The Fast & Furious franchise was inspired by an article on street racing culture by Kenneth Li. The first three movies in this Fast & Furious franchise—Fast & Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift—maintained its signature by staying true to this throughline, rotating its cast members, and focusing on imperfect protagonists.

After the first trilogy, the people leading the franchise made a drastic pivot to keep up. Blockbuster movies were the way of the future in film, and Fast & Furious would walk that path. While Vin Diesel’s character only appeared once in the first three films, he became the main protagonist onwards and bore closer resemblance to an action hero. The franchise also hired other movie stars, like Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Charlize Theron, to make sure it could draw in more viewers. The plots shifted from focusing on racing to action, international heists, and an emphasis on family.

This wasn’t a simple change to make. It alienated some core fans. It also required reimagining the films—to the point where the series could have been two entirely different ones. Only the characters and the presence of cars kept everything together. But it also created a better chance for the franchise to survive and grow bigger.

My introduction to the franchise was watching 2 Fast 2 Furious at a friend’s birthday party as a teenager. I only had a vague impression of it, and could remember maybe a scene or two, so I rewatched it again recently. I was surprised at how different it was from the latest movies. I felt a little wistful, but I also did appreciate that the Fast & Furious franchise survived. I know there’s a case to be made for an end clause, but I’m on the fence about it. I like that there is an option to watch them. I like that they remind me of the first trilogy too, and keep them alive in a way.

Sometimes, a franchise needs to evolve beyond its original signature in order to sustain itself and grow. It’s going to evolve on its own. The question is whether or not you’re willing to let that happen, and what you need to trade off in the process.