After years of sharing their hopes to return, Riddick 4 is finally moving forward with Vin Diesel returning 10 years later. The franchise first launched with the sci-fi horror-thriller Pitch Black in 2000, being followed by 2004's The Chronicles of Riddick, which was a critical and commercial flop on release, but has since garnered a cult following. The duo would reunite in 2013 for Riddick, which took place five years after its predecessor and saw Diesel's titular character trying to survive on a desolated planet while being hunted by a group of mercenaries.
Deadline has brought word that Vin Diesel is confirmed to be returning for Riddick 4. The announcement comes 10 years after the last film hit theaters, with franchise creator David Twohy returning to again write and direct the sci-fi action sequel. Twohy wrote about the sequel in the following statement:
Our legion of fans have demanded it for years, and now we’re finally ready to honor their call-to-action with Riddick: Furya. My collaboration with Vin and One Race has spanned 20 fruitful years, as together we’ve created three movies, two video games, an anime production, and motion comics for the internet. This new big-screen event will see a return to Riddick’s homeworld, where we finally get to explore Riddick’s genesis.
Everything We Know About Riddick 4
Development on Riddick 4 was first announced nearly a decade ago, with Diesel revealing Universal Pictures were keen on continuing the franchise after the third film's home media success. The years since have seen a variety of updates come from the producer/star, including ideas for a Riddick spin-off TV show entitled Merc City, while the fourth film would be subtitled Furia. More recently, Diesel has shared a number of concept art pieces from Riddick 4, leading many to believe it to have been in the pre-production stages, despite no official greenlight from the studio.
The new film, which is confirmed to be titled Riddick: Furya, will follow Diesel's character as he returns to his homeworld, a planet thought to be desolate due to the Necromongers' galaxy-spanning quest for conquer seen in The Chronicles of Riddick. The new plot details tease that Diesel's protagonist will find some remnants of the Furyan civilization still alive and fighting to retain their existence, leading him to team with his people to save their home. This largely lines up with Diesel's previous teases that Riddick 4 would explore the character's origins, a plot point similarly set up at the end of Riddick.
At the time of writing, it's unclear whether Merc City is still in development, or if it has fallen by the wayside while Diesel and Twohy focus on Riddick 4. It's also unknown if the sequel will see any recurring characters return, including Keith David's Imam or Karl Urban's Vaako, though considering the story will be set on Furya, it seems likely Diesel will be the only returning face. In the meantime, audiences can catch up with the original three Riddick movies streaming on Peacock now.
Source: Deadline