xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (Diesel to return)

[The One and Only]

From Comingsoon.net: (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=48857&offset=50)
Columbia Pictures is in discussions with producer Joe Roth XXX:The Return of Xander Cage, which would bring back Vin Diesel as star and Rob Cohen as director, reports Variety.

The duo teamed in the 2002 original, which starred Diesel as Xander Cage, an extreme sports enthusiast who gets drafted by the government for a dangerous mission.

Roth controls the property because the original film was made by his Revolution Studios, which was also behind XXX:STATE OF THE UNION , a sequel which starred Ice Cube and was directed by Lee Tamahori.

There is no script, both diesel and Cohen have agreed to return.

So I guess Xander survived the assassination attempt afterall ? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O48rLcHu2Yc&feature=related) Thoughts ? Gripes anyone ?

[Cody]

Diesel on the comeback trail, trying to win his way back into our hearts and minds by returning to the franchises he bailed on.

I enjoyed the first movie and looked forward to more Xander Cage movies. I had fun with the second movie in an awful DTV quality way and looked forward to a "revolving door" series.

I thought the mentioned Michelle Rodriguez was a good fit for the series and was interested in seeing her as a female xXx... even though I can't stand her. :duh:

Now, God help me, I look forward to seeing Xander Cage return. From the dead. Even though at the end of that special feature DVD short he ended up as nothing but a pile of bloody head flesh.

I'm just a sucker for this kind of action, branching off from my Bond addiction. This news should really excite the couple in my town who named their baby Xander Cage soon after the first movie came out.

[Scarecrow]

I found itamausing how the first film tried to show Bond as dated and challenge him... before promptly near dying, losing the central character and, besides, trying far to hard to be XTREME!

- Scarecrow

[The Dark Vampire]

Diesel on the comeback trail, trying to win his way back into our hearts and minds by returning to the franchises he bailed on.

I seem to remember him saying a few years ago he didn't want to do sequels to his movies.

[Jack Bauer]

I believe Xander might had faked his death, or XXX2 never happened.

[El Rooto]

Considering how I thought the first film was utter shit and didn't bother with the follow-up, I'll probably sit this one out.

[skuppy]

So when will Vin Diesel return as Riddick? That was one series I had hoped would have done better as I enjoyed those movies.

[DavidDunn]

I believe Xander might had faked his death, or XXX2 never happened.

I'd rather go with the latter, there. State of The Union sucked a mountain of balls. xXx should've had no sequel, period. The first was good for what it was worth...which wasn't much. Sure it had some fantastic action sequences, but I just never could get into it.

[Cody]

Cohen bailed (http://chud.com/articles/articles/19813/1/COHEN-WILL-BLOW-SHIT-UP-IN-THE-MIDDLE-AGES/Page1.html) to direct a movie called Medieval

"I talked to Vin over the weekend and said I hoped they would wait, but that if they find another director who's right for the sequel, I certainly wouldn't be angry. But I could not let something like this go."

so Ericson Core will direct Xander Cage (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i63041d69a51cc0fdd880b924c37ba703)

Ericson Core has signed to helm "XXX: The Return of Xander Cage," Columbia's third installment in the action franchise. Neal Moritz and Joe Roth are producing.

Vin Diesel is reprising the role of the extreme sports athlete-turned-government operative he originated in the 2002 movie directed by Rob Cohen. Diesel and Cohen skipped the 2005 sequel, "XXX: State of the Union," which starred Ice Cube and was helmed by Lee Tamahori.

Last year, Diesel and Cohen agreed to reteam for the new installment, but in June, Cohen segued to helm "Medieval" for Regency.

Columbia went on the hunt for a helmer, who also had to get the OK from Diesel. Diesel has worked with Core before, though not under an actor-director relationship; Core, a cinematographer-turned-director, worked as DP on Diesel's 2001 flick "The Fast and the Furious."

John Brancato and Michael Ferris ("Terminator Salvation") wrote the script for "Xander Cage." It involves Cage's return to the National Security Agency after an eight-year absence. Richard Wilkes, who wrote the original movie, did a recent polish.

