Latest news with #BrianOConnor
Auto Car
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
The Fast and Furious films are anything but serious - but they have done a lot for car culture
No, The Fast and the Furious films are objectively not very good. But I doubt that even the greats can claim to have had anywhere near as much of an impact on their subject matter. The Shawshank Redemption didn't result in wide-reaching prison reform and it has been largely forgotten that Star Wars was intended as an allegory for the Vietnam war. But would Toyota have reprised the Supra were it not for the original Fast and Furious film propelling it into the limelight? And would the original Dodge Charger be commanding such outrageous premiums today were it not for antihero Dominic Toretto's boast of his having 'so much torque, the chassis twisted off the line'? I'm quite unsure any of it would have happened were it not for these films' celebration of a certain car culture. The cars that feature in them – the first five films, at the very least – are protagonists in the same sense as the human characters, with distinct personalities and sub-stories. If any scene encapsulates the franchise's reverence for its four-wheeled cast members, it first film's duel between the freshly rebuilt Toyota Supra and a stunning Ferrari F355 Spider. It begins with friendly banter at a traffic light: hero Brian O'Connor, driving the Toyota, asks how much the Ferrari costs. Its driver outs himself as an arse, replying 'more than you can afford, pal', in that condescending tone reserved only for the worst kind of new-money moron. Toretto gives the order: 'Smoke him.' A dodgem ride of a duel ensues, the nuclear-orange Supra scything through traffic while angsty rock music blares in the background. It will raise a hair on even the most car-agnostic viewer, and the layman with no car knowledge can still revel in the underdog's decisive victory. It all served to legitimise an arm of car culture that was mocked and belittled for years. More broadly, it validated the notion that you can derive fun from the act of driving.
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Fast & Furious 11' Racing to April 2027 Release
We now have a release window for Fast & Furious 11: April 2027. Series lead and executive producer Vin Diesel revealed the target date during his apperance at FuelFest on Saturday, where he also revealed three things about the film. First, it's heading back to Los Angeles, the location of the original film, and focusing on the street racing and car culture that drove the early Fast movies. In the past, Diesel's indicated his desire to step away from the spy adventures that drove later installments, so that's not too surprising. View this post on InstagramWhat is surprising, though, is the third bit of news: Fast XI will see the official return of Brian O'Connor, the series' initial co-lead played by the late Paul Walker. Brian hasn't appeared since the end of Furious 7, though the characters have brought him up on occasion. When Walker died mid-production on Furious 7, his brothers Caleb and Cody were stand-ins to complete the remainder of Brian's scenes, and Paul's face was digitally scanned in. 'That's what you're gonna get in the finale!' Diesel declared. While this has also been something he's teased at in the past, he didn't disclose how this would come about, such as recasting the role, bringing the other Walker brothers in again, or a digital copy of some kind. But he promised Brian and Dom would reunite again on screen, which further confirms Fast XI may be the last mainline entry before the series pivots to spinoffs. Now that we know when Fast & Furious 11 is coming, it's just a matter of seeing what Diesel and director Louis Leterrier have planned for the series' conclusion. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vin Diesel Drops Surprise Fast & Furious Announcement About the Return of Paul Walker's Character
Vin Diesel went on stage at Los Angeles' FuelFest to make three massive announcements about the 11th and final installment of the Fast & Furious franchise. The final installment is on track to be released in April of 2027 and will be called Fast X: Part 2. The most notable of the three announcements is that the character of Brian O'Connor will be making a comeback to tie up the series. "The studio said to me, 'Vin, can we please have the finale of Fast and Furious, April '27?", Vin Diesel recounted from the FuelFest stage. "I said under three conditions. First, is to bring the franchise back to LA, the second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing." Vin Diesel then turns to a videographer before announcing the final term, saying, 'they're going to love this.' "The third thing was reuniting Dom Toretto and Brian O'Connor." Brian O'Connor was Dom Toretto's co-lead in the franchise through the first six movies before Paul Walker, the actor who played him, tragically passed in a car accident in 2013. His character lived on for a few scenes in Furious 7 through the use of CGI and the help of Walker's real-life brothers, Caleb and Cody. Cody Walker is a co-founder of FuelFast, hinting at the brothers' further involvement in bringing O'Connor's character back in what is set to be the final installment of the car culture franchise. FuelFest is a car culture celebration that takes place across the United States (and one stop in Tokyo), including events in Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Vin Diesel's call for Fast X: Part 2 to return to the franchise's roots goes above the revival of his dead costar's character, with the wreasler turned actor earlier two conditions to the studio being the francises return to Los Angeles, the city made it a star, and for the final movie to be focused on street racing and car culture again, instead of fights in outer space, throwing cars through buildings, or whatever nonsense the franschise has been most recently up to. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Longhorns baseball gets major boost with commitment of pitcher Hayes Holton
Over the last few weeks, Texas Longhorns baseball has stayed busy building for the future. That continued on Saturday as the pitching staff got some help. The Longhorns landed a commitment from one of the top right-handed pitchers in the 2026 class, Hayes Holton. While Holton initially committed to Mississippi State, recent coaching changes caused him to reopen his recruitment. Chris Lemonis was fired, and former Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor took over in Starkville. That gave the Longhorns an opportunity to add Holton to the mix. Advertisement In the Lornager High School product, Texas is getting a pitcher who can overpower hitters. His fastball sits between 94 and 97 miles per hour. That should help him find success in an SEC conference where high velocity is needed. His arsenal includes a changeup, curveball, and slider to keep hitters opponents off balance. As Holton has made headlines with his arm, he has not been afraid to challenge hitters. He emphasized that when speaking with Steve Robertson of 247Sports about his commitment to Mississippi State last November. " On the mound, I attack early,' Holton said. 'First pitch strikes mean a lot. As a hitter, you go down 0-1 and you're thinking that you're down and you have to play the pitcher's game. If you get a first pitch strike as a pitcher, then I am playing my game. It can go either way the entire at bat, the percentages of a guy getting solid contact after getting down early in at bat are really low compared to going 1-0 on him. That's really what I like to focus on. I am not really a guy that believes you always have to go for the strikeout." Advertisement This week, the Longhorns have improved their lineup and rotation. They also added former Butler outfielder Jack Moroknek in the transfer portal. During the 2025 campaign, he posted a .372 batting average in 54 games. He should be a key piece to the Longhorns' success along with Holton. Although the Longhorns are far from done with retooling their roster, Holton is a much-needed addition to a program with national championship aspirations. This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Longhorns baseball add one of the top pitchers in 2026 class
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Chris Pollard hired as Virginia's baseball coach after 13 seasons at Duke
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Chris Pollard has been hired as Virginia's baseball coach after spending the past 13 seasons at Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke. Virginia athletic director Carla Williams on Tuesday announced the successor to Brian O'Connor, who left June 1 to take the job at Mississippi State. Pollard was 420-296 and led the Blue Devils to seven NCAA regionals, four super regionals and two ACC Tournament championships. Duke hosted a super regional this season, losing in three games to Murray State. Pollard is 806-614-3 in 26 seasons as a head coach. He also has coached at Pfeiffer (2000-04), Appalachian State (2005-12) and Duke (2013-25). As he did at Duke in 2025, Pollard led Appalachian State to the NCAA Tournament during his final season with the Mountaineers in 2012. The Blue Devils are coming off back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time in program history. Pollard takes over a Virginia program that went to 18 NCAA regionals, nine super regionals and seven College World Series in 22 seasons under O'Connor. The 2015 team won the national championship. Virginia went 32-18 this season and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. ___ AP college sports:
