Let’s be honest for a second. The Fast and Furious movies have always been a bit much. We’ve seen cars jump between skyscrapers, tanks on ice, and somehow, a Pontiac Fiero made it into actual outer space. But by the time we hit the tenth installment, the whole "family" thing was starting to feel a little stale. Then Jason Momoa showed up in Fast X as Dante Reyes, and everything changed. He didn't just join the franchise; he basically set the whole thing on fire while wearing lavender silk and painting his toenails.
Most villains in this series are just "Serious Guy with a Gun" or "Grumpy Tech Genius." Dante? He’s a chaotic nightmare who laughs while blowing up the Vatican. If you haven't revisited his performance lately, you’re missing out on the exact moment the series stopped being a car movie and started being a full-on slasher-comedy hybrid.
What Really Happened With Dante Reyes
To understand why this character worked so well, you have to look at where he came from. Through some pretty aggressive retroactive continuity (the fancy word for "we're changing the past"), we find out Dante was actually there during the bridge heist in Fast Five. He’s the son of Hernan Reyes, the drug lord Dom and Brian took down in Brazil.
While Dom was busy building his legacy of backyard barbecues, Dante was spending a decade obsessing over him. He didn't just want to kill Dom. That’s too easy. He wanted to make him suffer. He spent time in mental hospitals, lost his family fortune, and essentially turned himself into a "chaotic bisexual" version of the Joker.
The Improvisation That Stole the Show
Kinda crazy detail: a lot of what you see on screen wasn't even in the script. Director Louis Leterrier has talked openly about how he and Momoa would just riff on set to see if they could make Vin Diesel break character. Spoiler: they couldn't. Diesel is a rock. But that friction created this amazing energy where you have the stoic, gravel-voiced Dom Toretto being taunted by a guy who calls him "butthole" and does "space buns" in his hair.
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Momoa actually pushed for the lavender car. The producers weren't into it at first. They wanted something more "masculine," but Jason insisted because he knew it would get under the audience's skin—and his own mother's skin, apparently, who reportedly hates the color. He also improvised that scene where he pulls out a bloody tooth and tosses it. That wasn't a prop; Momoa actually has a cracked molar because he's terrified of dentists. He just decided to use his real-life dental issues to make Dante look even more unhinged.
Jason Momoa Fast X: The Performance That Divided Fans
Not everyone loved the "peacock" energy, though. There were rumors floating around that Vin Diesel wasn't exactly thrilled with Momoa "stealing the show." Some reports claimed Diesel blamed the mixed critical reception on Momoa's over-the-top acting.
But look at the numbers. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes for Fast X (around 85%) is actually higher than several of the previous entries. People liked the weirdness. They liked that Dante would have a mojito with two dead guys whose eyes he taped open just to have someone to talk to. It was dark, it was campy, and it was exactly what a 20-year-old franchise needed to keep from stalling out.
Breaking the "Macho" Mold
In a world of hyper-masculine dudes who only communicate through grunts and gear shifts, Dante Reyes was a revelation. He wore lace. He liked pastels. He danced. He was "the devil who tricks you by being warm and inviting," as Momoa put it.
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- The Signature Catchphrase: "Never accept death when suffering is owed."
- The Visuals: A purple 1966 Chevy Impala and silk shirts that were usually half-unbuttoned.
- The Tactics: He didn't just shoot people; he kidnapped the children of Cipher’s guards and made them FaceTime their parents while bound and gagged.
The Future of Dante in Fast 11
So, where is he now? If you remember the ending of Fast X, it was a massive cliffhanger. Dom and his son Little B are trapped at the bottom of a dam rigged with explosives, and Dante is literally holding the remote.
As of early 2026, the status of the next movie (variously called Fast X: Part 2 or Fast 11) is a bit up in the air. Jason Momoa has mentioned in interviews that he hasn't even seen a script yet. There’s been talk of the franchise "going back to basics" with a smaller budget and a focus on street racing in Los Angeles.
That raises a big question: Does a grounded, gritty street racing movie have room for a guy who tries to nuke Rome with a giant rolling ball of fire? Honestly, it would be a shame to lose him. Dante Reyes is the first villain in a long time who actually felt like a threat to Dom’s "family" because he didn't play by their rules. He didn't care about honor or the "code of the street." He just wanted to watch the world burn in high-definition lavender.
How to Get Ready for the Final Ride
If you’re looking to catch up before the next one hits theaters (tentatively slated for 2027), you should probably go back and watch Fast Five right before Fast X. Seeing the bridge scene from the original perspective and then seeing Dante’s "version" of it makes the revenge plot hit a lot harder.
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Pay attention to the background during the Rio scenes in the tenth movie. Momoa put a lot of work into the "wardrobe and props" because he felt they did the heavy lifting for his performance. Those small details—the rings, the nail polish, the specific way he holds a knife—are what turn a standard action villain into something that actually sticks in your head.
Keep an eye on official casting announcements for the next installment. While there's been plenty of drama and rumors of feuds, the fans have made it pretty clear: the franchise is a lot more fun when Jason Momoa is in the driver's seat.
Next time you watch, look for the scene in the Brazilian favelas where Dante is just standing on top of a car, soaking in the chaos. It's probably the most "Momoa" moment in the entire film, and it perfectly captures why he's the only person who could have pulled this role off.