Word coming in from Variety is that Diesel will both produce and star in a new untitled action-thriller, penned by UNKNOWN scribes Oliver Butcher (Dr. JEKYLL AND MS. HYDE) and Stephen Cornwell (KILLING STREETS). Unfortunately, we’re not being given anything else to go on as the film’s story is being kept under wraps at the moment. Diesel and his One Race Productions partner Samantha Vincent did, however, say that “Butcher and Cornwell understand how to write intelligent action thrillers that translate to an international audience.” UNKNOWN was a lot of things, but “intelligent” was certainly not one of them. Thing is, what the heck else are they going to say about the writers of their own movie? UNKNOWN did make slightly more money overseas than it did in North America, though that’s likely attributed to how the film was sold (i.e. like another TAKEN). But the real key is that UNKNOWN was made cheap. If they can follow suit here, they might have something again.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I like Vin Diesel a lot. Like Dwayne Johnson, he’s got tons of charisma and a great screen presence (plus he can act). The success he’s garnered from just two franchises – and with THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, it’s major success – is really well-deserved. But somehow the guy always comes up short when picking films outside of them. I don’t know if this new project will change that, but I’m always hopeful. What do you guys think?