<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $38 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $207.3 million </Td> </Tr> <P> The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 action crime film directed by Rob Cohen, produced by Neal H. Moritz and written by Gary Scott Thompson and David Ayer . It is the first installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise . The film stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Matt Schulze . The film follows undercover cop Brian O'Conner, who is tasked with stopping a group of unknown hijackers using high - performance racecars to hijack 18 - wheelers . It is an international co-production between the United States and Germany . </P> <P> Inspiration for the film came from a Vibe magazine article titled "Racer X", which detailed the illegal street racing circuit operating within New York City . Filming locations include New York City and New England, with a majority of the film being shot in Southern California . The Fast and the Furious was released on June 22, 2001, grossing over $207 million worldwide from an estimated $38 million budget . It was later re-released on June 22, 2016, to celebrate its 15th anniversary . It has a 53% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which called it "sleek and shiny on the surface" in its critical consensus . The Fast and the Furious launched a franchise of seven sequels, starting with 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2003 . </P>

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