At the peak of his powers with the Fast & Furious and Guardians of the Galaxy franchises, Vin Diesel is not only still working to revive both Riddick and xXx, but he has just launched a new bid for an ongoing movie hero in The Last Witch Hunter. And this role is based on something very near and dear to his heart: the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.

The Last Witch HunterVin Diesel stars as Kaulder in The Last Witch Hunter

A long-time D&D enthusiast, Diesel based the film's witch hunter Kaulder on his gaming alter-ego Melkor ("Obviously I stole the name from Tolkien"). And he's thrilled that he has finally been able to make a movie in this genre. "The studio was very excited about making The Last Witch Hunter, and yet because they were coming into my realm, fantasy, my standards were so high," he says. "I've been waiting 10, 15 years to make a fantasy movie. Even longer! Trying to find something in the fantasy space that would be exciting, something that I could do that would speak to that Dungeons & Dragons nerd that I enjoyed being for so much of my life."

More: Read our 'The Last Witch Hunter' Review

Kaulder is cursed with immortality, but even after 800 years Diesel sees him has having the capacity to evolve, and that's what he liked about this story. "The witch aspect didn't interest me so much, although it's very interesting," he says. "What attracted me to the project and character was the dancing between 13th century Kaulder and modern-day Kaulder. You know, playing a character that is immortal, but we get to witness the various stages of his existence. That sounded cool to me."

But in the end, that wasn't the coolest thing about making the movie. "That was working with Michael Caine," he smiles. "He is totally a legend."

Watch The Last Witch Hunter Trailer Here