Vin Diesel may be best known for burning rubber in the Fast & Furious franchise, but his other iconic role—the antihero Riddick—has been a fan favorite for over two decades. If you've been meaning to revisit those gritty sci-fi adventures, now's the time: all three Riddick films are leaving Netflix on August 31, 2026.
The 2013 installment, simply titled Riddick, is the one getting the most attention. It's a 119-minute survival thriller that sees Diesel's character stranded on a hostile planet, hunted by mercenaries and surrounded by deadly creatures. The movie also features Karl Urban (The Boys) and Katee Sackhoff (The Mandalorian), and it was made on a reported $38 million budget. While it didn't set the box office on fire, it has found a loyal following on streaming—until now.
Netflix recently added Riddick to its library, but the streaming giant has confirmed it will pull the film at the end of the month. That means August 31 is your last chance to watch it on the platform. And it's not just the 2013 movie—the entire saga is disappearing. Pitch Black (2000), the film that introduced Riddick, and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), the ambitious space opera sequel, are also being removed. No new streaming home has been announced for any of them.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Pitch Black is a lean, tense thriller about a group of crash survivors on a desolate planet where the sun never sets—until it does, unleashing a swarm of nocturnal predators. Riddick, a dangerous convict with surgically enhanced eyes, becomes their unlikely savior. The sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, expands the mythology with a galaxy-spanning war and a villainous empire, but it's the grittier, more grounded tone of the original that many fans still prefer.
Diesel's career has been defined by franchises. He's currently gearing up for Fast Forever, which is slated for a March 27, 2028 release, though his co-star Alan Ritchson has expressed doubts about that timeline. Beyond that, Diesel is attached to a Fast & Furious TV series for Peacock, where he'll serve as a producer and might even reprise his role as Dominic Toretto. He's also reportedly working on a sequel to The Last Witch Hunter and another Riddick movie, but neither has a confirmed release date.
If you're a fan of Diesel's other work, you might also want to check out some of the other titles leaving Netflix soon. For instance, Gerard Butler's heist thriller is also departing in September, and Chadwick Boseman's final theatrical film is on its way out too. But for now, the focus is on Riddick.
So, before the clock strikes midnight on August 31, make some popcorn, dim the lights, and watch Vin Diesel do what he does best—survive against impossible odds. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer curious about the character, these movies are worth your time. And who knows? Maybe this departure is just a temporary goodbye, and Riddick will find a new home soon. Until then, stream it while you can.
