Hugh Grant set to play the villain in new 'Dungeons & Dragons' movie

Hugh Grant will be getting his cackle on, after being cast as the villain in the long-in-gestation Dungeons & Dragons movie.

He'll be joined by fellow new cast-member Sophia Lillis, who played Beverly Marsh in the It remake movies, and the young Camille Preaker – Amy Adams' character – in the HBO series Sharp Objects.

It's not yet known which villain Grant will be playing, but he's an old hand at the task – he memorably played the dastardly Phoenix Buchanan in Paddington 2.

Grant and Lillis join an increasingly intriguing cast for the movie, based on the iconic role-playing game, and set to be directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the helmsmen of 2018 comedy Game Night, and the writers of the Horrible Bosses movies.

Also on the bill will be Chris Pine, Fast & Furious star Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith and Bridgerton break-out Regé-Jean Page.

The movie has been through a number of iterations.

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Initially, Divergent's Ansel Elgort was all set to star, with Rob Letterman directing.

Then Magic Mike star (and D&D fan) Joe Manganiello picked up the project, but it never came to fruition.

The only major movie adapted from the franchise was back in 2000, featuring Jeremy Irons as Mage Profion, and Justin Whalin as the hero Ridley Freeborn.

Despite additional support from Thora Birch, Richard O'Brien and Doctor Who icon Tom Baker, it tanked at the box office and was thumped by critics.

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