"Pitch Black" was the final film credit of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, which merged with Universal Pictures during production. It was shot on a modest budget of US$23 million. Despite mixed reviews from critics, it was a sleeper hit, grossing over $53 million worldwide and developing its own cult following, particularly around the antihero Riddick. A sequel, "The Chronicles of Riddick", was released in 2004 by Universal, with Diesel back as the title character and Twohy returning as writer and director. A third film, simply titled "Riddick", was released in 2013, with Diesel and Twohy reuniting again.