened to Leon AfterThe Fast and the Furious?
Leon was present during the final truck heist ofThe Fast and the Furious.Dom entrusts him with Letty’s care when things go sideways andPaul Walker’s Brian outs himselfas a cop. Brian is then abandoned in the desert when Leon leaves with Dom, Mia, and Letty as a helicopter arrives to airlift a wounded Vince to a hospital. At the end of the movie, Dom mentions that Leon and Letty are “long gone,” insinuating that he went on the run. That was the last time anyone mentioned Leon, with the character still seemingly on the lam to this day.
By all accounts, Leon appeared to be a trusted member of the team and a well-liked friend, but he never returned to the franchise. Lindberg’s Jesse perished, which also caused him not to return. However, Vince came back forFast Five, and Rodriguez’s Letty has become a core pillar, with her death in the fourth film being retconned to allow her return for several more installments. Dom was even able to secure pardons for his crew inFast & Furious 6, with no mention of whether Leon was part of that pardon. If he was, why has the character still not emerged from hiding? Some franchises kill characters off-screen in between entries, but theFast and Furiousmovies don’t mention Leon’s whereabouts at all, meaning his fate is truly unknown.
What Cast Members Are Returning ForFast X: Part 2?
Much of the core crew looks slated to return forFast X: Part 2, which may be the end of the road for the franchise. Diesel is back to lead his crew,along with Michelle Rodriguez, Sung Kang, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Jodana Brewster, and Nathalie Emmanuel.Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shawactors Johnson and Statham are also expected to return their talents to the core franchise, with Jason Momoa’s scene-stealing villain Dante Reyes looking set to continue his reign of terror. Gal Gadot’s Gisele is also likely to appear after being seen at the end ofFast X. Her character was thought to be dead after the events ofFast & Furious 6, and her return now has audiences eager for an answer as to how that’s possible.
There have also been rumors that Paul Walker may be brought back in a limited capacity, utilizing similar techniques that helped them finishFurious 7following the actor’s death in 2013 while the film was in active production. However, the franchise has respected Walker’s passing, not directly showing him after the events of the seventh film. With the mixed results of the technology and potential fan backlash, it may be best to let Brian remain unseen.
Further casting is likely to be announced asFast X: Part 2is looking to film this year. Universal, the studio behind the franchise, is pushing for a 2026 release.Diesel has also made statementsletting audiences know that the last film is set to return to its roots, even taking to social media to post images of Toretto’s Garage, hinting that the film is set to go back to where it all started. With the series set to return to the originalThe Fast and the Furiouslocations, and with it potentially being the last installment, bringing back Johnny Strong as Leon would fit perfectly into their alleged plans.
Strong has stayed in the acting game over the years. His most recent performance was in 2023’sWarhorse One, with the actor starring in a sequel to it that is said to be in active production, according to IMDB. WithFast X: Part 2set to potentially be the end of the series, and with their penchant for family, now is the perfect time to bring Leon back for one last ride.
