Though The Last Witch Hunter may have seen the actor venture off in a new creative direction, Vin Diesel is ensuring that fans of his more prominent roles have plenty to look forward to in the future. Not only will Diesel reprise his role as Xander Cage for long-rumored sequel xXx 3, but the series stalwart has effectively mapped out plans for numerous Fast and Furious spinoffs over at Universal.
Now, according to an Instagram update, Vin Diesel is on the verge of revisiting his role as the deadly, pearl-eyed Furyan for a brand new Riddick movie and spinoff TV series. Welcoming back writer-director David Twohy once again, Diesel noted that the Merc City offshoot will explore the lore of mercenaries and bounty hunters of the grimy sci-fi universe.
Word of another cinematic installment in The Chronicles Of Riddick franchise has reared its head in the past, particularly after the release of Riddick two years ago, the third mainline installment in Diesel’s dark fantasy series. Existing as very much a cult property, the threequel clocked in with a box office haul that was just north of $100 million. And though that doesn’t necessarily scream sequel potential, the actioner – much like Pitch Black and 2004’s Chronicles of Riddick – found a healthy audience via home video sales.
Looking to the future, Riddick looks to be the franchise that will keep on giving despite less-than-stellar performances at the box office. Setting aside the disappointment of 2004’s Chronicles, there’s plenty of potential avenues left to explore in film, while the Merc City spinoff ought to sate the appetite for a deeper cut into the Necromonger lore.
No word yet on a start date for either project, though both the film and its TV series will now need to slot into Vin Diesel’s crowded slate.