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Hugh Grant playing villain in Dungeons & Dragons movie; 'IT' star Sophia Lillis joins campaign as well
Paramount and eOne’s D&D movie crossover isn’t done rolling out the star power. Hugh Grant is reportedly leaving his politeness and genteel charm behind to roll the 20-sided die on the big screen, nabbing the role of the main big baddie in the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie.
Per Deadline, Grant and IT star Sophia Lillis have just joined the growing D&D movie cast, adding to an expanding talent lineup that also includes Chris Pine (Wonder Woman), Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious), Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Detective Pikachu), and Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton).
Beyond being the film's main antagonist, further details on Grant's role, nor Lillis' (nor the rest of the previously-announced cast, for that matter) still aren’t being disclosed. The yet-untitled adaptation comes from Game Night filmmakers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who are writing the screenplay and directing. The duo previously co-wrote the screenplay for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The movie will be distributed by Paramount, with eOne — toymaker Hasbro’s production company — distributing the film in Canada and the U.K., and producing the movie in partnership with former Marvel production SVP Jeremy Latcham (Iron Man, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Bad Times at the El Royale).
Though Grant had a major voice role in Paddington 2 (and once even had a near-miss opportunity to board the Doctor Who franchise), the Golden Globe and BAFTA winner will be treading into rather new genre territory as a D&D movie villain. Stepping into Dungeons & Dragons’ dark fantasy world is a bit less of a leap for Lillis, who's fresh off a pair of recent performances as Bev Marsh — a key member of the Losers’ Club in both chapters of director Andy Muschietti’s hugely successful horror adaptation of Stephen King’s IT.
There’s no word so far on the date when D&D will conjure its big-screen debut, but it’s a safe bet fans will be ready. The Dungeons & Dragons franchise has been enjoying a recent pop culture renaissance, from its core role in capturing the imaginations of the Stranger Things gang to spawning an upcoming TV series from John Wick creator and screenwriter Derek Kolstad. A D&D-inspired video game is also in the works from Wizards of the Coast and developer Tuque Games.
