Diesel isn’t as interested with box office success as he once was.
Do you recall The Last Witch Hunter? There’s a strong possibility you don’t because the film had a whopping $90 million production budget but only grossed $27.4 million in the United States. While the film’s overseas performance wasn’t disastrous, a $147 million worldwide total didn’t exactly scream “franchise starter.” But, despite the fact that The Last Witch Hunter was released over four years ago, the project is still on Vin Diesel’s mind, with the actor and producer pushing for a sequel.
Diesel starred as Kaulder, the warrior who 800 years ago assassinated the Witch Queen (Julie Engelbrecht). But, before she leaves, she bestows an eternity curse on Kaulder. Cut to the current day, where Kaulder is a member of the Axe and Cross, a group dedicated to the abolition of witchcraft. Everything is OK until Dolan the 36th (Michael Caine) is attacked, and Kaulder realizes that the Witch Queen is to blame.
When I spoke with Diesel about his next film Bloodshot on March 13th, I asked him how he moves forward when a passion project doesn’t go as planned. Diesel described using The Last Witch Hunter as an example:
To justify the expense, large budget films need to find an audience during their theatrical release, according to distributors. When you consider how accessible movies become thanks to streaming and VOD outlets after their theatrical runs, Diesel makes a valid point. Box office receipts aren’t the be-all and end-all if getting eyes on your finished film is your primary concern:
What’s the result of that “wow” reaction? Discussions of a sequel to The Last Witch Hunter:
That’s all there is to it! There’s some activity on The Last Witch Hunter 2 at Lionsgate.