‘The Last Witch Hunter’ trailer: Vin Diesel shifts gears to fantasy

This time it ain’t just about being fast. The first trailer for “The Last Witch Hunter” has arrived, and the action-fantasy finds “Fast & Furious” star Vin Diesel leaving his muscle car in the garage and picking up a sword.

Set for release Oct. 23 and directed by Breck Eisner (“The Crazies”), “Witch Hunter” tells the story of an immortal warrior named Kaulder (Diesel) who has secretly battled vicious supernatural creatures for centuries. His mission takes him all the way to modern-day New York City, where he once again crosses paths with an old foe.

This being a teaser, there’s not too much revealed, though there are glimpses of Diesel perusing his armory and flashes of supernatural phenomena. Michael Caine shows up in a supporting role reminiscent of his Alfred turn in the “Dark Knight” trilogy, declaring Kaulder “the greatest warrior ... in a war between our world and the next,” and “Game of Thrones” alum Rose Leslie is on board as an uneasy ally.

Diesel is currently riding high on the global success of “Furious 7,” and Lionsgate is no doubt hoping some of that momentum will carry over to “Witch Hunter.” Despite the former film’s popularity, though, “Witch Hunter” could still be a tough sell.

While Diesel has long co-anchored the “Furious” films, he hasn’t quite carried a major action franchise on his own. Moreover, many recent attempts at modern-day fantasies have underwhelmed at the box office, such as “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” and “I, Frankenstein.”

Follow @ogettell on Twitter for movie news.