A 3rd 'Riddick' Film Without Vin Diesel? It Could Happen

I'd be the last to ever call Vin Diesel an "iconic" action hero. But give him his due, the franchises he's synonymous with wouldn't be quite the same without him.

With that in mind, would I be hopping about like a Jack Russell terrier on speed for another "Riddick" movie? Not exactly, but I'd ultimately cave and see it. Would I see one without Diesel? To be more definite, no.

Alas, like my fellow movie-goers, I one day might not have a choice. Diesel reported via his Facebook page that getting a follow up to "Pitch Black" and "The Chronicles of Riddick" made would require that Diesel take hom a paycheck on a crash diet. Specifically, he'll have to take scale pay, meaning he won't see much bank unless the movie makes some serious box-office waves. By comparison, he took home a cool $15 million for the current hit sequel to that "other" franchise his chrome dome graces, "Fast Five."

"[David Twohy] the writer/director just landed in New York with the good news. We can start filming this summer," Diesel told fans via his Facebook. "However, there is a catch . . . In order for us to make a true R-rated film, I must work for scale upfront. Money is always second to art, integrity and spirit, but the real issue is deeper. Can I suspend my life, to momentarily venture to that dark place called Riddick?"

He later added that he and Twohy would meet in the immediate future to discuss the schedule and review current concept art.