Jennifer Avary
While Vin Diesel might be headlining the next “xXx” movie, that doesn’t mean the DJ Caruso-directed sequel is going to entirely skip over the events of the Diesel-less sequel from 2005, “xXx : State of the Union” – even if it was lackluster and unsuccessful. Nope, it’s still very much canon and it’s events will still factor into 2017’s “xXx The Return of Xander Cage”.
In fact, a major player from the Lee Tamahori directed film – besides Samuel L.Jackson’s Agent Augustus Gibbons – is set to reprise his role for the new film.
Turn away now if you’re not wanting the surprise spoiled – though, I’m assuming, the marketing for the film will give it away long before the movie hits the screen – because it’s quite the fun inclusion.
Much like the last couple of “Fast & Furious” movies, Diesel’s prepping the “xXx” franchise to be a ‘team’ action-comedy (complete with the kind of eye-popping ridiculous stunts we’ve seen in the “Fast & Furious” movies). This person will be starring alongside Diesel, Jet Li, Samuel L.Jackson, Tony Jaa, Connor McGregor, Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev. Most play xXx agents – all of them teaming up to take on the film’s big bad.
Who is it?
** Spoilers Follow **
Ice Cube.
No matter what he’s telling press, Cube will reprise Darius Stone in the movie.
He’s a major part of the new story.
The plan seems to be for the “xXx” franchise to take it’s cue from the later “Fast & Furious” movies – acknowledge what’s come before, but make sure the characters from the earlier, weaker movies have something more to do this time around.
Cube’s Darius Stone will be “a treat this time around – very funny, lots of great lines and he gets in on some terrific action sequences”, we’re informed by a solid source.
Cube, of course, is a much bigger [movie] star now than what he was in 2005, so no surprise that Diesel’s got him in the new movie. He’s an asset.
“xXx : The Return of Xander Cage” hits theaters in Feb 2017.
