Spider-Man and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi has signed up to make a live-action film version of the fantasy-based computer game World of Warcraft, Variety reports.

Raimi, fresh from critical success with his recent return to horror, Drag Me to Hell, will take on the project after completing work on Spider-Man 4, which is due out next year.

World of Warcraft is the world's most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It is set in a medieval-style fantasy world called Azeroth populated by humans and such Lord of the Rings-style races as orcs, trolls and dwarves, but also the undead and blood elves. Players must choose whether to join the nefarious Horde or the Alliance faction.

The Warcraft universe has developed a global following of more than 11.5 million monthly subscribers since its launch in 1994. The most recent expansion pack, Wrath of the Lich King, sold more than 2.8m copies on its first day of release and more than 4m in its first month.

"Warcraft is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which our studio is best known," said Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros Pictures Group. Raimi added simply: "At its core, Warcraft is a fantastic, action-packed story."

Raimi should prove a popular choice for fans of fantasy. He was executive producer of the long-running TV series Xena: Warrior Princess, and also indulged in swords and sorcery in the third instalment of the Evil Dead series, Army of Darkness.

Adaptations of similar fare have not proved successful in the past, however. Big-screen versions of role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons and shoot 'em up Doom failed to convince the critics, while Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a huge box-office bomb in 2001, taking just $85m worldwide from a $137m budget.