10 Actors Who Returned To Save Dying Movie Franchises

While much deserved credit must go to Vin Diesel for the revitalisation of the Fast series, the return of Paul Walker was just as vital to the franchise’s remarkable return to form. Diesel and Walker combined for the fuel injected fun of the first movie, but wouldn’t return together until the unimaginatively titled fourth entry Fast & Furious.

The first sequel saw a definite decline in quality with Diesel’s departure, with the series struggling for any relevance when Walker was also not present for the third entry, Tokyo Drift. For a franchise that looked dead in the water, it is truly remarkable how the series has gone from strength to strength since the reunion of the two leads.

While the additions of big names like Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham definitely didn't hurt, the genuine chemistry between Diesel and Walker was the key to the franchise’s continued growth. Their joint love for fast cars could be seen on screen with their natural charisma bringing a genuine energy to the more outrageous stunt sequences.

The franchise is beginning to wrap up, with two more films in various stages of production to conclude the Fast journey. The tragic death of Walker during filming for the seventh entry isn’t the stated reason for wrapping up the series, but the last entry definitely lacked the comradery of the lead two actors, so wrapping up the franchise now may be a blessing in disguise.