# D&D Movie Takes Cues From GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY



## jinnetics (Feb 23, 2016)

Nice. Do go on...


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## Jester David (Feb 23, 2016)

Sounds perfect to me. 
Guardians of the Galaxy (or Farscape) is just the tone I want for a D&D movie. 

Because the heroes of D&D aren't serious. They're sarcastic and irreverent, often as ready with a pop culture reference as a serious retort. However, the stakes are real and the villain is a genuine threat; actual action and drama happens, but the protagonists aren't overly serious. 
D&D is fun. It's a game. It isn't a drama and we cannot take it seriously. LotR and Warcraft can be all serious and straight with dialogue straight from a Ren Faire, but a D&D movie should have the party walk up to Saruman and the fighter should call him out for hiding in a tower.

Or, as was said on Twitter, this is just what the John Rogers D&D comic book was like.


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## icosahedron20 (Feb 23, 2016)

Chris Pratt as a bumbling wizard where everything goes wrong but turns out right.


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## GrumpyGamer (Feb 23, 2016)

I expect this tone to work very well.   In my experience, most role playing games at some point in the campaign descend into silliness and eventually need to be pulled back in order to complete the plot - this seems to be a staple of having a bunch of people around a table having fun. This same spirit should be part of the movie.

I think we should get a chance to see how this works with the Minsc and Boo in Ravenloft comic.


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## Ralif Redhammer (Feb 23, 2016)

All sounding good. An irreverent but earnest tone sounds a lot like The Gamers movies, which is no bad thing by my book.

The Yawning Portal means Waterdeep on screen, and perhaps Undermountain as well.


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## Acr0ssTh3P0nd (Feb 23, 2016)

Scriptwriter Leslie Johnson says "I believe they see Dungeons & Dragons as something that could be cultivated as a multi-universe movie where there will be spinoffs from the first movie being in Forgotten Realms and subsequent movies being in different worlds."


YES. YES YES YES. 

When they announced the movie, I said they should do that. Start in the FR, move out to do different universes after 3-4 FR films with different tones for each. Dark Sun for the actually-serious, gritty, small-struggle big-world film, Eberron for the "Airships! Robots! Lightning rails!" movie, Planescape for the weird, slightly-trippy "a thousand dimensions" movie...


My god. This could actually be good.


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## Mortellan (Feb 23, 2016)

Quite interesting. Hope it works out. Can't do much better than Undermountain for dungeons in FR. Now, I won't buy the spin-off tease until I see movie #1.


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## Marius Delphus (Feb 23, 2016)

Michael Fassbender might make a good Strahd....


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## callinostros (Feb 23, 2016)

Didn't they try (and fail miserably) with adding humor (of which GotG was full of) with Marlon Wayans/Snails?


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## Marius Delphus (Feb 23, 2016)

Yes, they did. But there's a difference between a determined effort to make one character "the comic relief" and a determined effort to write wryly self-aware characters into inherently ridiculous but still serious situations that they can quip about but still act seriously toward. Not that GOTG was high art. But the screenwriting was orders of magnitude better.


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## ninjayeti (Feb 23, 2016)

Funny, Guardians director James Gunn just posted a lengthy Facebook rant on how Hollywood sees a successful film like Guardians (and now Deadpool) and everyone thinks if they can just copy that magic formula their own movie will be a success.  And now we hear the D&D movie is going to copy the magic formula from Guardians....

An excerpt from Gunn's post below (some of the rest is NSFW):

After every movie smashes records people here in Hollywood love to throw out the definitive reasons why the movie was a hit. I saw it happen with Guardians. It "wasn't afraid to be fun" or it "was colorful and funny" etc etc etc. And next thing I know I hear of a hundred film projects being set up "like Guardians," and I start seeing dozens of trailers exactly like the Guardians trailer with a big pop song and a bunch of quips. Ugh.
Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

https://www.facebook.com/jgunn/posts/10153162287591157


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## Marius Delphus (Feb 23, 2016)

Looked at charitably, the reference to GOTG (and Raiders of the Lost Ark) could simply indicate that the filmmakers are seeking a change in tone from what's gone before, not necessarily to lift the "formula" (whatever that is) intact from another film. Gunn is (presumably) right in that the "money" in Hollywood tends to flow toward projects with something "bankable," whether that's pedigree, star power, or formula. I think he's also right to decry the notion (that is apparently in some investors' heads) that all a future film has to do is simply copy the Guardians or Deadpool "formula" (again, whatever that is) to be successful.

