Vin Diesel signs up for another ‘Riddick’

Thesp will also produce third installment for Universal

TATIANA SIEGEL/Variety

Vin Diesel is going back to the future to topline and produce a third chapter in the “Chronicles of Riddick” franchise.

Universal will handle domestic distribution on the sci-fi film, which is titled “Riddick.” Lionsgate is selling international rights at the Berlin Film Festival.

David Twohy — who wrote and directed the first two films in the series, “Pitch Black” and “The Chronicles of Riddick” — will helm from a screenplay he penned.

Plot details are being kept under wraps. But insiders say the third outing will hew closer in tone to the cult hit “Pitch Black” and will focus on the character of Riddick as opposed to the universe he inhabits, which was the case with the critically panned “Chronicles of Riddick.” Still, “Chronicles of Riddick” earned $116 million worldwide and spawned a successful vidgame series.

Dates are being worked out for “Riddick” so as not to overlap with Universal’s fifth installment of “Fast and Furious,” which will shoot sometime this year with Diesel onboard to star and produce.

Diesel and Samantha Vincent are producing “Riddick” through their One Race Films banner. Radar Films’ Ted Fields is also producing.

Twohy most recently wrote and directed “A Perfect Getaway.”