Although getting David Twohy’s Riddick on the big screen took a lot of work, star Vin Diesel said making the sequel was like “going home again.”
Once executives at Universal Pictures decided against bankrolling the next installment of the sci-fi franchise, Diesel and Twohy began figuring out ways to finance the project. The Fast and Furious 6 alum said he leveraged his own home in order to fund the follow-up.
During his chat with The Associated Press , Vin Diesel explained that he and David Twohy traveled around the world in search of investors. A lot of work took place while the actor was in-between Fast and Furious projects .
At the end of the day, Vin Diesel said they were able to raise approximately $40 million to bring Riddick back to life. The star said moviegoers have connected with the character despite the fact that he’s essentially a bad guy.
“He’s tangible for them. I think the idea of a character that has been misread, overlooked, and given up on is very fascinating to people,” he told the AP .
Although it’s been several years since Diesel and Twohy worked on The Chronicles of Riddick , the actor said they fell into their old groove once filming began on the sequel.
“No matter what part of the world we’re in, whether it’s the Australian outback where we shot ‘Pitch Black,’ or Vancouver where we filmed the second movie, or inside an old train depot in Montreal where we shot ‘Riddick,’ it just feels like home when we’re together making a Riddick movie,” Vin Diesel explained.
According to The Hollywood Reporter , the actor was so committed to the project that he leveraged his own home in order to get the necessary funds. The Fast and Furious 6 star admitted that he would have been homeless had they not finished the movie.
“We had to learn how to be independent filmmakers again,” the director said.
Vin Diesel fans can catch Riddick in theaters beginning September 5.
[Image via Universal Pictures]