So filmmakers will continue to talk about their films in terms of what's gone before to make investors (and the movie-going public) feel less insecure about spending money on their movie, but hopefully, like Gunn says, they will also look to their own vision and not to rote copying of what's gone before in search of a "surefire thing."

I say we wait and see. This may just be Hollywood-ese, shorthand for the idea that a lot of fantasy films are dire and serious in tone, and that the D&D movie team is looking instead for a film that is more "wahoo" and adventurous.


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## Hand of Evil (Feb 23, 2016)

Still think they will do it as an animation movie, just do not see this being done in any other format.  Fantasy movie cannot be successful at the box office, they just do not appeal to the general public, unless done as an animation.  

The Mermaid may be an fluke  but having not seen it not sure.


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## Tonguez (Feb 23, 2016)

Willow has been the best D&D movie to date and to me got the right mix of useless level 1 magicuser, irreverent humour and story intensity.

Guardians was good too

and does Multiverse mean Spelljammers!!!


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## RangerWickett (Feb 23, 2016)

Hand of Evil, did you not hear of The Lord of the Rings?

The public doesn't like mediocre fantasy movies. Get Tolkien to write it, and you're good. Ask me to do it, and it'll tank.


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## Kramodlog (Feb 23, 2016)

I can't wait for the Ranger, the central character, to play the mix tape his mom gave him before she died. 

In D&D 2 we found out he is half-celestial.


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## trappedslider (Feb 23, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> Still think they will do it as an animation movie, just do not see this being done in any other format.  Fantasy movie cannot be successful at the box office, they just do not appeal to the general public, unless done as an animation. .






Ummm...what would you classify LotR as?  in fact here: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=liveactionfantasy.htm ;looks like a number of fantasy live action movies have been successful at the box office


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## Xavian Starsider (Feb 23, 2016)

ninjayeti said:


> Funny, Guardians director James Gunn just posted a lengthy Facebook rant on how Hollywood sees a successful film like Guardians (and now Deadpool) and everyone thinks if they can just copy that magic formula their own movie will be a success.  And now we hear the D&D movie is going to copy the magic formula from Guardians....




I understand the concern, but  am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Yes, there's an obvious correlation but GOTG did not invent humorous ensemble films.

The description says they ARE trying to break the formula of fantasy films like Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. And that was Gunn's point. That you imitate GOTG by breaking the formula; not adhering to it.

That doesn't mean you have to change every part however. That path leads to madness.

But an ensemble fantasy movie with quirky surprising "heroes" and over the top action? I haven't seen this yet in the fantasy genre. How To Train Your Dragon comes closest. And the humor in that movie hit every note perfectly.


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## Xavian Starsider (Feb 23, 2016)

trappedslider said:


> Ummm...what would you classify LotR as?  in fact here: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=liveactionfantasy.htm ;looks like a number of fantasy live action movies have been successful at the box office




Not to mention Harry Potter's 8 (soon to be 9) movies. And several Narnia. Wizard of Oz? Dragonheart? Clash of the Titans? The other Clash of the Titans? Percy Jackson? Eragon? Malificent? The Neverending Story? Yeah, there's been a few.


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## Xavian Starsider (Feb 23, 2016)

Here's what I'm curious about. Tie-in fiction. A novelization is a sure bet. Hopefully some surrounding fiction.as well (like the short stories released as e-books before The Force Awakens)

The Realms has a rich history of published fiction. So knowing that it almost certainly will exist, who will be writing it?


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## Ryujin (Feb 23, 2016)

Making a movie about a role playing game in which a group of players work towards a common goal into an ensemble piece movie is a no-brainer. Script it the way that the game is played.

