# XXX (film series)
**XXX** (pronounced Triple X and stylized xXx) is an American action film series created by [Rich Wilkes](https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-wilkes), consisting of three theatrical features, xXx (2002), xXx: [State of the Union](https://www.edgepedia.org/state-of-the-union) (2005), and xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), plus the short film The Final Chapter: The Death of Xander Cage, with a combined worldwide gross of about $694 million.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html) The premise joins espionage to extreme-sports culture: thrill-seeking outsiders are recruited as deniable agents of a [National Security Agency](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-security-agency) program that carries the series' codename.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/52785-xxx-collection)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Films | xXx (Aug 9, 2002), xXx: State of the Union (Apr 29, 2005), xXx: Return of Xander Cage (Jan 20, 2017)[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/) |
| Creators | Created by Rich Wilkes; first film directed by Rob Cohen, written by Wilkes, produced by Neal H. Moritz for Revolution Studios[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614) |
| Domestic grosses | $142,109,382 (2002); $26,873,932 (2005); $44,898,413 (2017)[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/) |
| Series total | $694 million worldwide, of which the 2017 film contributed roughly $350 million, close to half from China[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html) |
| Critical scores | Metascores 48 (2002), 37 (2005), 42 (2017)[5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX) |
| Ownership | Since October 20, 2020, co-owned by Vin Diesel and Xtreme Pictures Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of a Cayman Islands company led by Weying Galaxy under chairman Johnny Hsu[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html) |
| Fourth film | An xXx 4 title entry exists on IMDb; development has been reported since 2018 with no official confirmation[5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX) • [6](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611) |
## Films
**xXx (2002).** Directed by [Rob Cohen](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-cohen), written by Rich Wilkes, and produced by Neal H. Moritz for Revolution Studios, the first film was distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing and rated PG-13.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614) Revolution Studios lists it at 124 minutes and credits [Vin Diesel](https://www.edgepedia.org/vin-diesel), Todd Garner, Arne Schmidt, and George Zakk as producers, with a cast of Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, Marton Csokas, and [Samuel L. Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-l-jackson).[7](https://www.revolutionstudios.com/film/xxx/) The American Film Institute catalog likewise lists a 124-minute runtime.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614) It was a United States–Czech Republic co-production with dialogue in English, Spanish, German, Russian, and Czech, released August 9, 2002.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614)
**xXx: State of the Union (2005).** The sequel swaps in a new lead: Darius Stone, played by Ice Cube, joins the xXx program as a fresh agent and heads to Washington, D.C., where he must thwart a plot to overthrow the U.S. President.[6](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX) It opened April 29, 2005.[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/)
**xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017).** The third film brings Diesel's character back from self-imposed exile, thought long dead; he is recruited into action leading a team of death-defying adrenaline junkies.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/52785-xxx-collection) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX) It was distributed by [Paramount Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount-pictures) and released January 20, 2017.[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/)
**The Final Chapter: The Death of Xander Cage.** This 2005 short film bridged the lead change, explaining Xander Cage's supposed death in [Bora Bora](https://www.edgepedia.org/bora-bora); Xander was played by Diesel's stunt double Khristian Lupo, never showing his face or speaking, with archival Diesel lines used.[6](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611)
## Cast and characters
The protagonist of the first and third films is Xander Cage, an underground thrill-seeker, stuntman, and rebellious athlete recruited as a reluctant spy for the National Security Agency under the codename XXX.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/52785-xxx-collection) • [8](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/xxx) In the 2002 film, NSA Agent Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) forces Cage to infiltrate an underground Russian crime ring to avoid prison.[7](https://www.revolutionstudios.com/film/xxx/) [Asia Argento](https://www.edgepedia.org/asia-argento) and [Marton Csokas](https://www.edgepedia.org/marton-csokas) co-starred in that installment.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614) The second film centers on Darius Stone, played by Ice Cube.[6](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611) Return of Xander Cage marked the Hollywood debut of [Deepika Padukone](https://www.edgepedia.org/deepika-padukone).[6](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611)
## Production and rights
[Revolution Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/revolution-studios) produced the first two films, with Sony Pictures Releasing distributing the 2002 original; Paramount Pictures distributed the 2017 third film.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614) • [3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/) On October 20, 2020, Xtreme Pictures Inc., the U.S.-based film and media investment company and wholly-owned subsidiary of a [Cayman Islands](https://www.edgepedia.org/cayman-islands) company called Xtreme, announced it had acquired and now co-owns the rights with Vin Diesel; Xtreme is a partnership led by Weying Galaxy under chairman Johnny Hsu holding a majority controlling stake.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html)
## By the numbers
Domestic performance fell sharply after the first film and only partly recovered. xXx opened at $44,506,103 in 3,374 theaters on its way to $142,109,382 domestic; State of the Union opened at $12,712,272 in 3,480 theaters and finished at $26,873,932; Return of Xander Cage opened at $20,130,142 in 3,651 theaters and finished at $44,898,413.[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/) Revolution Studios lists $275 million worldwide for the 2002 film,[7](https://www.revolutionstudios.com/film/xxx/) while the 2017 installment grossed roughly $350 million worldwide, of which close to half came from the Chinese market and about 13 percent from the United States.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html) The TMDB collection lists total series revenue of $694,977,295.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/52785-xxx-collection)
Critics were lukewarm throughout, with a dip at the second film: Metascores of 48 for the 2002 film, 37 for State of the Union, and 42 for Return of Xander Cage; IMDb user ratings stand at 4.5 from about 75,000 votes for the second film and 5.2 from about 100,000 votes for the third.[5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX)
## Style and themes
The series' formula sets espionage against extreme-sports counterculture. [Sony Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/sony-pictures)' synopsis presents Xander Cage as a notorious underground thrill-seeker deemed untouchable by the law until recruited under the codename XXX, in a film marketed as coming from the director of The Fast and the Furious.[8](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/xxx) The protagonist then shifts from a lone reluctant recruit (2002) to a new program agent in a government-thriller plot (2005), and finally to a returned Cage leading an ensemble of adrenaline junkies (2017), widening the stunt-driven premise from one athlete to a team.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/52785-xxx-collection) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX)
## Future
A fourth xXx film has been reported in development since 2018, with speculation that Vin Diesel may reprise his role, though no official confirmation has been made.[6](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611) An entry titled xXx 4 appears in IMDb's title search.[5](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX)
## References
1. [Xtreme Pictures Acquires and Produces Vin Diesel xXx Film Franchise, PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtreme-pictures-acquires-and-produces-vin-diesel-xxx-film-franchise-301155511.html)
2. [xXx Collection, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/52785-xxx-collection)
3. [Franchise: xXx Trilogy, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr675778309/)
4. [xXx (2002), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62614)
5. [Advanced title search: XXX, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title=XXX)
6. [XXX Movie Series: A Guide To Watching The Vin Diesel Starrer Movies In Correct Chronological Order, HerZindagi](https://www.herzindagi.com/movies/xxx-movie-series-chronological-order-vin-diesel-donnie-yen-deepika-padukone-article-248611)
7. [xXx, Revolution Studios](https://www.revolutionstudios.com/film/xxx/)
8. [XXX, Sony Pictures Entertainment](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/xxx)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film franchises and series (overviews)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license