Released a little more than a month ago, Furious 7, the latest installment of the Fast and Furious franchise — a series built around fast cars, family ties and far-out stunts — has made more than $300 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
In the opening weekend following its April 3 U.S. release, it grossed $147,187,040 and topped the box office, surpassing the opening weekend success if its two most recent predecessors.
Although the film's success can be attributed to many things — the franchise's reputation for being a guaranteed crazy-fun thrill ride, its fiercely diverse and attractive ensemble cast, a strong ad campaign and good timing or the introduction of fan favorite action star Jason Statham — one thing likely put it over the edge, made it more special than any of the other films. That's the bittersweet, tragic fact that it was star and franchise icon Paul Walker's last appearance, as his life was cut short by a real-life car accident in November of 2013.
Walker portrayed Brian O'Connor, the cop-turned-criminal who gets sucked into the world of street racing when he meets ex-con Dom (Vin Diesel) and his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) during an assignment. He falls for them both in different ways, prompting him to leave his past behind and join their family. In some ways, it's Brian's journey that was the center of the unlikely mega-hit franchise.
While Brian's story sadly had to end, the rest of the story will continue — it was recently announced that the eighth installment already has a release date set for April 2017 — and so will fans' memories and love for Brian and the man who played him.
In honor of the series success and in memory of Paul Walker here's a look at the 15 best scenes of the gone-but-never-forgotten Brian O'Connor character throughout all six movies he appeared in.