Michael Caine may be stepping out of retirement to reprise his role in a sequel to ‘The Last Witch Hunter,’ now in development at Lionsgate. The 92-year-old Oscar-winning actor is in talks to return alongside Vin Diesel, who will once again headline the fantasy action franchise. The follow-up is being fast-tracked by Lionsgate in partnership with Diesel’s production company, One Race Films.

While Caine’s deal has not yet been finalized, he is expected to return as Dolan, the priest who guided Diesel’s immortal warrior Kaulder in the 2015 original. In that film, the duo fought to prevent a devastating plague unleashed by a witch queen.

The first ‘Last Witch Hunter’ was a passion project for Diesel, inspired by his longtime love of ‘Dungeons & Dragons.’ He has said that Kaulder was modeled after a character from his own tabletop campaigns, named Melkor the Witch Hunter. Released in October 2015, the movie earned $27 million at the domestic box office but fared better overseas, grossing $119 million internationally. Its resurgence on digital platforms and streaming, including a recent run as one of Netflix’s most-watched titles, has fueled Lionsgate’s decision to revisit the property nearly a decade later.

“‘The Last Witch Hunter’ has grown since its theatrical release into a global fan favorite, with audiences continuing to discover and rewatch it across every platform over the past decade. That enduring enthusiasm made clear there is an appetite for more stories set in this world,” said Adam Fogelson in a statement confirming the sequel, the Lionsgate Motion Picture group chair. “Vin and I have partnered many times over the years, and he is a true force in our industry. I’m thrilled to be reuniting with him as he returns to this iconic role, and excited by how advancements in filmmaking technology now allow us to economically deliver a sequel on an even more ambitious scale.”

If Caine signs on, the film would mark his first big-screen role since officially announcing his retirement in 2023 at the age of 90. His farewell performance was in Oliver Parker’s ‘The Great Escaper,’ a drama about a World War II veteran who sneaks out of his care home to attend a D-Day commemoration.

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