The development of Riddick 4: Furya is moving forward and fans of the franchise are excited to see the next chapter in the story of the beloved anti-hero. It was first announced in 2014 that Universal Pictures wanted to move forward with a fourth installment of the Riddick franchise and in 2015, Vin Diesel announced Riddick 4 would be titled Furya and confirmed it was a rated-R film. Since then, the movie has been in pre-production and Vin Diesel has been busy with his other iconic character, Dom Toretto, in the highly successful Fast & Furious franchise.
Back When It Was Pitch Black
The Riddick franchise has built a loyal fanbase despite the first three movies, Pitch Black (2000), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), and Riddick (2013), not being critically acclaimed or blockbuster hits. But the popularity of the Riddick character has led to the franchise expanding beyond its films. The character has also been featured in two popular first-person stealth video games, an anime series, a comic book series, and a Riddick spin-off show called Merc City is currently in development.
The character of Riddick was first introduced in Pitch Black as a dark and dangerous criminal being transported to an off-world prison. When the transport crashlands on a foreign monster-filled planet, Riddick uses his unique skills and abilities to survive until daylight. This characterization developed further during The Chronicles of Riddick, when the titular character fulfilled a prophecy that Lord Marshall would one day be killed by a Furyan male. While precise plot details remain unclear, it seems certain that the antihero’s story will continue to be explored in the franchise’s next installment.
Who’s Returning?
Vin Diesel will be returning as Riddick and the writers and directors of the first three films will also be returning for Riddick 4: Furya. Riddick 4: Furya will be written and directed by the same creators of the first three films. David Twohy will direct and co-write alongside Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat. The screenplay was completed in 2021, and a recent Instagram post from Vin Diesel suggests that pre-production has moved on to the storyboarding phase.
Vin Diesel has suggested Riddick 4: Furya will delve into the mysterious origins of his character, Riddick, as the Furyan fugitive finally discovers his homeworld of Furya. In The Chronicles of Riddick, Riddick’s homeworld Furya was described as a harsh world where only the strongest could survive. The storyboard slide Vin Diesel shared on Instagram showed Riddick in a spacesuit with a shocked expression on his face with a caption reading: “Scene 10 – The boy’s eyes shine just like Riddick’s.” Hinting the exploration of Riddick’s backstory might be done by introducing other characters like him on his homeworld, such as this mysterious boy that has left Riddick stunned.
Release Data?
Riddick 4: Furya may still be a few years away from being released. Vin Diesel is currently busy filming Fast X, which has seen its own number of setbacks with the departure of director Justin Lin. He also wishes to film Fast X and Fast 11 back to back and finish Dom’s Fast Saga story before continuing on his next chapter with Riddick. With this in consideration, filming for Riddick 4: Furya may not commence until early-mid 2023, which would slate it for a 2024 release. But with the return of the beloved cast and crew, and the promise of delving into the character’s origins, Riddick 4: Furya is sure to be a thrilling addition to the franchise.