# Riddick series, what were they thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305 "2012-02-09T12:03:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/1 "2012-02-09T12:03:57Z")
Pitch Black was a real delight, a really enjoyable relatively hard sci fi movie. It managed to create an intriguing background universe while feeling very “authentic”, like Firefly but more grounded. I honestly do not remember if they revealed Riddick as a human alien, my impression was he simply had some cybernetic enhancements. I was looking forward to seeing more adventures in this human dominated future. Then the sequel comes out and the enemies are necromancers?(ok they use the term Necromongers) Uh what?:dubious: They come from a dark region where death has no meaning? :dubious: We’ve got angelic beings flitting around, the movie goes straight into fantasy without even a pretense of being authentic. Its like if the sequel to Alien revealed that Satan himself was behind the xenomorphs:smack: ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/2 "2012-02-09T12:08:35Z")
Are you talking about the sequel that came out in 2004? If you think you’re mad about that, wait till you find out that Bush was re-elected. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/3 "2012-02-09T12:12:08Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > Are you talking about the sequel that came out in 2004? > > If you think you’re mad about that, wait till you find out that Bush was re-elected. There is a third one in production, and you know there are things called DVDs 😉 But yes it was a giant misstep I think to set up a interesting universe, and then to shit all over it. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/4 "2012-02-09T12:13:02Z")
well, they are currently working on Riddick 3, and rumour is they are trying to get the new one a lot closer to Pitch Black, rather than Chronicles. I’m reserving judgement for now, but if they get it right, it could be good… > **['Riddick 3' Titled 'Riddick'; New Set Photos & Synopsis Revealed](https://screenrant.com/riddick-3-title-synopsis-set-photos/)** > > Universal has released the official synopsis for the 'Chronicles of Riddick' sequel, simply titled 'Riddick'. In addition, there are more pics of star Vin Diesel in costume. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/5 "2012-02-09T12:26:06Z")
What were they thinking? They were thinking “How can we make more money by milking the same characters. Do we already have a story we can write them in to? Or can we come up with something fast?” ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/6 "2012-02-09T12:40:19Z")
Twohy seemed like the big new thing back then. But it turned out to produce a mediocre movie after another since then. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/7 "2012-02-09T13:38:04Z")
I love both of the original movies and eagerly await the third one. [Check out my post from 11 years ago about how much I like Pitch Black.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=81541) I had no idea(back then) a sequel was coming and even less clue that it would take 12 years to get two sequels. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/8 "2012-02-09T13:52:20Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I love both of the original movies and eagerly await the third one. > > [Check out my post from 11 years ago about how much I like Pitch Black.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=81541) > > I had no idea(back then) a sequel was coming and even less clue that it would take 12 years to get two sequels. How did you feel about the fantasy elements in the second movie? It just didn’t seem like the same universe as PB. There were parts of the sequel I liked, the opening and the prison for instance which felt like what I imagined the universe to be. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/9 "2012-02-09T13:53:36Z")
My favourite part of _Chronicles_ is when Riddick is getting his ass kicked, truth be told. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/10 "2012-02-09T14:09:04Z")
> [@grude](#): > > How did you feel about the fantasy elements in the second movie? It just didn’t seem like the same universe as PB. I saw it as part one of a trilogy and rather liked it. The director’s cut is better, by the way, and is the copy I’ve seen on DVD the most. ---
**Author:** ![Unpronounceable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de0a6/32.png) [@Unpronounceable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unpronounceable)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/11 "2012-02-09T16:57:26Z")
The only truly amusing bit of the second movie was Vin Diesel teaching Dame Judy to play D&D during downtimes… no, not a joke, really. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/12 "2012-02-09T17:05:04Z")
I saw Chronicles before I saw Pitch Black, and my friend introduced the former to me as ‘Conan in spaaaaaaace’, which seemed a pretty apt description. I enjoyed it as much as I would’ve enjoyed Conan. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/13 "2012-02-09T17:26:03Z")
> [@grude](#): > > my impression was he simply had some cybernetic enhancements. Cybernetic enhancements? On Riddick in Pitch Black? I admit, it has been a long time since I have seen it, but I do not recall anything leading me to think he was a cyborg or anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/14 "2012-02-09T17:29:36Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > Cybernetic enhancements? On Riddick in Pitch Black? I admit, it has been a long time since I have seen it, but I do not recall anything leading me to think he was a cyborg or anything like that. He does say he’s had a"surgical shine job", which could be cyberneticcy ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/15 "2012-02-09T18:03:12Z")
As far as I know that just affected his eyes. Of course, a number of Riddick’s personal feats of strength and agility strain the limits of biology, if not physics. I’d just go with suspension of disbelief. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/16 "2012-02-09T18:08:20Z")
I really liked _Pitch Black_. It was a great, unpretentious little Sci-Fi action thriller that achieved its goal and then some. I don’t know what lofty goals _Chronicles_ was aiming for , but other than some interesting design work, it was a clean miss. I’m cautiously interested in the sequel and will certainly see it, but I’m keeping my expectations low just in case. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/17 "2012-02-10T01:04:05Z")
I had trouble buying that the kid from Pitch Black grew up to be Gwen Raiden in Chronicles of Riddick. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/18 "2012-02-10T01:31:54Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > I had trouble buying that the kid from Pitch Black grew up to be Gwen Raiden in Chronicles of Riddick. Vin Diesel pushed to have the original actress get the role again. He tried to have her workout, build muscle, and get into the right shape for it, but it didn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/19 "2012-02-10T03:56:22Z")
It was pretty simple for me. The star of Pitch Black was Radha Mitchell _and_ Vin Diesel _and_ the space monsters. Remove any one of them and you don’t have a movie. Didn’t have a movie… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305/20 "2012-02-10T04:03:35Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > Cybernetic enhancements? On Riddick in Pitch Black? I admit, it has been a long time since I have seen it, but I do not recall anything leading me to think he was a cyborg or anything like that. He can see in the dark as well as most people can see in bright light. I don’t recall if they say exactly why he can do this, but it is implied that it’s some sort of artificial enhancement. Anyway, I enjoyed the first sequel. Odd place to go after the first one, but I dug the quasi-_Warhammer 40K_ feel to it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddick-series-what-were-they-thinking/612305.md?page=2)