While Vin Diesel is the face and voice for Universal’s massively popular “Fast & Furious” films, he also has the sci-fi franchise “Riddick.” The trilogy, so far, has focused on a murderous space convict that is tough as steel and can see in the dark, giving him heightened senses. That character has been neglected over the last decade and stuck in hyper-sleep until now.
A promising update has surfaced, as star/producer Diesel alongside director David Twohy are reuniting yet again for that long-delayed fourth installment, “Riddick: Furya,” according to a new press release for the film. Twohy penned the film’s script, which will see Riddick finally return to his long-lost homeworld, Furya, which the Neromonger Empire ravaged as the inhabitants were seen as a threat to them. A collective of intergalactic colonizers that Riddick led by the end of events from “The Chronicles of Riddick.” The gruff cosmic anti-hero will also learn that he isn’t the only surviving Furyan on the planet.
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Diesel and Twothy have been working together on the franchise going back to the 2000s “Pitch Black,” with Universal previously being involved with the trilogy’s distribution. However, this third sequel is heading to the European Film Market, which likely means they’ll have to seek new distribution/financing partners elsewhere. Rocket Science and CAA Media Finance are handling worldwide sales at next week’s big event without mentioning Universal’s involvement. It’s worth noting that the ambitious second film, “The Chronicles of Riddick,” is said to have lost those involved at least $50 million, and the last film only mustered $98 million at the global box office.
Plans for “Riddick 4” goes back to the last installment, as there had been hints that 2013’s “Riddick” would lead directly into another film focused on Furya and potentially the Underverse, the latter connected to the Necromonger Empire. What isn’t exactly clear is if we’ll see actors from previous installments make their return. Actors such as Karl Urban (“The Boys”), Thandiwe Newton (“Westworld”), and Katee Sackoff (“The Mandalorian”) played surviving characters that could hypothetically be reprised for this next installment. We’ll have to be patient to see what kind of budget they can wrangle for the sci-fi action pic.