The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 American action film directed by Rob Cohen, and written by Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, and David Ayer, based on the 1998 Vibe magazine article "Racer X" by Ken Li. The first installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, it stars Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Ted Levine. In the film, undercover cop Brian O'Conner (Walker) infiltrates a street racing crew to investigate a series of hijackings and finds himself developing a complex friendship with the group's leader, Dominic Toretto (Diesel).

The Fast and the Furious entered development in late 1998, its concept inspired by Li's 1998 Vibe article about the illegal street racing scene of New York City at the time. Thompson and Bergquist wrote the original screenplay that year, with Ayer hired soon after. Various actors were considered for the roles of O'Conner and Toretto, with Walker cast in 1998 and then Diesel in early 1999, with the pair attending actual street races in preparation for the film. Principal photography began in July 2000 and finished that October, with filming locations primarily including Los Angeles and the surrounding area in Southern California. Record producer BT was hired to compose the score.

The Fast and the Furious premiered at the Mann Village Theatre in Los Angeles on June 18, 2001, and was released in the United States on June 22, by Universal Pictures. Critics praised the action sequences and the performances but criticized its story; the film is considered Diesel's, Walker's, and Rodriguez's breakthrough roles. The Fast and the Furious grossed $207 million worldwide on a $38 million budget. The film's success spawned a franchise consisting of 9 sequels, a spin-off film, a TV series, and several video games. It was followed by 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2003.