Chris Pine touts Dungeons & Dragons film at San Diego Comic-Con 2022

Hugh Grant, who made his first appearance at the California event, is also set to star in the fantasy flick

Chris Pine presenting 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' during a panel discussion at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 on Thursday. AFP

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 21: Hugh Grant speaks onstage at the "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" panel during 2022 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 21, 2022 in San Diego, California. Kevin Winter / Getty Images / AFP

'Bridgerton' star Rege-Jean Page also stars in the film. AP

The full panel, including writer and director John Francis Daley, Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez on the screen. AP

Michelle Rodriguez participated in the panel discussion. AP

Actress Sophia Lillis. AP

Hugh Grant joked they tired to bring 'Sense and Sensibility', the period drama her starred in in 1995, to Comic-Con 'but were turned away'. AP

Chris Pine had never played Dungeons & Dragons until he was asked to star in a film about the popular role-playing board game — now, he's a convert.

Speaking to thousands of fans in a convention hall at San Diego Comic-Con, Pine said he hoped the big-screen adaptation of the game, due in cinemas next March, would help "spread the gospel of D&D". It's something everyone should play in high school, he said.

"You can get the bully, the jock ... all in a room and I guarantee you in 20 minutes no one will remember what kind of class they came from, or who their best friends are, or who the dork is," he said. "They just want to laugh."

The Wonder Woman actor helped launch the return of the city's comic con for the first time since 2019. The annual, star-studded celebration of superheroes and pop culture was cancelled for two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Organisers said they expect a crowd of 130,000 guests across the weekend.

Dungeons & Dragons co-writer and director John Francis Daley said he aimed for the film to capture the feeling of camaraderie and "family coming together to face obstacles" he experiences when playing the game.

Called Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves the film also stars Fast & Furious actress Michelle Rodriguez, Bridgerton actor Rege-Jean Page and British rom-com favourite Hugh Grant, who said the movie "had a real Monty Python vibe".

The appearance on Thursday marked Grant's first at the city's renowned comic con.

"We did try to come with Sense and Sensibility but were turned away," Grant joked, in reference to the 1995 period film her starred in.

See highlights from day one of San Diego Comic-Con — in pictures