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 H๏τCars), 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.

In F9, Mia returns to help Dom fight their secret brother, Jakob, and explains that Brian is at home, taking care of their kids. The film ends with the family gathering for one of their famous cookouts. However, there is one chair left vacant. The seat is left open for Brian, who pulls into Dom’s driveway in his classic blue Nissan.

While Brian isn’t seen, it’s essentially confirmed that it’s him arriving to join the rest of the family. It’s a sentimental nod to Walker’s character and shows he’s still an important part of Dom’s life. While Brian didn’t return for Fast X, the $726 million-earning ninth film established that the door is still open for an appearance in the finale.

Why Fast & Furious 11 Bringing Brian O’Conner Back Is Necessary

The Whole Family Needs To Be In The Finale

The Fast and Furious franchise has an expansive roster of actors, including Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Jason Statham. However, Dom and Brian were the heart and soul of the franchise until Walker’s death. Before Furious 7, each actor only missed one film, and their relationship added depth to each film.

Following Johnson and Gadot’s return at the end of Fast X, the franchise can bring back all the living members of Dom’s crew to unite the family and defeat Jason Momoa’s Dante in the finale. It wouldn’t feel right without Brian, and if Fast X: Part 2 can respectfully bring him back, then the franchise can drive off into the sunset successfully.