New ‘F9’ Trailer Shows Paul Walker and Fans Are Super Emotional

Wednesday proved to be an emotional day for fans of the Fast and Furious franchise after the official trailer for F9 dropped. In a more sentimental moment in the trailer that had more than just a few fans shedding some tears, former star Paul Walker appeared. Walker, who appeared in several installments in the franchise, died in a 2013 car crash at the age of 40.

Spanning more than three minutes, the action-packed trailer showed Vin Diesel returning as Dominic Toretto, whose life is upended when his estranged brother Jakob Toretto, portrayed by John Cena, appears. Amid teasings of space as a possible upcoming setting in the franchise and glimpses at the other stars, Walker made a brief appearance at the 13-second mark. In the brief moment, Walker’s character Brian O’Connor can be seen playing with one of the kids he shares with Jordana Brewster’s character Mia.

The short look at where Walker’s character is today struck a chord with many fans of the film series, who have continued to mourn the loss of the actor. As they excitedly tuned into the trailer, many took to social media to react after spotting Walker. Keep scrolling to see what fans are saying.

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Speaking with Variety upon the trailer’s release, director Justin Lin said it was “very important” to include Walker’s character. Lin told the outlet, “the idea of Brian O’Connor still alive in this universe, it’s very impactful and it’s very important.” Asked if he felt it was important to show Walker’s character rather than just reference where he is, Lin explained, “I think that’s always an issue. I want to always be very respectful and how we present that. I think that [in] Nine, you will feel the presence of Brian, for sure.”

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Walker starred in six of the Fast and the Furious movies, first appearing in the franchise with its 2001 first installment, The Fast and the Furious, which was a commercial success. Walker then reprised his role as Brian O’Conner in the 2003 sequel 2 Fast 2 Furious, also appearing in Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6. He completed most of the filming for his role in Furious 7 before his death.

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Upon Furious 7‘s release, a number of those in the Fast and Furious franchise paid tribute to the late actor, with Tyrese Gibson writing on Instagram, “5 years ago today we all woke up to a nightmare.” He said “it’s still very real for all of us that knew him and loved him personally.”

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Diesel, who starred alongside Walker in five Fast films, also paid tribute. On social media, he shared a photo of himself looking up at Walker. The photo featured text that read, “Always in our hearts.”

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In the years since his passing, Walker’s co-stars have continued to keep him in their thoughts. On the seventh anniversary of his death in November 2020, Diesel shared a black and white photo of himself and his late co-star, writing, “Seven years, not a day passes, all love. Always.” Following his passing, Diesel has remained close with Walker’s family, with his daughter, Meadow Walker, sharing numerous photos of herself with Diesel’s children.

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In February, Diesel posted a touching tribute to Walker on social media, writing, “The next chapter may be the best… but the weight, the reflections of true brotherhood will burden the soul in ways one can’t explain. Here’s to the ones who know loss…. and yet find a smile to meet the blessed day. All love, Always.”

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F9, which has been delayed numerous times due to the coronavirus pandemic, is slated to make its theatrical debut on June 25. The film will mark one of the final installments of the franchise, which is set to end after Fast 11.