Donnie Yen has been cast in the upcoming XXX sequel:
HOLLYWOOD, CA (February 16, 2016) – International martial arts star Donnie Yen (“IP MAN”) will square off against Vin Diesel in “xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE.” Yen will play an alpha-warrior named Xiang in the hotly anticipated sequel, which is shooting in Toronto and the Dominican Republic this month for Revolution Studios, Roth Kirschenbaum Films, One Race Films and Paramount Pictures.
Yen co-stars with producer and star Diesel in a cast that also includes Bollywood star Deepika Padukone (“TAMASHA”), Tony Jaa (“ONG-BAK,” “FURIOUS 7”), Ruby Rose (“Orange Is the New Black”), mixed martial-arts sensation Conor McGregor, Nina Dobrev (“The Vampire Diaries”), Kris Wu (“SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW”), Hermione Corfield (“MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION”), with Toni Collette (“THE SIXTH SENSE”) and Samuel L. Jackson (“THE HATEFUL EIGHT”).
D.J. Caruso (“I AM NUMBER FOUR”) is directing “xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE.” The film is written by Chad St. John (“LONDON HAS FALLEN”) with current revisions by F. Scott Frazier (“COLLIDE”).
Yen is coming off the New Zealand-based shoot of the upcoming “CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY,” in which he stars opposite Michelle Yeoh. One of the world’s top martial-arts film stars, Yen is best known in the U.S. for his role opposite Jet Li in director Zhang Yimou’s “HERO,” the third-highest-grossing foreign-language release of all time in the U.S. He co-starred in the Jackie Chan-Owen Wilson action-comedy “SHANGHAI KNIGHTS” and performed the title role in the hugely influential “IP MAN” franchise, one of the highest grossing film series in Chinese history.
Yen’s numerous other films include “DRAGON,” which premiered to acclaim at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and the Chinese blockbuster “THE MONKEY KING” as the Monkey King, opposite Chow Yun-fat. Yen, who was born in Canton, China, and raised in Boston, is one of the top action choreographers and has served as action director in dozens of films and has won numerous awards. He is currently developing a series of films for his own companies, Bullet Group Ltd and Bullet Films Productions, including the epic crime drama “DRAGON CITY.”
“There are only a handful of martial-arts stars who have crossed over to worldwide fame and Donnie Yen is the top of that elite cohort,” said Revolution CEO Vince Totino, who is executive producing the film along with Chief Operating Officer Scott Hemming.
“Donnie’s fighting skill and on-screen charisma make him a perfect foil for Vin,” said producer Joe Roth, who recently partnered with Jeffrey Kirschenbaum in their new venture, Roth Kirschenbaum films. “We are all excited to see these two great action stars go toe to toe.”
Donnie Yen just completed co-starring in “ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY” for Lucasfilm and Disney.
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About Revolution Studios
Revolution Studios, originally established by Joe Roth in 2000, was purchased in June 2014 through funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, moving forward with Vince Totino as CEO and Scott Hemming as COO. Since its founding, Revolution Studios has created a library of 46 films, including the Academy Award®-winning Black Hawk Down, Maid in Manhattan, Anger Management, Daddy Day Care, America’s Sweethearts, XXX and White Chicks, which collectively earned more than $3.7 billion in box office receipts. Most recently, Revolution has developed and produced multiple syndicated television series, including “Are We There Yet?” for TBS; “Anger Management,” starring Charlie Sheen, with Lionsgate for FX; and “Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza” for GSN. In 2014, Revolution acquired the 64-title Morgan Creek International library, and in 2015, the eight-film Cold Springs Pictures Library among others, totaling 120 films to date in the Studio’s library.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Roth Kirschenbaum Films
Roth Kirschenbaum Films is an independent film production company formed by Joe Roth and Jeff “Kirsch” Kirschenbaum in late 2015.
Roth, before Kirsch arrived, was the founder of Roth Films. He produced ALICE IN WONDERLAND, which grossed over $1 billion, and at the time of release, was the sixth highest grossing film of all time. He most recently produced THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR, ALICE: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN, MALEFICENT, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and more. Roth was also Chairman of 20th Century Fox and Walt Disney Studios.
Kirsch, before partnering with Roth, was a 15-year veteran of Universal Pictures. He was most recently the President of Production, shepherding the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise for over the past decade, as well as some of the studio’s biggest tent pole releases, including the MUMMY franchise, the SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN franchise and WANTED. Prior to Universal, he worked at CAA and Mace Neufeld Productions.
About Vin Diesel and One Race Films
One Race Films, founded in 1995 by writer, director, producer and actor Vin Diesel, has produced the four highest-grossing films in the “Fast” franchise — “Furious 7,” “Fast and Furious 6,” “Fast Five” as well as “Fast & Furious.” He has directed “Multifacial,” “Strays” and “Los Bandoleros.” Previously, One Race launched multiple franchises in the action genre, including the science-fiction thriller “Pitch Black” and the two follow-up films, “Chronicles of Riddick” and “Riddick,” along with the hit “xXx.” Diesel’s business acumen also extends to the gaming universe, where his Tigon Studios produced three critically acclaimed console titles including “Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay” and original property “The Wheelman.” One Race Television has partnered with Universal Television on a multi-year, first-look production deal.
