What began as a story about the underground street-racing scene in Los Angeles, has since grown into something much bigger. But while the amount of time spent racing may have decreased, the amount of driving time has actually increased, as quarter mile drag strips have given way to nail-biting car chases.

Over the course of 8 films, the team have gone from racing for pink slips to running for their lives, from low-stakes street races to all-out vehicular warfare. The introduction of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in Fast Five signalled a major shift for the franchise, with perfectly choreographed fight sequences and high-adrenaline shoot-outs becoming increasingly common.

The Fast and Furious franchise puts a major emphasis on the importance of family – whether that’s the family you were born with, or the family you choose for yourself. For them, all the money in the world can’t top getting together and sharing a meal (and an ice-cold Corona) as a family.

As the budgets got bigger, so did the box-office sales, with the Furious 7 and the Fate of the Furious both grossing over $1 billion around the world!