Fans of the Vin Diesel’s 2000 sci-fi action film, Pitch Black have endured a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows over the last thirteen years. After a well-received and financially successful run at the box office, Pitch Black became a cult favorite – spawning a big budget follow-up, The Chronicles of Riddick, with the intention of launching a blockbuster franchise. Unfortunately, the film failed to provide a satisfying sequel for Riddick – crippling the budding franchise.
Yet, Diesel never gave up on a third Riddick film – regularly hinting at ideas that he might pursue. Then, back in May of 2011, the actor confirmed what many fans had been waiting to hear: that a date had been set for the start of production on the film, titled simply, Riddick. Now, after years of waiting, we’re finally getting a look at what Diesel has in store for the film with sneak peek teaser trailer.
The trailer doesn’t provide much context for the overarching Riddick story (or a glimpse of recent Guardians of the Galaxy addition Dave Bautista) – instead reminding viewers of the character’s no-nonsense approach to killing (as well as cautionary tales in the dark). The actual film, however, won’t be solely focused on choking nocturnal creatures, you can read the latest synopsis below:
The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty. The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.
Of course, fans will remember that production on Riddick was shut-down mid-shoot after the film ran out of money – leaving Diesel and producers scrambling in search for more funding. We’ll have to wait for release to find out whether or not the delay negatively impacted the final film but after Chronicles of Riddick was criticized for a softer PG-13 rating, the studio agreed to an R rating for the sequel – meaning that Riddick is positioned to deliver an experience that’s more in keeping with its ruthless main character.
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Riddick opens in regular and IMAX theaters on September 6th, 2013.
Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick for future updates on Riddick as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.
