'Fast and Furious 9': Explaining Paul Walker's Absence, the Post Credits Scene Hint, and Can You Stream the Movie Online?

"Fast and Furious 9" is back on the big screen today, and it is just a whiplash of lots and lots of physics-defying, engine-revving stunts and references from eight previous movies, plus the "Hobbs & Shaw."

The ninth installment of the "Fast and Furious" franchise comes 20 years after the premiere of the first. Dom Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, and the rest of the FF gang are back to take on bad guys, drive fast cars, and blow up some other fast cars. This film is actually cheerfully refreshing, as The Guardian puts it, and a nice change of tone considering the world has been slow and, well still furious, but slow for over a year since the pandemic has forced us into lockdown.

'Fast and Furious 9' Cast and Plot

Before we talk about the whirlwind plot of a movie that is "Fast and Furious 9," be forewarned there will be spoilers.

Dom's back, and he's with Letty, Michelle Rodriguez, in a quaint farmhouse, living off the grid as a little nuclear family with little Baby Brian, named after Paul Walker's character. But then the gang's showing up, presenting the two with a new crisis that they can't just pass up and they hit the road.

Mia isn't Dom's only sibling, it turns out. There's also little brother Jakob, who is played by former WWE wrestler John Cena. The two, as it turns out, had a traumatized backstory. Jakob is on the evil side of the movie, working with Otto to take over the world and even captured Cipher, Charlize Theron's character.

To save the world, Dom and the FF family go to London, Edinburgh, Tbilisi, and Tokyo, CNet says. Quite the adventure filled with a lot of things blowing up and defying everything Sir Isaac Newton worked so hard to prove. Tej, played by Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, says "As long as we obey the laws of physics, we'll be fine" but really, when your movie set has giant magnets to achieve all those stunts, what laws are the movies following?

In a little tongue-in-cheek moment, Roman, played by Tyrese Gibson, had his little existential crisis moment after he released how everyone in the film has taken part in an insane amount of incredibly dangerous missions but none of them ever broke a bone the very least.

Especially when they all believed Han, played by Sun Kang, was dead back in the end scene of "Furious 6." Roman starts to think they must be superheroes or gods, or quite possibly really well-paid and hilarious actors in a movie.

Both Roman and Tej also get a surreal scene where they get blasted off into space in their car to destroy a satellite, The Guardian recalls. Why not?

Right, but what about Baby Brian? Was he tagging along, sleeping at the back of Dom's Dodge Charger?

Where is Brian O'Conner in "Fast and Furious 9"?

To answer the baby logistics question, we also answer the question all the fans are wondering: "Is Brian O'Conner going to be in the film in any way?"

Director Justin Lin wanted to make sure Paul Walker's character was honored in the film, Insider says, and constantly spoke with Vin Diesel to best do just that.

The movie explains Brian's absence with the really practical reason that they needed a babysitter for both their two sons and Baby Brian. Mia, Brian's wife, was kidnapped back in "Fast 6" and it would just be best for both Brian and Dom's peace of mind that one of them stayed back to take care of the kids.

The film also gave another subtle nod to Walker's character at the end of the film, with Dom giving Jakob a "10-second car" to get away. Dom told his little brother someone once gave him a 10-second car as a second chance, and now he's doing the same. That was a reference to Brian helping Dom escape back in the 2001 "The Fast and the Furious." Subtle, but every FF fan would pick up.

When the whole gang gathers at the original Toretto house for a meal, Mia sits next to an empty seat, with her saying Brian likely won't make it. But the scene cuts to a blue Nissan Skyline racing up to the house, inferring that the driver of the vehicle is Brian. Then the movie ends.

The End Credits Scene Explained

If you stick around until the credits of the film, you'll be able to watch the mid-credits scene that could set up another film for the franchise in the future. It's Deckard Shaw, played by Jason Statham, who's punching a suspiciously human-filled punching bag, but that's not the important detail.

There's a knock at a door, and when Deckard answers, Han is on the other side patiently waiting.

Deckard, in a revenge rampage, went after all of Dom's family to get to him, and Han was one of the first victims revealed to the audience. But it turns out Han's death was faked so he can work for Mr. Nobody, played by Kurt Russell, in a secret mission that we are being introduced to in "Furious 9," Insider explains.

In "Hobbs & Shaw," Deckard actually lamented his regrets for killing Han. In "F9," we know that Han and the Shaw brothers were pawns for Mr. Nobody and Cipher the entire tie and so instead of Han actually showing up to enact revenge on Deckard, this could be a tease at what's to come for the "Fast and Furious" Franchise.

Where to Watch 'Fast & Furious 9'

The movie is one of the first movies to be premiered in cinemas after the pandemic had put movie theater business on hold.

Currently, you can only watch "Fast and Furious 9" in movie theaters. Be sure to follow the safety protocols and guidelines to keep it a safe and healthy experience.

It won't be streamed on Netflix or HBO Max, as the rights to the franchise are actually Universal's, and both platforms do not have any agreements with the studio regarding the "Fast and Furious" franchise. The studio only releases its films for rent after it has been in theaters for 17 days, Decider says.

If the movie hits the $50 million mark, it will be released on digital platforms for rent around mid-July, and if it doesn't, it could be released at the end of July.