The cast of “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is a mixture of veteran performers (Hugh Grant, Michelle Rodriguez) and up-and-coming stars (Sophia Lillis, Rege-Jean Page), but the entire ensemble is anchored by Chris Pine, a guy with tons of experience headlining blockbusters thanks to the “Star Trek” and “Wonder Woman” movies. A much earlier version of the project from director Rob Letterman, though, would’ve seen the cast of a “Dungeons & Dragons” reboot led by Ansel Elgort. Fresh off his work in “The Fault in Our Stars,” Elgort was a rising star and a heartthrob: The perfect combination for the lead of a tentpole blockbuster.
What’s especially interesting about Elgort’s casting, though, is his age in contrast to Chris Pine. Born 14 years later than Pine, Elgort’s casting suggests that the original Rob Letterman incarnation of “Dungeons & Dragons” could’ve been aiming for a younger crowd, whereas Pine’s casting, consciously or not, puts the lead of “Honor Among Thieves” in the same age range as many people who got hooked on “Dungeons & Dragons” when it first came out. How Elgort’s casting would’ve helped a new “Dungeons & Dragons” movie at the box office is a puzzle nobody will ever know the answer to, since neither his casting nor this version of the production ever came to pass.
