The Hollywood Reporter says Ericson Core (Invincible) will direct XXX: The Return of Xander Cage, Columbia Pictures’ third installment in the franchise. Neal Moritz and Joe Roth are producing.
Vin Diesel is reprising the role 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 directed by Lee Tamahori.
Core, a cinematographer-turned-director, worked as DP on Diesel’s 2001 film 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 aims to roll cameras early next year.
