Casting is heating up onXXX: The Return of Xander Cage, withVin Dieselreturning as the title character andSamuel L. Jacksonalso reprising his role as Augustus Gibbons from 2002’sxXxand the 2005 follow-upXXX: State of the Union. The sequel is rumored to center onXander Cageforming a new team, with new cast members such as Deepika Padukone,Nina Dobrev,Ruby Rose,Tony Jaa,Conor McGregorandJet Lialready confirmed. Today we have a new report from Moviehole, which claims thatXXX: State of the UnionstarIce Cubewill reprise his role as Darius Stone.
While this report has not yet been confirmed, the character is expected to play a major role in this sequel, according to the site’s unspecified source. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t offer any specific details on his role, or if he will be joining Xander Cage’s team, or a rival team that is rumored to be lead byJet Li. Here’s what the site’s unidentified source had to say about the casting.
“(He will be) a treat this time around - very funny, lots of great lines and he gets in on some terrific action sequences.”
This franchise will follow the same path asVin Diesel’sFast & Furiousfranchise, which has risen to new box office heights since being reconfigured as an action franchise. This new report reveals thatJet Li’s character will be leading a separate team who will square off with Xander, but it wasn’t confirmed if themartial artsstar is playing the primary villain.
D.J. Caruso(Eagle Eye) is directing from a script byF. Scott Frazier(The Numbers Station).Vin Dieselproducing alongside his sister Samantha Vincent, Jeff Kirschenbaum andJoe Roth. Production is scheduled to take place in Toronto and the Philippines. The sequel doesn’t have a distributor yet, but several sources claim that Paramount Pictures will be the franchise’s new home. What do you think about this new casting rumor?
