Musician and actor Jay Chou is joining Vin Diesel in the fourth “xXx” movie, with D.J. Caruso directing for the H Collective.
Diesel is reprising his role as Xander Cage — an extreme sports enthusiast and reluctant spy for the National Security Agency. Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum will produce with Diesel, Samantha Vincent for One Race Films, and the H Collective. Chinese actress Zoe Zhang (“Chinese Zodiac”), a frequent collaborator with Jackie Chan, also joined the cast.
The H Collective said Tuesday that it will finance “xXx 4” alongside several investment partners, including Sparkle Roll Media, iQiyi Pictures, Dadi Huarui, Star League Media, and Fulcrum Management Co. Production is slated to begin in 2019.
The “xXx” franchise, which includes 2002’s “xXx,” 2005’s “xXx: State of the Union,” and 2017’s “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” has collectively grossed nearly $1 billion at the worldwide box office. In 2017, “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” generated $168 million in China.
Chou, who hails from Taiwan, has won four World Music Awards and appeared on soundtracks for films that include “The Green Hornet,” “Now You See Me 2,” and “Kung Fu Panda 3.” He’s known as the “King of Mandopop” and has been a mentor for the past two seasons of “The Voice” in China.
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The H Collective CEO Nic Crawley said, “We are very excited to be working on the fourth installment of ‘xXx,’ which has always been such a fun, action-packed, global franchise. We are looking to build a well-rounded international cast and introduce bold new characters that are sure to have longevity in the continued franchise.”
The H Collective’s film slate includes “BrightBurn,” starring Elizabeth Banks, which Sony will release on May 24; and Christopher Cantwell’s thriller “The Parts You Lose,” with Aaron Paul.
Chou said of Caruso, “I’ve met DJ a number of times over the past few months and it’s very clear how talented he is as a director. I am looking forward to working with him and Vin in bringing this film to global audiences. This is an incredibly exciting film which I’m beyond happy to join.”
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