Donnie Yen Joins xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, Jet Li Exits

Vin Diesel shared a xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage behind-the-scenes photo that confirms martial arts master Donnie Yen (Ip Man) has joined the cast.

An anonymous source for Twitch Film informed them that "Yen has been hastily cast to replace Jet Li (Romeo Must Die, The One), who has chosen to exit the project for as-yet officially undisclosed reasons." Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter says Yen is playing the main villain, Xiang.

Yen is best known for his performances in international films, but has appeared in several Hollywood films like Highlander: Endgame (2000), Blade II (2002), Shanghai Knights (2003), and has a role in Gareth Edwards' upcoming movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

xXx 3: The Return of Xander Cage is currently filming in the Dominican Republic.

The third explosive chapter of the blockbuster franchise that redefined the spy thriller finds extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) coming out of self-imposed exile and on a collision course with deadly alpha warrior Xiang and his team in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora's Box. Recruiting an all-new group of thrill-seeking cohorts, Xander finds himself enmeshed in a deadly conspiracy that points to collusion at the highest levels of world governments.

D.J. Caruso (I Am Number Four) is directing xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage. The film is written by Chad St. John (London Has Fallen) with current revisions by F. Scott Frazier (Collide).

XXX: The Return of Xander Cage is expected to be released in 2017.