Esteemed Chinese actor and martial arts expert Jet Li has joined the ranks of long-gestating action sequel xXx 3: The Return of Xander Cage, where he will lock horns with Vin Diesel’s gun-toting series hero.
From Expendable to sleeper agent, word of Li’s potential casting first came to the fore a fortnight ago, when he was linked to the threequel along with Furious 7 star Tony Jaa and Deepika Padukone. The Hollywood Reporter writes that the latter is indeed on board for The Return of Xander Cage, where the Bollywood starlet will be joined by Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose of Orange is the New Black fame. It’s understood that Samuel L. Jackson will also make a return.
As for Li, naturally his addition to the cast is a notable coup for a stunt-heavy actioner, given that he’s appeared across the Once Upon a Time in China series, Fong Sai Yuk, and Fist of Legend. Here, he’ll play the character of Raif, an antagonist that sets his sights on Xander Cage for all the wrong reasons.
No word yet on whether he’ll topline the film as the primary villain, though here’s the official statement from the studio:
“We are extremely excited to have Jet Li join the cast of xXx 3: The Return of Xander Cage as Raif, who is pitted against Vin Diesel’s Xander Cage… watch these two in action as they raise the bar with some of the most incredible stunts on film.”
Setting up shop at Revolution Studios, xXx 3: The Return of Xander Cage is largely a product of pent-up fan demand, and it’s a dormant IP that Vin Diesel looks keen to nurture into a franchise alongside Pitch Black and Universal’s seemingly evergreen Fast and Furious series.
D.J. Caruso is behind the lens for the threequel, with production set to begin next month in Toronto.
