Riddick: An Upcoming Movie You Should Care About

In the past ten years, we have seen some of our most beloved franchises resuscitated through either demanding fan-bases or dedicated filmmakers. Superman returned in 2006 and Indiana Jones whipped back into shape (although not really, based on quality) in 2008, both after nineteen year absences. Now, finally, after a nine-year hiatus from the big screen, and our hearts, everyone’s favorite intergalactic convict with the shiny eyes, Richard B. Riddick, returns this September in the aptly titled Riddick.

While I may sound glib in comparing the return of Riddick with Superman and Indiana Jones, it is only in the sense that general audiences haven’t exactly been clamoring for a new Riddick film since he last hit theaters in 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick. I, however, am nothing but ecstatic to see this character in a new film. After years languishing in development hell due to the underwhelming box-office performance of Chronicles, the dedicated team of star Vin Diesel and writer-director David Twohy fought tooth and nail to make sure this film was made, and that they made it right.

Franchises usually get bigger as they go along and, for a while, the Riddick franchise seemed to be following that trend. Pitch Black was released in 2000 as a small, sleeper film. The success of that film led to the mega-budgeted sequel The Chronicles of Riddick. The theatrical failure of that film was not a good thing in my opinion as it led to character’s disappearance from theaters for nine years but it may prove to be a blessing in disguise for the little franchise that could, since Riddick will be made smaller and R-rated, which suits the character far more than it’s PG-13 rated predecessor (although the extended home video version of the film was the original cut and would have been rated R as well apparently).

Not to say certifications truly matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s just that the film’s protagonist is essentially a murderous convict and it is inherently difficult to make a movie that can appeal to general audiences with that character as the focus. The filmmakers have learned their lesson, it seems, and have made this third film through mainly independent financing and a budget roughly a third the size of the one granted them for Chronicles.

The film will follow the chronology set by both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick. Riddick finds himself marooned on a desolate planet and on the run from alien predators. He is eventually left with no choice but to activate an emergency beacon that brings two ships, one carrying mercenaries while the other piloted by a man from Riddick’s past. Joining the cast is fan favorite actress Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica), mixed martial artist David Bautista, Jordi Molla and Karl Urban returning as the devious Necromonger Vaako.

The objective here seems simple, to bring the series back to its Pitch Black roots by crafting a survival tale featuring the greatest survivalist there is, while also honoring the mythology and universe more thoroughly explored in The Chronicles of Riddick. This is an excellent direction to take for this film and I am eager to see it unfold on screen.

The franchise’s future after this movie is cloudy to say the least. With the amount of time it took for this movie to reach the big screen it stands to reason that we will be lucky if there are any further adventures for this character at all. If this is to be the last, let us hope they let the character go out with all the dignity he deserves.

Be sure to check out Riddick when it is released on September 6.

 

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