Filming continues on ‘XXX: The Return of Xander Cage’ that is set to see Irish UFC star Conor McGregor (27) make his film debut alongside Hollywood tough guy Vin Diesel.
However, his involvement has been left in doubt after his crushing defeat to Nate Diaz at UFC 196. Reports at the end of March were that he was quitting the role to focus on his training. He is set for a rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 200 in July.
There has been no confirmation that he has dropped out of the movie however and he is still listed on IMDB as a cast member.
This will be Diesel’s second outing as the secret agent dubbed the alternative to James Bond. As well as McGregor, it also stars martial arts stars Jet Li and Tony Jaa.
Diesel (48) didn’t appear in the 2005 sequel that starred Ice Cube but has returned for the third one in the franchise. The star-best known for the Fast and the Furious franchise-appeared as Xander Cage in XXX for the first time in 2002.
In the new film, Xander Cage is left for dead after an incident, though he secretly returns to action for a new, tough assignment with his handler Augustus Gibbons, played by veteran actor Samuel L Jackson who was in the last two.
The long delayed film is being directed by DJ Caruso and is due for release in 2017.
Diesel has posted numerous pictures to his Facebook page of filming, including a picture of himself with some of the crew. Of this he said: “The Director, producers and myself sitting in wonder as we take in the artistry of the many craftsmen that have built these amazing sets. You can tell the first day what level of crew you will be working with and it is clear that XXX has the very best.”
There have been few details yet on McGregor’s character but it is believed he is playing one of the bad guys who face off against Diesel. His character is named as Fergus. The new role could be a new departure for the star as a Hollywood action hero.
Earlier this year Hollywood actor Vin Diesel posted a picture on of himself and McGregor together on Instagram.
“Timing and precision… The casting of the new XXX gets more exciting every day,” he captioned the picture.
Diesel has never been as busy. Fast 8 is in post-production and Fast and the Furious 9 and 10 have already been announced. He is also voicing Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
