British actor Cary Elwes said it would be a “pity” to remake cult comedy film The Princess Bride.

Elwes starred opposite Robin Wright in the 1987 fantasy adventure movie, which tells the story of a farmhand who must rescue his true love, a princess, from the grips of a prince.

While it was a modest box office success upon its release, it has since earned cult status.

And its popularity has attracted the eye of “very famous names” in Hollywood looking to “redo” the film,  according to Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra.

However Elwes, who recently appeared in Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things, is not a fan of the idea.

He said: “There’s a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one.”

The Princess Bride is adapted from William Goldman’s 1973 novel of the same name and also stars Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn and Andre the Giant.

Rob Reiner, whose other credits include  Stand by Me,  When Harry Met Sally… and A Few Good Men, directed the film.

It was a hit with critics upon its release though did not set the box office on fire, earning a reported 30.9 million US dollars (£24 million) against its budget of 16 million US dollars (£12.8 million).

London-born Elwes, 56, later wrote a best-selling book about the film’s production.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From The Making Of The Princess Bride, offered a behind-the-scenes look at the movie.

In 2006, The Princess Bride was inducted into the US National Film Registry, being deemed as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.