Ice Cube Replaces Vin Diesel

Oh our aching sides. It does our hearts good to hear some of the 'good' ideas that come out of Hollywood. The latest blinder to reduce us to hysterical fits of laughter is news that, instead of re-hiring Vin Diesel for xXx 2 it has been decided (by who, God only knows) that Ice Cube would make a fitting replacement. Yes, rather than developing the films as a franchise for Diesel (who didn't want to shoot another sequel straight after Pitch Black 2), the series will now feature the rap star as another unlikely recruit for the NSA, jive-talking his way through explosive confrontations with enemies of the US. Honestly, wasn't Bad Company enough? "When we made the decision to cast a new lead actor, Cube was the perfect choice," A spokesman from Revolution told Variety. "He is a fantastic actor who has the attitude and versatility required to bring this new character to life." Or perhaps something more closely resembling the truth: a major A-list action star has been replaced by someone who is, and let's be fair to him, a bit rubbish. Perhaps we're being a touch harsh, after all he put on a good show in Three Kings and let's not forget Boyz N The Hood. Still, don't be surprised if Lee Tamahori's sequel to xXx makes a surreptitious debut on the bottom shelf of your local Blockbuster.