Paramount’s upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie has added Bridgerton breakout star Regé-Jean Page to its cast. The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report that Page will have a leading role in the upcoming fantasy movie, joining a star-studded cast that includes Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, and Justice Smith. The actual details of the role beyond that so far are unclear. Page’s star in Hollywood has climbed considerably in recent months after the debut of Bridgerton on Netflix, which has become one of the streaming platform’s top hits.
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In the show, Page played the brooding Duke of Hastings in Bridgerton whose romance with Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) was the focus of the first season. Not only are various oddsmakers betting on Page becoming the next James Bond, but he’s also set to host next weekend’s Saturday Night Live.
Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are set to direct the new Dungeons & Dragons film, which is based on the hit tabletop roleplaying game. Details about the film are scarce, although an earlier script indicated that the movie would involve a group of adventurers seeking out the dreaded Eye of Vecna, a famed artifact in D&D lore.
Dungeons & Dragons has existed for over 40 years and has had a resurgence in popularity thanks to its easy to understand Fifth Edition rules and numerous tie-ins with pop culture properties like Stranger Things. One of the strengths of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise is that the game is almost universally recognized and has a deep portfolio of lore and characters from multiple worlds, all of whom serve as the focus of various secondary novels and video games but only play supporting roles in the games played at the table themselves. eOne, the entertainment arm of Hasbro, is working on multiple D&D projects, including a live-action TV show being developed by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad.
Several animated projects featuring completed D&D campaigns, such as those seen on Critical Role and The Adventure Zone, are also in the work.
A Dungeons & Dragons movie was originally released in 2000 starring Jeremy Irons, Justin Whalin, and Marlon Wayans, and received almost universally negative reviews. Two additional movies had either limited or home releases, before stalling out in 2012. Various studios took aim at revitalizing the franchise after the game’s popularity increased before the project finally entered into more serious talks in late 2019. The movie’s release date was pushed back due to COVID-19, with the movie now set to debut on May 27, 2022.
