Vin Diesel says his "episodic" approach to filmmaking is inspired by playing 'Dungeons and Dragons'.

Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel

The 49-year-old actor has returned to his role as daredevil operative Xander Cage new action flick 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage', has starred in five films in 'The Fast and the Furious' racing franchise and played Riddick three times in 'The Chronicles of Riddick' sci-fi series.

Diesel's appetite to tell stories over multiple chapters comes from his love of the globally successful fantasy tabletop role-playing game which can sometimes take "months and years" to complete.

Speaking to HeyUGuys, he said: "Being a kid that spent so much of his life rolling dice and playing 'Dungeon and Dragons' affected the way I approached work. 'Dungeons and Dragons', like nothing else, was a game where you engaged in a campaign that lasted months and years. And kind of taking that approach to filmmaking, I guess, influenced me. I guess I kind of took an episodic approach to filmmaking."

'Dungeons & Dragons' was designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR) and is a tactical war game played out using mythical miniature figurines and platforms to create armies, kingdoms and weaponry and polyhedral dice and are used to resolve random events.

Characters include a Dungeon Master, a warrior and his band of mystical creatures and it has continued to fascinate children and adults alike ever since.

A new movie based on the game is in development and will be directed by Rob Letterman with a script being penned by 'The Conjuring 2' writer David Leslie Johnson.

Ansel Elgort is in talks to star in 'Dungeons and Dragons' and Diesel has expressed an interest in being part of the film due to his love of the game.

'Dungeons and Dragons' was previously brought to life on the big screen in 2000 and the film starred Jeremy Irons, Marlon Wayans and Zoe McLellan.