Now they just have to get Matt Vancil to write it, because he's done it so many times before.


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## devincutler (Feb 23, 2016)

As a movie producer and someone tangentially involved in the original piece of poop D&D movie, I can only say I see nothing good coming of adopting this tone for the film. Some humour is fine, but I fear this is going to turn into a travesty. While many at home campaigns have humour in them, the actual FR novels and the published adventures do not. I am not saying a witticism or amusing banter or scene is not warranted, but making the entire movie an "irreverent romp" is troublesome. It is far too easy to miss the mark on tone in such movies, and with Deadpool's success, the tendency is going to be to overdo it.

What a D&D movie should do is amaze with its strange creatures and ubiquity of magic...something that sets it well apart from LOTR.


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## dave_in_TX (Feb 23, 2016)

I know it just may not be "doable" but I would like to see a D&D movie with people playing the game and the game was the fantasy action movie.  They could jump between the players and the fantasy action using some humorous "fourth wall" interplay (think Deadpool) between the players and adventure characters.

Just sayin'
Dave_in_tx


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## Ryujin (Feb 23, 2016)

dave_in_TX said:


> I know it just may not be "doable" but I would like to see a D&D movie with people playing the game and the game was the fantasy action movie.  They could jump between the players and the fantasy action using some humorous "fourth wall" interplay (think Deadpool) between the players and adventure characters.
> 
> Just sayin'
> Dave_in_tx




See my previous comment about Matt Vancil (Dead Gentlemen Productions/Zombie Orpheus Entertainment; The Gamers Series), though the action isn't at Hollywood levels.


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## cmad1977 (Feb 23, 2016)

I have zero confidence that a D&D movie will be a 'hit' or even 'good'.


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## Tonguez (Feb 23, 2016)

dave_in_TX said:


> I know it just may not be "doable" but I would like to see a D&D movie with people playing the game and the game was the fantasy action movie.  They could jump between the players and the fantasy action using some humorous "fourth wall" interplay (think Deadpool) between the players and adventure characters.
> 
> Just sayin'
> Dave_in_tx




Sorry but a fourth wall crossing movie of a bunch of nerds around a table X a high fantasy realm sounds kind of painful. Maybe using the Players as a Frame to the real fantasy story might work - Anyone remember the old DnD novel where the players merge with their characters and have braclets with spinning dive in them? irc the main character is named Milo.

may be that

or the DnD Cartoon


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## Von Ether (Feb 23, 2016)

For my vote, Ebberon would be a natural fit with its pulpy outlook and "low level/ high adventure" motto.


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## Hand of Evil (Feb 24, 2016)

trappedslider said:


> Ummm...what would you classify LotR as?  in fact here: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=liveactionfantasy.htm ;looks like a number of fantasy live action movies have been successful at the box office



Possible flukes too, but had massive budgets and marketing. Most have failed and a live action D&D movie will fail like Conan, Hercules (did make money overseas), Seventh Son, Pan.  Yes, LotR and Harry did well but they did not have a history of disappointment that D&D movies have.  

Tell you what, If Gods of Egypt does well, I will agree and say a live action D&D movie will work.


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## Tonguez (Feb 24, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> Possible flukes too, but had massive budgets and marketing. Most have failed and a live action D&D movie will fail like Conan, Hercules (did make money overseas), Seventh Son, Pan.  Yes, LotR and Harry did well but they did not have a history of disappointment that D&D movies have.
> 
> Tell you what, If Gods of Egypt does well, I will agree and say a live action D&D movie will work.




I think you're looking at the wrong definition of fail. Sure the Studios take the mega blockbuster billion dollars in opening weekend as their marker of success, but for most people who aren't working for Hollywood making a profit on international release is pretty much the thing that counts. 

for instance Dragonheart only ranks 30th for opening profits in 1996, but I for one consider it a successful fantasy movie


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## Curmudjinn (Feb 24, 2016)

I want this to be good. My kids love D&D as much as I, and I want it to be good, for all of us.

