Chris Pine is in negotiations to star in live-action film adaption of Dungeons And Dragons

The effort to develop another live-action film adaption of Dungeons And Dragons has been in the making for more than five years. 

And now there’s word Chris Pine is in negotiations to star in another movie based on the popular fantasy role-playing game from Wizards Of The Coast, which is a subsidiary of Hasbro. 

Paramount is co-producing and will also co-finance the project with Hasbro and eOne studios.

New gig? Chris Pine, 40, is negotiating a deal to star in a live-action film adaption of Dungeons And Dragons; the actor is pictured in Los Angeles in February 2020

If Pine signs on, he will be the first in what is expected to be a star-studded ensemble cast.

He helped launch the Star Trek reboot film series (2009–2016) for Paramount where he played James T. Kirk.

The California native, 40, is also well known to fans for his role as Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman (2017) and the upcoming sequel Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). 

The filmmaking tandem of Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley co-wrote the new Dungeons And Dragon screenplay, based on a draft by Michael Gilion, and will also serve as the directors.  

Massively popular: The upcoming movie is based on the popular fantasy role-playing game from Wizards Of The Coast, which is a subsidiary of Hasbro

Massively popular: The upcoming movie is based on the popular fantasy role-playing game from Wizards Of The Coast, which is a subsidiary of Hasbro

They’re best known for helming the action comedy film Game Night (2018), starring Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman.

The first film adaption of Dungeons And Dragons, for New Line Cinemas, came in 2000 and starred Justin Whalin, Thora Birch, Marlon Wayans, Jeremy Irons and Bruce Payne. It ended up being both a critical and commercial flop, earning $33.8 million on a $45 million budget. 

A made-for-TV stand-alone sequel — Dungeons and Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God — followed in 2005 to mixed reviews at best. The only returning actor was Bruce Payne, who reprised his role as Damodar. 

Another sequel — Dungeons & Dragons 3: The Book of Vile Darkness —  dropped in 2012 and was released Direct-to-DVD in the UK.

Superhero genre: Pine is known to many fans for his role in Woman Woman, opposite Gal Gadot in the titular role

Superhero genre: Pine is known to many fans for his role in Woman Woman, opposite Gal Gadot in the titular role

Back for more: The California native reprises his role as Steve Trevor in the upcoming sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, which is slated to drop on Christmas day in the U.S.

Back for more: The California native reprises his role as Steve Trevor in the upcoming sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, which is slated to drop on Christmas day in the U.S.

This latest iteration of the film series has been in the works since 2015. It was first being developed by Warner Bros. Pictures, with Ansel Elgort being considered for the lead role and Rob Letterman directing.

But after a legal battle between Sweetpea Entertainment and Hasbro over ownership rights, the project was moved to Paramount in 2017, according to Variety. That same year Joe Manganiello revealed that he had been negotiating the rights to make the film, and co-write the script with John Cassel. But that too seemed to fall to the wayside.

By 2019, Chris McKay (also known as Chris Taylor), who made his feature film directorial debut with The Lego Batman Movie (2017), was said to onboard to direct but he was replaced by Goldstein and Daley duo last year. 

Double whammy: Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley co-wrote the new Dungeons And Dragon screenplay, and will also co-direct; the duo are pictured in Los Angeles in July 2019

Double whammy: Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley co-wrote the new Dungeons And Dragon screenplay, and will also co-direct; the duo are pictured in Los Angeles in July 2019

Filming for the fantasy film is expected to begin within the first few months of the new year in Belfast.

The plan is to have eOne distribute the film in the UK and Canada, while Paramount has the rights for the rest of the world.  

The release date was originally slated to be November 2021, but that has since been pushed back to May 27, 2022. 

First stab: The first film adaption of Dungeons And Dragons, for New Line Cinemas, came in 2000 and was a critical and commercial lop; it starred Justin Whalin, Thora Birch, Marlon Wayans, Jeremy Irons and Bruce Payne

First stab: The first film adaption of Dungeons And Dragons, for New Line Cinemas, came in 2000 and was a critical and commercial lop; it starred Justin Whalin, Thora Birch, Marlon Wayans, Jeremy Irons and Bruce Payne