4 Jan – Vin Diesel is back as Xander Cage in "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" and the third installment of this action film has just brought on Chinese superstar, Jet Li, who will also be joined by new cast members Tony Jaa, Conor McGregor and Deepika Padukone. Unfortunately, no details have been revealed about the characters Jet Li and Tony Jaa will be playing, therefore it is unknown if they are the good guys or the bad guys. UFC Featherweight Champion, Conor McGregor is also a part of this upcoming film making his debut to the big screen. Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone ("Bajirao Mastani") is another surprise addition to the "xXx" family as she has been confirmed to star opposite Vin Diesel as his leading lady. The 29-year-old recently posted a picture on Instagram with Vin Diesel in front of the "xXx" poster which confirms her arrival to the set.
According to MovieWeb, Diesel also announced that Samuel L. Jackson will be resuming his role as Agent Augustus Eugene Gibbons for the third time. The first film was released in 2002 and was a box office hit although it didn't receive many positive reviews. The sequel which starred Ice Cube in the lead instead of Diesel failed miserably at the box office, but now with the third installment encompassing an all-star cast, it looks like the movie could finally impress. It has been about six years since the planning of this film and it is supposed to start production this month in the Philippines. "xXx: the Return of Xander Cage" is directed by D.J. Caruso with a yet to be announced official release date.