The studio hopes to move fast, capitalizing on Hollywood brand hunger and Diesel's resurgence as a boxoffice draw, and aims to roll cameras early next year.

Core, repped by Gersh, made his directorial debut with the 2006 football drama "Invincible." He's attached to direct the coming-of-age thriller "Conrail" at New Line and the Touchstone war thriller "Liberty."

I couldn't watch Invincible because of its overwhelmingly orange look, but the name Ericson Core seems appropriate for the franchise.

[Jus-X]

Diesel on the comeback trail, trying to win his way back into our hearts and minds by returning to the franchises he bailed on.
I seem to remember him saying a few years ago he didn't want to do sequels to his movies.

I remember hearing how Diesel asked for a large amount of money to return in the sequels and getting turned down, which is why her didn't do FF2 and XXX2. Then he justified his actions in an interview saying he wouldn't do any sequels period. Wonder what changed his mind? Money?

I was stoked to hear he came back for FF4. I'm looking forward to XXX3. Part 2 was a piece of shit


The studio hopes to move fast I really hope they don't rush production!

[Psychoticninja]

Why is everyone hating XXX2 so much! IT wasn't so bad, i actually liked it. Ice Cube did a good job and there was a decent story behind it and the action was kick ass!!!

[The One and Only]

Especially the opening sequence. Although my main gripe with it that used CGI a bit too much when it came to featuring the "stunts". I wish the producers and directors would've kept it "real" there. But a fun flick nonetheless. Although if they were doing a third flick without Diesel ,I was thinking the next xXx was going to be a chick. For some reason Elisha Cuthbert kept popping into my noggin.:shy:

[jasonlives13]

Im a big Ice Cube fan, and he's probably a better actor, case and point - Boyz in the hood.
Vin Diesel is greedy for money and he only made these sequels because he can't get hired for anything else. Yes he's decent in Pitch black etc but I think he comes off as an ass

[Cody]

3D 'XXX'; Cohen Back In Fold (http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/3d-xxx-moves-from-sony-to-paramount-rob-cohen-and-vin-diesel-back-in-fold/)

The project has left Columbia Pictures, with negotiations underway for Paramount to take over the franchise, finance production and distribute the film in late 2011 or early 2012. Rob Cohen has returned as director, and reunites with Vin Diesel, with whom he made the original. The new installment of XXX will be shot with 3D cameras.

The project is controlled by Joe Roth, who generated the first two installments through Revolution Studios. Roth licensed the third installment to Columbia Pictures, which financed the development of a script by Michael Ferris and John Brancato. Ultimately, the studio decided not to go forward. Roth took the package only to Paramount, whose vice chairman, Rob Moore, worked on the original at Revolution. Roth, who just produced Alice in Wonderland and is exec producer of the upcoming Tom Cruise-starrer Knight and Day, will produce with Neal Moritz. Diesel and Samantha Vincent will also be producers through his One Race Productions banner.

The plot: Xander Cage (Diesel) is left for dead, but returns to execute a very difficult assignment that only he can pull off. Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his role as Agent Augustus Gibbons, Xander’s handler. Most of the action takes place in Europe.

Diesel will star in the film right after he completes another installment of The Fast and the Furious, which Universal Pictures will release June 10, 2011. Paramount expects to distribute the xXx six months or so later.

The big surprise is the return of Cohen, who was expected to be rooted firmly in the Middle Ages. He had been attached to direct the third XXX with Diesel, but departed last summer to direct New Regency’s Medieval, a period action film based on an Alex Litvak/Michael Finch period spec action script. Cohen returned to XXX when Medieval stalled because of a logistical setback. ...

Cohen, who is now shooting Coke's first ever 3D commercial, said he's excited by the possibilities.

"I feel what we did in the beginning of the decade was bring a different attitude to the action movie and a different kind of hero," Cohen said. "With the new 3D instrument and the techniques I can apply, we can create a different kind of cutting-edge experience in 3D by shooting it that way from the beginning the way James Cameron did Avatar. This won't be fantasy characters, it takes place on Earth in real time. That's a new dimension to be explored, and I'm excited."