Poor Vin Diesel, the man just can’t get a break. He hit the big time about a decade ago with Pitch Black. He followed that movie up with The Fast and the Furious and xXx, however he refused to star in follow-ups to these. Instead opting for The Chronicles of Riddick, a big budget sequel to Pitch Black, a film that failed to meet expectations (as well as its budget at the box office).
Following the failure of Babylon A.D. and the loss of “street cred” due to The Pacifier, Diesel is returning to the “furious” franchise next summer with Fast and Furious (the fourth film in the series), while news has come in today that the bald star and original xXx director Rob Cohen are mulling a return to the “modern Bond” franchise they started in 2002 (following Ice Cube’s disastrous sequel).
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So what the heck is up with Vin Diesel?
Do these choices merely reek of desperation or a cunning game plan?
My thinking is that Diesel is a little desperate. Every A-list star needs a franchise to fall back on - it’s a safety net for when things get rough. For examples of this see Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis, Ford (and Eddie Murphy over the last five or so years) - when the chips are down return to your glory days.
Diesel however cooked his goose before he actually bought it by bailing on xXx and The Fast and the Furious and betting all his chips on the Riddick franchise. It would appear that Diesel is trying to regroup and solidify his standing in Hollywood by attaching himself to some films that make money (it isn’t called show business for nothing) so that he can make his oft mooted Hannibal film and continue his “epic story” for Riddick. Oh … and pay the mortgage on his mansion.
It seems that Hollywood is biting - Sony is interested in another xXx, however as the rights are owned by former Revolution Studios head, Joe Roth, he’ll be shopping the film around town for a solid deal. With Rob Cohen, now hot after the new Mummy (and was previously “cold” after Stealth) and Diesel taking a pay cut due to back to back bombs, it looks like we might eventually see xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.
It really does look like X gonna give it to ya.
Source: Variety
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22 Comments
haha, the will no doubt try to team up ice and vin? that would blow chunks!
I never even saw xxx2.. did anyone?
No dubt, they will try to team up Vin diesel and Ice cube, and that would suck so hard….
I never even saw xxx2, but only like 4 people did anyway- and only cause they were die hard L.Jackson fans…
where is my comments?
hmmm- no profanity-
I wrote this. No doubt they wil try to team up Diesel and Ice Cube, that will Bl-o-w chunks…
that word made my comment not go tru?
I never even saw xx2, but only like 4 people did, and just cause they were die har l.jackson fans…
Niall, don’t kill me but I liked XXX: State of the Union. I thought Ice Cubes intensity really worked in that film and Nona Gaye…achy wawa!!
I was hoping for a sequel to Riddick, especially since it ended with him becoming emperor (which his character shouldn’t like).
I like Vin, and I liked pitch black, the next riddick movie would probably do better if it was more along the lines of pitch black.
Vin Diesel would have stuck around the “xXx” franchise instead of unwisely bail out on it,for doing the sequel would have put him in the financial black(and he wouldn’t have three franchises to fall back on),otherwise I hope that Diesel and Rob Cohen get to do the new xXx sequel and that it turns out a lot better than the disastrous second film.
I guess since I said I liked State of the Union, my post won’t get posted. Thanks Niall!
@Johnny-K
LOL, I’m afraid a lot of comments are heading into the spam filter due to the 3 X’s.
I go through and release them for publication when I find them.
Vic
I really hope they can salvage this franchise, because I really liked the first movie. And hopefully ice cube won’t even be mentioned, state of the union was to awful for words.
A Vin Diesel Hannibal movie? I haven’t heard anything about that one.
Ghessssh how many crap films must I endure before another Riddick movie.
Xxx and F&F don’t do it for me.
Since I don’t think it’s been brought up here–I saw xXx: State of the Union and it explains that Xander Cage died in some 3rd world country.
The only thing worse than delayed sequels are ones where you have to bring the character back from the dead.
Rev
Anyone else remember that Xander Cage was killed off in the short prequel to xXx2? He was shot in the back of his tattooed head if I remember right. I wonder if they will even mention that in this new film.
I heard about that Hannibal movie ages ago.
um didn’t they said in xXx 2 that he was killed in Bora Bora?
Thanks Vic for mentioning that. I was wondering what was going on.
Hey 790, looks like I’m in the same boat liking State of the Union as you are liking Speed Racer. Anyone else wants to join the club for guys who like movies no one else likes?
Lol, John “Kahless” Taylor,,,
I don’t see how anyone couldn’t like Speed Racer.
But whatever.
Its all subjective.
(Even Swing Vote made a few mil.)
Its like most ppl say they hate Spider Man 3,,,
You start talking to them and they say, “oh well I did like the Sandman, and the battles were good”.
Yada yada yada,,,
I know this one guy that hated Spider Man 3 when it came out,,, I went over to his place last week and he’s showing me how he downloaded “Superhero movie”, and also has all 3 Spider Man films on his hard-drive.
What ???????
I think its quite obvious that Vin doesnt care much of the Hollywood spin cycle. Clearly, if he had chosen to conform like a “good Hollywood hard body” should and had played up to it all, he would have still been standing tall.[Seriously now, just where would the competition have come from...Sly?] Vin has what it takes to play that game but instead he chose a better road - One Race Films and production school, Tigon Studios…exec producing…
Many fail to recognize or acknowledge that he has an intelligent and creative mind…screenwriter, director and so on…
Once the studio gets past the cookie cutter screenplays and re-writes of old, film lovers might actually get to see something unique! Hannibal would fit this but why back a film that requires IQ? Not much choice out there friends, so yes, why not revisit[ahem...repair] the blockbusters you’ve created. Hell, at least I know he’s capable of doing right by them:)
LOL@ Rev: Death is an illusion in Hollywood film, wouldnt worry about that…not on main release anyway.What I didnt see wont hurt me:)Perhaps, they will ‘prequel’ #2 to save face.
In addition, Chronicles rule. Before this mythology was presented, the child in me was stuck on hatin’ Dr Who:) I finally became interested in sci-fi/fantasy and back tracked through some great films. How else do you expect to keep the sci-fi genre open? Unless of course the re-write for Beastmaster is on its way…sigh…
@ Steven…If Vin and Rob can take the wheel on this without all the restrictions studios like to hand down, it will definately kick…provided the story is sharp.
Niall..sweets, ease up! He hasnt been down, just hiding;)
Ice Queen,
Hahah, I’m well aware of the invincibility of a protagonist. I doubt they’ll even do something decently logical ( like a ‘prequel’ ) and just jump into a new movie where he never died and was only in hiding.
Faking your death is easy these days.
Rev
Um, ok, i am watching X2: State of the Union on FX right now. First time I have seen it. Apparently according to X2 Xander Cage was killed in Bora Bora. Yeah, and so far it sucks hard core.
Vin Diesel to me is the best actor. I liked how Babylon AD started but later on it got boring and long. I can’t wait for new FF movie and I would like to see another triple x movie.
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