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Posts tagged as “Vin Diesel”

F. Gary Gray Confirms He Will Direct "Furious 8"

By goodblacknews on October 9, 2015
F. Gary Gray Furious 8
F. Gary Gray (PICTURE PERFECT/REX SHUTTERSTOCK)

Following Vin Diesel’s news that F. Gary Gray is his choice to direct “Fast and Furious 8,” the “Straight Outta Compton” director has made it official.  The director tweeted Thursday that he has come on board to helm the next installment of the series, which begins filming next year.
https://twitter.com/FGaryGray/status/652181877587992576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Diesel is back to star along with Dwayne Johnson, Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson. Jason Statham and Kurt Russell are also expected to return.
Diesel is also producing along with Neal Moritz.
Universal, along with Diesel and Moritz, were focused on the search for their next director after “Furious 7” helmer James Wan decided not to helm the eighth installment. Universal went back to Justin Lin, who had previously helmed four of the installments, but his schedule conflicts with “Star Trek 3” forced him to fall out of the running.
Other helmers who were in talks included “The Signal’s” Will Eubank, “The Guest’s” Adam Wingard and Louis Leterrier. Diesel posted on his Facebook Tuesday night that he had met with Gray and was hopeful the helmer would join the shoot, but no deal was made at the time.
Gray had become one of the hottest helmers in town after successfully bringing the N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton” to life. The film not only overperformed at the box office (more than $150 million on a $20 million budget), but drew critical acclaim, so much so that it’s drumming up Oscar buzz.
article by Justin Kroll via Variety.com

Box Office: ‘Riddick’ Defies Post-Labor Day Slump With $18.7 Million, ‘Butler’ to Second Place

By goodblacknews on September 8, 2013
Riddick Movie
Vin Diesel helped light up what is usually a dark post-Labor Day box office period, with Universal’s franchise pic “Riddick” scoring a solid estimated $18.7 million domestically.  The film claimed the weekend’s No. 1 spot, unseating the Weinstein Co.’s “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” which stayed strong in second place with $8.9 million. The three-week champ, which fell just 40% in its fourth frame, reached $91.9 million Stateside through Sunday.
Total domestic box office was up over this time last year by roughly 25%, thanks also to a excellent expansion for Lionsgate-Pantelion’s “Instructions Not Included.” The Hispanic-targeted crowdpleaser earned $8.1 million from just 717 locations, up from 384 last weekend, for a U.S. cume now past $20 million.
It was a sci-fi-themed weekend globally: Sony’s futuristic pic “Elysium” ranked first overseas with an estimated $21.2 million, of which China contributed $11.7 million in its first weekend locally. In total, “Elysium” has cumed $127 million internationally and $212 million worldwide.
While “Riddick” defied the post-Labor Day slump, the film still came in on the low-side of expectations. Pic opened with less than its predecessor’s $24 million debut in 2004, but the $38 million three-quel outperformed the original film, 2000′s “Pitch Black,” which grossed $11.6 million during opening weekend.
“We always try to find the right time for the right films,” said Universal distribution prexy Nikki Rocco. “This was an inexpensive venture for Universal, and we wanted Vin to have the No. 1 film.”
Not surprisingly, “Riddick” earned most of its opening from men, at 59%, with Hispanics contributing a sizable 37% of the gross. Imax also helped with fanboy appeal, posting $2.5 million of the domestic opening.
article by Andrew Stewart via variety.com

Vin Diesel Honored With Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

By goodblacknews on August 26, 2013

showbiz-vin-diesel-2-1Just over a decade ago, Vin Diesel shot from near-obscurity to earning a $10 million payday in what seemed like record time, racing from an ensemble role in “Saving Private Ryan” to headlining “XXX” in nearly four years. But those who think of Diesel as an overnight action star don’t know the half of it.
“Vin is one of the most wildly misunderstood actor-producers out there,” says Universal co-chairman Donna Langley, whose connection with Diesel predates even 2001’s “The Fast and the Furious,” tracing back to “Boiler Room” at New Line.
While Diesel’s fans are familiar with his muscular physique and the trademark thunder-roll of his voice, what they don’t necessarily realize is just how much work Diesel puts into developing the movies they see as pure popcorn fun — or how hard he struggled to get to this point.
Before he became a star, Diesel broke through as an independent filmmaker, writing and directing work that was invited to screen at the Sundance and Cannes film festivals. And before he retires, Diesel will likely step behind the camera again, maybe even to direct his long-brewing passion project, “Hannibal.”