A secret prequel movie was actually how theFast & Furiousfranchise debuted one of its strongest characters. Thechronological order of theFast & Furiousmovieshas been admittedly difficult to track for a while. Some of thebest-rankedFast & Furiousmovies, likeFast Five, for example, have a unique place on the timeline of the franchise.Fast Fiveand its predecessor,Fast & Furious,were the fifth and fourth installments in the franchise respectively, when concerning release order. However, they took place before the third released film,TokyoDrift, chronologically.
Once the franchise reached 2017’sThe Fate of the Furious, the timeline went beyondTokyo Driftfor the first time.F9andFast X, as well as theupcoming story ofFast 11, continued this, yetTokyo Driftcan still be counted as a turning point in the franchise. This can be said due to its centrality toFast & Furous' timeline, but also the introduction of some of the series' best characters. Although many may assume one such character made his debut in the 2006 movie, it actually came in a secretFast & Furiousprequel, four years earlier.
Director Justin Lin Considers Better Luck Tomorrow To Be A Tokyo Drift Prequel
The 2002 Film Is Considered As A Certain Character’s Origin Story
TheFast & Furiouscharacter in question is Han Lue, played by Sung Kang. Han’s first appearance in the mainlineFast & Furiousfilms came in 2006’sTokyo Drift, yet this is not his official debut in the franchise. The reason for this is a subsequent retcon implemented by franchise director Justin Lin. Before working onFast & Furioustogether,Lin and Kang worked together on the 2002 film,Better Luck Tomorrow, which explores Asian-American overachiever characters who begin to get involved in petty crime.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
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June 13, 2025
Kang played the character of Han inBetter Luck Tomorrow, four years beforeTokyo Drift.Upon signing on to direct the latter film, Lin realized that he wanted Kang to be part of the project, but that he wanted more than just the actor. Lin also wanted Han fromBetter Luck Tomorrowto be the focus ofTokyo Driftand made his dream a reality. Since then, Lin has often commented thatBetter Luck Tomorrowis essentially a prequel to Han’s first appearance in theFast & Furiousfranchise, which chronologically isFast Five.
InBetter Luck Tomorrow, Han is a serial smoker and a quieter, more silent character archetype…
WhileBetter Luck Tomorrowis not focused on street racing, many aspects of Kang’s roles line up. InBetter Luck Tomorrow, Han is a serial smoker and a quieter, more silent character archetype than his peers. Han is depicted as such in theFast & Furiousfilms, with Gal Gadot’s Gisele even stating that he eats so many chips as he was a former smoker and needs to keep his hands busy.
Han Stole The Show In Tokyo Drift (And Fast & Furious Could Never Let Him Go)
Han Became An Instant Fan-Favorite
After his appearance inThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Han was solidified as one of the franchise’s best characters. Audiences fell in love with Han’s calm, collected, quiet, suave demeanor, with the direction the franchise has taken since then proving just how much this is true. Despite Han’s “death” inTokyo Drift,he was brought back for the film’s prequels -Fast FiveandFast & Furious 6.When the franchise chronologically caught up toTokyo Drift, it was shockingly revealed that Han did not pass away at all and instead faked his death.
This allowed Han to appear in furtherFast & Furiousmovies, includingF9, Fast X, and the upcomingFast 11. Evidently, the franchise has refused to let go of Han.Fast & Furiousknows just how beloved the character is and continuously brings him back for more adventures, proving just how much Han stole the show inTokyo Driftand the many installments he has appeared in since then.
Justin Lin & Sung Kang Have Come A Long Way Since Better Luck Tomorrow
Both Are Now Big Hollywood Names
SinceBetter Luck Tomorrow, it cannot be denied how far Justin Lin and Sung Kang have come. The latter is a big part of the still-ongoingFast & Furiousfranchise and has appeared in huge TV projects likePowerandObi-Wan Kenobi. Justin Lin was a big part of Kang’sFast & Furiousjourney also, as pointed out by the aforementioned films that the former has directed in the franchise.
Moreover, Lin has had his name attached to some major Hollywood productions. Lin directed the third installment in the rebootedStar Trekseries,Star Trek Beyond,which received critical acclaim. Lin was also credited as an executive producer ofSpace Jam: A New Legacy.Overall, the duo have traveled far in their respective careers in the two decades sinceBetter Luck Tomorrow,a fact that is more evident than ever when looking at their continued successes in theFast & Furiousfranchise.
