An anonymous source close to the production also tells us that Yen has been hastily cast to replace Jet Li, who has chosen to exit the project for as-yet officially undisclosed reasons. Otherwise, however, the international cast of the film remains the same, with Tony Jaa, Deepika Padukone, Toni Collette, Samuel L. Jackson and a rumoured Ice Cube returning, for incoming director D.J. Caruso.
One of the great highlights of the Fast & Furious franchise has been its insanely diverse cast, and it is great to see XXX moving in the same direction. While fans will be disappointed not to see Jet Li and Donnie Yen in the same movie, there is now the very real chance of a Donnie Yen vs Tony Jaa throwdown.
We should also take a moment to give Yen some serious kudos, whose A-list status seems to be finally taking hold in the West, as it has belatedly done in the East.