The Ultimate Guide to the Fast and the Furious

When it opened in June 2001, The Fast and The Furious was met with shrugs by critics. But at the box office—where the public has been known to surprise Hollywood by showing industry experts what they really want—the movie raked in more than $200 million worldwide thanks to tremendous word-of-mouth buzz.

As the franchise has continued to escalate, so have the gorgeous international settings, the scope of the high-adrenaline set pieces, and the depth of mythology. Perhaps the greatest ongoing legacy of the series—with two highly anticipated entries soon on the way—is the bond it has forged with fans around the globe. The fact that a modern film has accomplished so much without a comic book hero anywhere in sight is a movie miracle.