Fast and Furious 11marks an opportunity for the franchise to finally redeem one of the best characters after theFastsaga ruined him, but whether they will follow through remains to be seen. Since it began in 2001, there have been manyretcons and changes in theFast and Furiousfranchise, from bringing characters back from the dead to altering previously established backstories to introduce a new element or family relation. However, the biggest change in the franchise is still Roman Pearce’s personality, as the character is completely different compared to his first appearance in2 Fast 2 Furious.
ConsideringFast and Furious 11is expected to be the final movie in the franchise, there are a lot of expectations for the movie, as it must follow on from the action-packed cliffhanger ofFast X, resolve the franchise’s storyline, as well as somehow adhere to the “street-level story” proposed by Dom Toretto’s Vin Diesel. Therefore, althoughFast and Furious 11is set for a 2026 release date, unsurprisingly, there is some uncertainty surrounding the movie. Yet, there is one thing we know for sure:Fast and Furious 11will be the last chance to bring back the real Roman Pearce.
Fast & Furious 11 Is The Last Chance To Make Roman A Serious Character Again
Tyrese Gibson’s Character Has Become A Joke Since His First Appearance
When Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) was introduced as Dom Toretto’s replacement in2 Fast 2 Furious, audiences were greeted with a cool character; Brian’s childhood friend who had served time for stealing cars. Roman’s bitterness towards his friend for “switching sides” and becoming a cop, andhis willingness to do anything for a pardon, showed thatRoman had a strong personality from the beginning. In fact, some would even say thatRoman and Brian’s friendship was way betterthan Brian and Dom’s inThe Fast and Furious, as they were very funny together, and their petty friendship felt very natural.
Instead of being the cool character that laughed at others, Roman Pearce had become the butt of every joke.
Following2 Fast 2 Furious, we were delighted to see Roman finally return to the franchise inFast Five. Yet, unfortunately, Roman’s characterization had taken a turn. Instead of being the cool character that laughed at others, Roman Pearce had become the butt of every joke. The reason for this was probably down to the franchise needing a variety of personalities, andRoman’s earlier characterization took away from Dominic Toretto. However, with one final movie in theFastsaga, it may not be too late for the franchise to finally fix Roman’s character change withFast and Furious 11.
Roman Was Always Funny, But Fast & Furious Turned Him Into Nothing But A Joke
Roman & Brian’s Comedy Was Brilliantly Done Without Diminishing Their Characters
While Roman Pearce was always a funny character, theFast and Furiousfranchise simplyreduced him to a joke. Comedy was the reason whyBrian and Roman’s dynamic worked so well in2 Fast 2 Furious, and this was so successfully done that the futureFast and Furiousfilms try and replicate that same humor, approaching the franchise from a light-hearted perspective. Yet, in doing so, theFastsaga essentially nerfed Roman’s character on his return inFast Five, making him nothing but the franchise’s comedic relief, which was very disappointing.
10 Funniest Scenes In The Fast & Furious Franchise, Ranked
The Fast & Furious movies are filled with ridiculous action and funny reactions from the main characters as they find themselves in new conflicts.
TheFast and Furiousfranchise seemingly understood Roman’s comedy was well-liked in his first appearance, so they decided to take it to the extreme. Now, instead of the cool Roman seen in2 Fast 2 Furious, Roman has become a joke character that isn’t to be taken seriously. As this treatment has been prevalent throughout most of theFast and Furiousfilms, it looks unlikely this will change for the final installment. However, it would be nice to see the character treated seriously once more, even if it’s simply byRoman confirming his invincibility theoryinFast and Furious 11.
