Deepika Padukone to return for xXx 4? Movie director reveals whether Serena will be back

It’s been announced that Vin Diesel has purchased the right to the xXx franchise, after starring in the lead role.

According to a Deadline report, the fourth instalment will now officially go ahead – with Diesel and director DJ Caruso both set to return.

Filming could well get underway before the end of 2018, after Caruso previously made it known last year that he was planning the next adventure.

2017’s xXx: The Return of Xander Cage didn’t do particularly well in the US but it found much more success overseas, thanks to names like Donnie Yen leading the charge in China.

And though casting news hasn’t been confirmed just yet, Caruso tweeted a long time ago that he was hoping to unite everyone – including Padukone.

Her official comeback to the saga as Serena presumably depends on her other commitments, with rumours last month suggesting she had another Hollywood project in the diary for later this year.

But Caruso had tweeted last summer: “All coming back.”

He also said when directly asked if Padukone’s character Serena will be involved: “Oh yes.”

What’s more, he had confirmed to Express.co.uk that he hoped to make another film in the franchise.

“Yeah, we’re discussing the story and how to make that all work, and which characters,” he said.

“[We’re] trying to get everyones schedules to line up again. It’s definitely a discussion because it did so well around the globe.”

He added: “The business side makes sense and the group of us had so much fun making it, we’d love to get back together again.”

Padukone recently hit headlines for her role in Padmaavat, a hugely controversial Bollywood epic.

Despite backlash that even included death threats, it did very well at the Indian box office and helped cement Padukone as one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars.

xXx 4 does not currently have a release date.