Vin Dieselhas parlayed the good graces he earned in shepherding theFast and Furiousfranchise into a billion dollar venture by doubling down. He first did this withRiddick, returning to his long-dormant passion project in 2013 and infusing it with an R rating. Now, he is seemingly doing it again withxXx: The Return of Xander Cage. “Seemingly” because not only does there not appear to be much demand for a sequel in the first place, but also because they could very easily have just ditched Xander Cage and had a completely different role and world for Diesel to work with. So given the rather surprising return, it’s safe to assume Diesel enjoyed the world of the first film.
Now, it has been announced that martial arts actorDonnie Yenwill also be joining this world. Yen is set to play Xiang, Xander Cage’s enemy referred to as “an alpha-warrior.” Yen’s credits includeIp Man, Shanghai Knights, Hero,and the upcomingRogue One: A Star Wars Story.
While not uncommon, it is interesting to note that Yen’s addition comes with filming already having begun. Perhaps they were just finalizing negotiations, waiting on schedules, or are indeed making changes after beginning production. Yen’s addition certainly elevates any sense of action beyond simply explosions.
Yen joins a cast that already includesSamuel L. Jackson, reprising his role as Agent Augustus Eugene Gibbons, Bollywood starDeepika Padukone(Chennai Express)as a huntress who has a history with Cage,Nina Dobrev(Vampire Diaries)as a techie,andRuby Rose(Orange Is the New Black)as a sniper.
Here is the official synopsis for the film:
The third explosive chapter of the blockbuster franchise that redefined the spy thriller finds extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) coming out of self-imposed exile and on a collision course with deadly alpha warrior Xiang and his team in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora’s Box. Recruiting an all-new group of thrill-seeking cohorts, Xander finds himself enmeshed in a deadly conspiracy that points to collusion at the highest levels of world governments. Packed with the series’ signature deadpan wit and bad-ass attitude, “xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE”will raise the bar on extreme action with some of the most mind-blowing stunts to ever be caught on film.
And be sure to check out our recent coverage ofxXx: The Return of Xander Cage:
