Ranveer Singh is new Don for Farhan Akhtar's 'Don 3'

Mumbai: Bollywood star Ranveer Singh will be stepping into the iconic role of Don for the third part of filmmaker Farhan Akhtar's popular action franchise "Don".

Farhan and his close friend Ritesh Sidhwani's banner Excel Entertainment shared the news on its social media handles, posting a first look video of the actor in the titular character.

"A New Era Begins. #Don3 @ranveersingh @faroutakhtar" the banner wrote on Instagram.

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Ranveer replaces superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who played Don in Farhan's 2006 movie "Don" and its 2011 follow-up "Don 2". The films also featured Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

The franchise started after Excel Entertainment bought the rights to the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 1978 film of the same name, written by veteran writer duo Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan.

The news of Ranveer headlining "Don 3" comes a day after Farhan officially announced the project.

Farhan had said he will take the film series forward in a new interpretation with "an actor whose talent and versatility" he has long admired. It will be released some time in 2025.

"Don 3" marks a reunion between Farhan and Ranveer after they featured together in Zoya Akhtar's 2015 movie "Dil Dhadakne Do".

The filmmaker has penned the story of the third installment in collaboration with Pushkar and Gayatri of "Vikram Vedha" fame.

Musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, consisting of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa, will provide music for the film.

Ranveer currently features in filmmaker Karan Johar's "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani" alongside Alia Bhatt.