While his Fast Five uber-nemesis Dwayne Johnson likes to bring it on Twitter, Vin Diesel still prefers Facebook, and he's just taken to to his page to court some fan reassurance for the still-not-definite third chronicle of Riddick.
"GRRRR..." says Vin. "David Twohy the writer/director just landed in New York with the good news. We can start filming this summer. However, there is a catch... In order for us to make a true R-rated film, I must work for scale upfront. Not unlike the Find Me Guilty experience (which I wouldn't have changed for the world)..."
Find Me Guilty is the 2006 Sidney Lumet gangster biopic (still unreleased in any form in the UK) in which Diesel played Fat Jack DiNorscio (with hair). Scale is minimum wage for actors under SAG guidelines, which for Diesel would amount to a mere $2k a week assuming Riddick 3's budget is more than $2m. Twohy has always made it pretty clear that this was likely.
"Money is always second to art, integrity and spirit," Vin assures us, "but the real issue is deeper. Can I suspend my life, to momentarily venture to that dark place called Riddick. I need to hear from our collective... you. Wisdom and clarity appreciated!"
Is Diesel equivocal about returning to his most iconic role? Is he really, to coin a phrase, a bit meh about the franchise that, through personally-overseen videogames and regular hinting at further instalments, has always seemed quite close to his heart? Is it possible that he's scared of that "dark place"? Whatever would Dwayne say?
One hour, 7,500 comments and 24,000 "likes" later, Vin seemed placated. "I have read so many interesting and intelligent responses to today's post. You all have such great insight... I truly love our page. I am off to another meeting with David to see concept art and discuss the potential schedule..."
The Riddick ball is rolling... or is it?