That said, I really, really hope they don't use real-world songs for the movie. Please write a real score.

And absolutely no shiny-lipstick-Damodar-like guy. Ever.


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## MechaPilot (Feb 24, 2016)

Thought this might be relevant.



[video=youtube;8JvVJWYTsrw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JvVJWYTsrw[/video]


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## inkhorn (Feb 24, 2016)

Marius Delphus said:


> Michael Fassbender might make a good Strahd....




I think the artwork looks like Has Matheson in Sherlock Holmes (2009)


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## Brodie (Feb 24, 2016)

This could either be a smart move or a really stupid based-on-hot-new-takes-on-a-geek-genre move by Hollywood. Fantasy is JUST NOW starting to take off as a truly viable film genre (thanks to all the grown up geeks with disposable income both going to see the movies and make the movies), helped mostly by Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and partially by superhero movies (because superhero have to have a bit of the fantastic to them... except if they're the Fantastic Four).

I agree with Jester that D&D movie should poke fun at stuff, a fighter calling out a wizard for hiding in a tower and such. Hopefully a good writer is brought on and the studio doesn't mess with the script too much. After Deadpool, I also hope the studio is willing to be a little more liberal with situations in the movie. Not necessarily the language, just ridiculous situations. Maybe get Vin Diesel to play Minsc. Imagine him shouting 'Go for the eyes, Boo!' and I bet you won't be able to get that thought out of your head.

I'm serious about getting Vin Diesel. The man loves gaming, he's passionate about things he's in, he tries to ensure things he's in are at least entertaining, and he'd probably help bankroll the movie. But his schedule probably wouldn't permit him to be in anything D&D related for quite a while.

I just hope that the movie is treated with respect for the source material and not turned into a farce.


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## Curmudjinn (Feb 24, 2016)

Just put the Icewind Dale Trilogy in Spielberg's hands and take my money.


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## MonsterEnvy (Feb 24, 2016)

if the Yawning Portal is involved then I am guessing that Undermountain will be as well.


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## Xavian Starsider (Feb 24, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> Tell you what, If Gods of Egypt does well, I will agree and say a live action D&D movie will work.




Completely arbitrary. I could counter by saying that if DreamWorks' Trolls doesn't suck ochre jelly, they should consider animation.

Luckily, neither your opinion nor rmine matters. The studio has decided.


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## dwelwell (Feb 24, 2016)

*Yes, I think the are on to something...*

After all, anything is likely better than the original....



NecronPariah said:


> Scriptwriter Leslie Johnson says "I believe they see Dungeons & Dragons as something that could be cultivated as a multi-universe movie where there will be spinoffs from the first movie being in Forgotten Realms and subsequent movies being in different worlds."
> 
> 
> YES. YES YES YES.
> ...


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## horacethegrey (Feb 24, 2016)

If the filmmakers are wanting a _Guardians of the Galaxy_ vibe for the film, why not simply adapt John Roger's (_Leverage_) _D&D_ comic from IDW?

View attachment 74900

You have a group of five adventurers tackling dangerous situations while talking snark to each other. I think that perfectly captures the GOTG vibe the filmmakers are looking for. Now given the film is set in the Forgotten Realms, they're more likely to feature new characters, but it'd be great if they were similar to the Fell's Five party.


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## PezlerPolychromatic (Feb 24, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> Still think they will do it as an animation movie, just do not see this being done in any other format.  Fantasy movie cannot be successful at the box office, they just do not appeal to the general public, unless done as an animation.
> 
> The Mermaid may be an fluke  but having not seen it not sure.




Ha ha, I see what you did there.


