The confirmation that Riddick 4: Furya is in active development is exciting news for fans of the Chronicles Of Riddick franchise. The follow-up to Riddick, The Chronicles Of Riddick, and Pitch Black has long been anticipated. Despite the long wait though, plenty of people are still anticipating where the story of the roguish antihero may lead next.
The Chronicles Of Riddick franchise has always been a compelling fusion of ideas. It’s a blend of the space western vibe of Firefly and the space horror aesthetics of Alien, placed in the midst of the epic scale of Star Wars. Richard B. Riddick is initially introduced as an antagonist before becoming the main series protagonist, and the action keeps a tight focus on him and a handful of surrounding characters. The central concept of the series of movies is that, in a world full of monsters, sometimes your best hope comes not from a hero but from a villain. The stories feel close and personal, contrasting with the sprawling backdrop of a galaxy under threat from an empire of fanatics. Years after the initial release of Pitch Black, the series has kept a cult following who’re eagerly anticipating further additions to Riddick’s story.
Riddick 4 Has Already Been Confirmed
Plans to make Riddick 4 were first announced in 2014, the year after the release of Riddick. Vin Diesel revealed that the story was in development in 2016, and in 2019 Diesel mentioned on Instagram that he’d received a copy of David Twohy’s script for his birthday. With the title of Riddick 4: Furya, Twohy announced in 2020 that he’d finished writing the screenplay. Diesel has since continued dropping occasional hints about the project, including showing a storyboard on his Instagram in 2022.
Twohy has most recently confirmed in February 2023 that Riddick 4 is now in active development (via Deadline). Diesel and Twohy will be co-directing the new movie, with Diesel also taking a role in production. Well aware of their fanbase, both are likely to keep revealing hints and glimpses of the project as filming starts and production progresses.
What Will Riddick 4: Furya Be About
As the title of the latest Riddick movie implies, Riddick’s homeworld of Furya will be in the spotlight for the new story. It was previously revealed that Riddick survived the Necromonger Empire’s genocide against the Furyans, and that Riddick has been searching for his original home. Diesel has teased in the past that Riddick 4 will finally reveal more of Riddick’s backstory and how he gained his dark reputation. In the next part of the story, he’ll finally be able to return home and discover how much he has in common with his people. Despite the threat of the Necromongers though, Twohy’s mentioned that the Furyans will be battling a new enemy in Riddick 4.
The story of Riddick 4 is likely to answer a few of the unresolved questions from previous Riddick movies. David Twohy has made a point of saying how he’s writing this movie with the fans in mind – the franchise has now spanned over two decades and many of them have been in it for the long haul. One standing mystery concerns the eyeshine which gives Riddick his all-important night vision. A released storyboard hints that Riddick will encounter at least one other character with the same kind of eyes.
Which Riddick Characters Can Return For Furya
One character who’s almost certain to return is Vaako, the Lord Marshal of the Necromongers, played by Karl Urban. The stories of Riddick and The Chronicles Of Riddick built Vaako into a challenging arch-nemesis, and Riddick has sworn to kill him as revenge. Riddick also featured the bounty hunter Dahl, played by Katee Sackhoff (The Mandalorian). Fond of sci-fi settings, Sackhoff could also reprise her previous role.
Other characters who could potentially reappear are the bounty hunter Toombs (Nick Chinlund), the Muslim priest Imam (Keith David), and the Elemental Aereon (Judi Dench), all of whom featured prominently in The Chronicles Of Riddick. These characters are less likely to return though, having not appeared since. Based on previous movies, it seems most likely that Riddick 4 will feature a mostly new cast of characters, with only a couple of recurring figures.
When Could Riddick 4: Furya Release?
Filming for Riddick 4 is on track to begin sometime during 2023. Depending on schedules and production times, this means it certainly won’t be released before 2024 and is more likely to hit the cinemas in 2025. There’s also still the possibility this may not be the final Riddick movie. Vin Diesel has hinted in the past that the plans were to make two more Riddick movies. As well as Furya, future movies may still feature The Underverse, the mysterious realm the Necromongers consider their promised land. David Twohy has also stated that he wants to give the saga’s conclusion a sense of finality rather than leaving things open-ended.
No official details have been given yet, and it’s far too early to expect any. One thing’s for certain though. A movie like Riddick 4: Furya being made to follow up a low-budget sci-fi movie released nearly a quarter century ago is the sort of thing that only happens as a passion project. While not always roaring commercial successes, movies like these are often the most compelling, with the longest-lived popularity.
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