Ericson Core to Direct XXX: The Return of Xander Cage
Wed, August 26, 2009 
The threequel no one asked for or cared about. Honestly, I've not see either of the first two XXX movies. the first starred Vin Diesel (returning for the third), and Ice Cube in the second. However you can count on Hollywood to milk every franchise until it's bone dry.
Here's what the Hollywood Reporter had to say:
Ericson Core has signed to helm "XXX: The Return of Xander Cage," Columbia's third installment in the action franchise. Neal Moritz and Joe Roth are producing.
Vin Diesel is reprising the role of the extreme sports athlete-turned-government operative 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 helmed by Lee Tamahori.
Last year, Diesel and Cohen agreed to reteam for the new installment, but in June, Cohen segued to helm "Medieval" for Regency.
Columbia went on the hunt for a helmer, who also had to get the OK from Diesel. Diesel has worked with Core before, though not under an actor-director relationship; Core, a cinematographer-turned-director, worked as DP on Diesel's 2001 flick "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 hopes to move fast, capitalizing on Hollywood brand hunger and Diesel's resurgence as a boxoffice draw, and aims to roll cameras early next year.
Core, repped by Gersh, made his directorial debut with the 2006 football drama "Invincible." He's attached to direct the coming-of-age thriller "Conrail" at New Line and the Touchstone war thriller "Liberty."
Reader Comments (4)
I just hope they come up with an actually reason for Cage's return fromt the dead.
i think they will say in the movie that back then in the sequel Vin thought he was a huge star and that he doesnt need those movies anymore. things changed and he is desperate and so he is back.
lol. Why do I get the feeling that will be the reason?
just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren't loading properly. I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I've tried it in two different browsers and both show the same results.