Mark Sinclair, professionally known asVin Diesel, is one of the highest-grossing actors in Hollywood. He’s best known for his role as Dominic Toretto in theFast & Furiousfranchise, a role he will be reprising in theupcomingFast X. Devoted fans of the franchise may not realize that Diesel struggled early on in his acting career. His experience as a theater actor did not impress anyone in Hollywood, and he was close to giving up. After returning to his home in New York, Diesel’s mother gave him a book that taught him to take control of his career and make his own movies, which led to his short filmMulti-Facial. The film impressed Steven Spielberg, and Diesel was later cast inSaving Private Ryan. The directors ofThe Iron GiantandPitch Blackwere also impressed byMulti-Facial, casting him in their respective films.
After securing his first lead role as Richard B. Riddick in the science fiction filmPitch Black, Diesel starred in a series of action-packed blockbusters, many centered on fast-driving cars. While Diesel is a famous actor known forhis action films, he is also a producer of various films, including severalFast & Furiousentries, the upcomingThe Machine,andxXx 4. He founded the production company One Race Films, where he serves as a producer or executive producer for his star vehicle. Here is a list of the best films Diesel produced, ranked.
7Strays (1997)
Straysis the most Vin Diesel film there is. It was written, produced, directed by, and starred the guy. As his directorial and feature film debut,Straysis based on Diesel’s own life growing up in New York City. He stars as Rick, a macho, small-time drug dealer who is done with the repetitious life of one-night stands and aimless hustling. He’s looking for something better: a long-lasting, meaningful, and intimate relationship. But Rick is a stray, lacking a traditional family structure and suffering from the psychological trauma inflicted by his father’s absence. He dealt with this trauma by avoiding reliance on anyone or anything. But everything changes when he meets Heather, the “girl next door,” and sees an opportunity for a committed relationship. But his three buddies are against this change and are committed to their ride-or-die lifestyle and want Rick to stay the same.
WhileStraysis Diesel’s directorial, writing, producing, and leading acting debut, he had to finance the film entirely on his own. To do so, he worked as a telemarketer for a year and raised $50,000. Due to the limited budget, he used a catering company he used to work for to cater to the cast and crew.
Related:Vin Diesel Says Fast X Trailer Is Coming in Early 2023
6The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
InThe Last Witch Hunter, witches still live among humans, and not as the lovable magical people from theHarry Potteruniverse. They are vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death. For centuries, armies of witch hunters battled these creatures. Amongst them was Kaulder, who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch. Upon her death, her followers were decimated. But she cursed Kaulder in her dying breath, dooming him to immortality. Kaulder is the last witch hunter, spending his immortal life hunting down and killing rogue witches. The Queen Witch has resurrected in the modern era, seeking revenge on her killer.
As an actor and producer known for his action films, the grim overworld ofThe Last Witch Hunterseems an ill fit for Diesel’s repertoire. With an overall audience score of 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems like this particular entry shouldn’t fit on a list of his best productions. However,The Last Witch Hunterhas its particular charm. A man dedicated to hunting down threats to the human race is cursed and forced to leave behind his loving family. He continues his mission to take down witches for the rest of eternity. One would expect Kaulder to be the stereotypical stoic, somber killing machine brought about by centuries of murder and loss. Instead, he shows restraint, compassion, and humanity. This refreshing take on what immortality does to a person is exactly whyThe Last Witch Hunteris one of Diesel’s best productions.
5The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
As the sequel toPitch Black, Diesel reprises his role as a wanted criminal, Richard B. Riddick inThe Chronicles of Riddick. The story takes place five years after the original, while Riddick is on the run. He arrives on the planet Elion Prime, which is being invaded by the Necromongers. The invading army is hellbent on converting or killing all humans in the universe. The film is the first and (so far) only film intheRiddickfranchiseto be given a PG-13 rating.
While the film received negative ratings, it has its moments. The film acts as a sequel to Diesel’s moment to stardom. It scored a 65% audience score and serves as a good film to fulfill the need for a quick action-packed thrill. The special effects are a given, considering the year in which this film was produced and released. For a film produced by Vin Diesel, viewers can appreciate the fast-paced, action-packed scenes throughout the entire runtime.
4Fast & Furious (2009)
A ranked Vin Diesel list would not be complete without multipleFast & Furiousentries.Fast & Furious 9is the first entry to be produced by Diesel. In this one,Paul Walker’s Brian O’Connoris back working for the FBI in LA. He teams up with Diesel’s Dominic Toretto to infiltrate a heroin importer to bring them down. This movie is a direct sequel to2 Fast 2 Furious(2003). It has everything you’d expect from aFast & Furiousmovie: explosions, car chases, racing, the family dynamic, and, of course, a drug lord.
WhileFast & Furiousis not considered one of the best entries in the franchise, it deserves to be noted on this list as it was Diesel’s first production in the franchise.
Related:Every Fast & Furious Movie Ranked by Box Office Gross
3The Fate of the Furious (2017)
The crew has since been exonerated, Brian and Mia have retired, and Dominic and Letty are on their honeymoon inThe Fate of the Furious. With everything as it is, it seems there should be no more action. The team is done. Not quite. A mysterious woman seduces Dom back into the world of crime, and his crew gets back into the game, facing new trials that will put them to the test.
Filming this was a tough task, as Paul Walker was killed in an unrelated car accident during the making of this installment. It was also confusing to long-time fans, as the post-credit scene in the previous installment shows that the events of the third film,Tokyo Drift, take place between the sixth and seventh installments. However, the importance of family is brought through in this film, with a final and touching tribute to Walker.
2Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
The characters add a new level to the family dynamic we love to see in the action-packedFast & Furiousfilms. Some hand-to-hand fighting between Jason Statham, Vin Diesel, and The Rock? Yes, please. InFast & Furious 6, Hobbs has Dom and Brian reassemble the crew to take down a team of mercenaries, while Dom gets sidetracked dealing with his presumed dead girlfriend, Letty.
The Fast crew meets their match with the introduction of Owen Shaw and his mercenaries. The action is all there in this movie, with Diesel barreling down a highway bridge and leaping across a chasm to save his beloved Letty in midair. Gravity can’t stop the Fast Crew, and it all leads to pure joy for fans everywhere.
1Fast Five (2011)
Fast Fiveis the fan-favorite of all theFast & Furiousmovies. Many fans rate it as the best entry in the entire franchise. It’s theFast & Furiousmovie that has it all: the cars, the action, and the characters that mesh perfectly with each other. The movie kicks off with action: a heist of a few cars from a train, that leads to a breathtaking sequence where a bank vault is shot through the streets of Rio.Dwayne Johnson premieresas Luke Hobbs, a no-nonsense government agent hellbent on foiling the Fast Crew before realizing that they’re really the good guys.
There’s no denying thatFast Fiveis the bestFast & Furiousmovie so far. It’s also the best movie Diesel has produced thus far. With an estimated budget of $125,000,000, the film grossed five times that worldwide.
