Fast & Furious franchise leading man Vin Diesel is not slowing down anytime soon. Diesel has already mapped out several projects that will occupy his fans for many years to come, even while Fast X: Part 2 is poised to close out the classic series. Following a red-carpet stroll at the Oscars, action hero Diesel recently uploaded a report card on Instagram detailing his future films.
This year’s Oscars started with a sincere tribute to Los Angeles, in recognition of the devastating forest fires that engulfed residential neighborhoods. The montage, which featured classic movie scenes with the city in the background, included a scene from Furious 7. Diesel caught wind and appreciated it in his Instagram post, where he wrote, “By the way, shout out to the Oscars for starting their whole show with a clip from Fast Seven…”
But Diesel went beyond mere fond memories of past triumphs. His new post provided the audience with an insiders’ view into the works that he had been working on secretly. The star announced that he had been discussing the possibilities with Lionsgate, including future undertakings by his character in The Last Witch Hunter. Concurrently, he’s receiving questions regarding when he can come back as Xander Cage in the xXx series. Both movies’ fans will be thrilled to know that Diesel is keen to reprise these characters.
One of the biggest announcements from his post was that Disney is proceeding with highly anticipated Marvel movie that features Groot’s native planet. Diesel teased, “Also, Disney wants their Planet X! Which some claim is Marvel’s most hype movie, haha. The movie where Groot goes back home.” Because of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise’s popularity and how popular the character Groot is, a movie about his origin could be Marvel Studios’ biggest hit.
Alongside his Marvel film, Diesel mentioned he’s also talked with Mattel about getting Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots into film. With Barbie’s staggering box office performance having proven toy-pics can indeed be biggies, Mattel is looking like it’s hot to start up a film franchise based on toys. Diesel was excited, writing, “Mattel, my favorite company, is close to releasing the testosterone-male solution to Barbie with Rock ’em Sock ’em!
” With Diesel’s background of doing action films, he is the obvious choice for a production that will be filled with high-octane battles of robots.
Another overdue venture on Diesel’s list is Riddick: Furya, which started production last summer. The Riddick film series has a loyal fan base, and Diesel was grateful to them, stating, “Obviously, there is Riddick which must always endure for the die-hard fans.” The sci-fi series that started with Pitch Black in 2000 remains a cult classic, and the fans will be eager to know what new hurdles face the anti-hero in his new adventure. But Diesel is not only set to star in blockbuster movies—he’s also moving behind the lens. He confirmed that he’s getting ready to direct a movie about a famous New York detective, which most speculate is the long-in-the-works Kojack adaptation.
In his blog, Diesel teased the project, stating, “On top of that, I am making the movie about that notorious New York detective, which is calling me to New York.” If this is indeed the Kojack movie, it will be a thrilling new development in Diesel’s career as a director. Of course, no update on Diesel would be complete without a reference to the Fast & Furious franchise. As he balances several projects, he’s also dedicated to ensuring the franchise’s last film, Fast X2, is given the proper farewell. Diesel reaffirmed his commitment to having the grand finale return to Los Angeles, stating, “In between juggling this crazy schedule for the year, we continue the fight to bring Fast X2, the finale, back to LA this summer!
[…] You could imagine bringing film back to LA hasn’t been an easy task, but we are doing it because it is the right thing to do…”
Diesel isn’t slowing down at all, despite having so much on his plate. His Hollywood future remains as thrilling as ever, whether he decides to direct new franchises, revisit classic characters, or step behind the camera as director. His next projects will no doubt be eagerly anticipated by fans, who can’t wait to see the next chapter in his iconic career.
