Michael Caine comes out of retirement after two years; To star alongside Vin Diesel in The Last Witch Hunter 2
The 92-year-old actor, who retired from Hollywood in 2023, is stepping back into his role as Dolan in the upcoming sequel to the 2015 film.
Veteran British actor Michael Caine is stepping out of retirement to return to the big screen. The 92-year-old Oscar-winning actor, who announced his retirement in 2023, is set to reprise his role as Dolan in a sequel to The Last Witch Hunter (2015). The film, starring Vin Diesel as Kaulder, is being developed by Lionsgate and Diesel’s One Race Films.
The 2015 fantasy-action movie followed Vin’s character Kaulder, an immortal witch hunter tasked with protecting humanity from powerful covens. Michael played the 36th Dolan, a priest who assisted Kaulder in his mission. The film grossed around $130 million at the global box office and, despite mixed reviews, has found renewed popularity in streaming, ranking among the most-viewed films on OTT platform this year.
Therefore it makes sense that the makers are looking to capitalise on that success. “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,” Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said in a press release, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
{{/usCountry}}Therefore it makes sense that the makers are looking to capitalise on that success. “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,” Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said in a press release, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
{{/usCountry}}“That enduring enthusiasm made clear there is an appetite for more stories set in this world. 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,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“That enduring enthusiasm made clear there is an appetite for more stories set in this world. 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,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The original film was directed by Breck Eisner and drew inspiration from Vin’s own childhood Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. Alongside Michael and Vin, it starred Rose Leslie as Chloe, a witch who allies with Kaulder, and Julie Engelbrecht as the Witch Queen.
For Michael, who last appeared in The Great Escaper in 2023, this marks a significant return. His decision mirrors his character Dolan’s storyline in the first film, where he postponed his own retirement to continue the fight with Kaulder.
The Last Witch Hunter 2 now promises to bring the unlikely duo of Vin Diesel and Michael Caine back together for another supernatural battle.
