Vin Diesel’s played a street-racing vigilante, a sentient tree, and a deadly alien warrior in recent years, all rough-around-the-edges characters with hearts of gold. In the latest trailer for his upcoming action-fantasy film The Last Witch Hunter, it’s clear that he’s not straying too far from what he does best — and what he does best is pretty fun to watch.
Directed by The Crazies filmmaker Breck Eisner, The Last Witch Hunter casts Diesel as a member of a secret society charged with protecting humanity from the scourge of witches — in this case, various supernatural creatures with powerful abilities. Cursed with immortality by one of the most powerful witches (thereby preventing him from ever reuniting with his loved ones in the afterlife), he outlives his fellow Witch Hunters and becomes the sole protector against centuries of demonic threats that have attempted — and failed — to bring an end to humanity. When the witch who cursed him is resurrected, however, his long life might finally come to an end in one way or another.
Diesel is joined in the cast by an impressive list of supporting actors, including Game of Thrones actress Rose Leslie, the Lord of the Rings franchise actor Elijah Wood, and two-time Academy Award winner Michael Caine. The cast also includes Rena Owen, Julie Engelbrecht, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Isaach De Bankolé, Lotte Verbeek, and Kurt Angle.
Envisioned as the start of a new franchise, The Last Witch Hunter is based on a script penned by Priest writer Cory Goodman. Back in June, Diesel posted on Facebook that development is already underway on a sequel to the film, with the studio asking him to block out time for a follow-up shortly after The Last Witch Hunter hits theaters.
The Last Witch Hunter is scheduled to arrive in theaters October 23.