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## PezlerPolychromatic (Feb 24, 2016)

Brodie said:


> This could either be a smart move or a really stupid based-on-hot-new-takes-on-a-geek-genre move by Hollywood. Fantasy is JUST NOW starting to take off as a truly viable film genre (thanks to all the grown up geeks with disposable income both going to see the movies and make the movies), helped mostly by Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and partially by superhero movies (because superhero have to have a bit of the fantastic to them... except if they're the Fantastic Four).
> 
> I agree with Jester that D&D movie should poke fun at stuff, a fighter calling out a wizard for hiding in a tower and such. Hopefully a good writer is brought on and the studio doesn't mess with the script too much. After Deadpool, I also hope the studio is willing to be a little more liberal with situations in the movie. Not necessarily the language, just ridiculous situations. Maybe get Vin Diesel to play Minsc. Imagine him shouting 'Go for the eyes, Boo!' and I bet you won't be able to get that thought out of your head.
> 
> ...




I totally second Vin Diesel as Minsc. He would throw himself into that role so hard. Even if the rest of the movie sucked, his performance would be awesome.


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## Ryujin (Feb 24, 2016)

horacethegrey said:


> If the filmmakers are wanting a _Guardians of the Galaxy_ vibe for the film, why not simply adapt John Roger's (_Leverage_) _D&D_ comic from IDW?
> 
> View attachment 74900
> 
> You have a group of five adventurers tackling dangerous situations while talking snark to each other. I think that perfectly captures the GOTG vibe the filmmakers are looking for. Now given the film is set in the Forgotten Realms, they're more likely to feature new characters, but it'd be great if they were similar to the Fell's Five party.




I've got a sneaking suspicion that there won't be a Tiefling in the movie, unless it's a villain. It really wouldn't play well in Middle America/the Bible Belt. I don't think that Wizards would like to see a resurgence of the demon panic of the early/mid-1980s.


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## allenw (Feb 24, 2016)

Lucifer himself is fighting crime on Fox.  I don't think a Tiefling will dissuade anyone who would otherwise see the movie.  Sure, some people will complain, but they aren't the target audie4nce.


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## Zarithar (Feb 24, 2016)

Xavian Starsider said:


> Not to mention Harry Potter's 8 (soon to be 9) movies. And several Narnia. Wizard of Oz? Dragonheart? Clash of the Titans? The other Clash of the Titans? Percy Jackson? Eragon? Malificent? The Neverending Story? Yeah, there's been a few.




You beat me to it 

Fantasy has been killing it at the box office for over a decade now, sometimes regardless of the actually quality of the movie in question (I'm looking at you Hobbit trilogy...although it is kind of a guilty pleasure).


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## horacethegrey (Feb 24, 2016)

I think you've forgotten about a certain horned demonlike character who was clearly a hero to appear in a movie.

View attachment 74904

Besides, the fact that this is _Dungeons & Dragons_, a property that ignorant people tried to brand as a Satanic influence during the 80's, is sure to turn some people away. Like allenw said, they're not the target audience. I mean, the Bible Belt complained about _Harry Potter_ and the books and the movies still made billions.


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## Ryujin (Feb 24, 2016)

I think that they might be a little more sensitive about the issue than the producers of those other properties considering they started re-branding certain creatures in the Monster Manuals over it, in the past. We'll see, I guess.


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## broghammerj (Feb 24, 2016)

trappedslider said:


> Ummm...what would you classify LotR as?  in fact here: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=liveactionfantasy.htm ;looks like a number of fantasy live action movies have been successful at the box office




Look at the top 20 movies in that list:

Harry Potter- 8 films
LOR-6 films
Chronicles of Narnia
Oz the Great Powerful
Thor Dark World
Cinderella
Alice in Wonderland
Maleficent

Most of them are based on wildly successful book franchises that are already well established with fans (LOTR, Harry Potter, Narnia).  The others are also books but also Disney films.  Finally you have Thor which is already established by Marvel.  DnD doesn't have that luxury.  

Personally, I think if you launch a DnD film you franchise Dragonlance.  It has inter-character dynamics (Sturm, Tanis, Kitiara) , humor between Tas and Flint, betrayal, dynamics between brothers, and a quest for power.  All this is set during an epic war with Dragons which allows for great FX and action.


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## Koloth (Feb 24, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> I've got a sneaking suspicion that there won't be a Tiefling in the movie, unless it's a villain. It really wouldn't play well in Middle America/the Bible Belt. I don't think that Wizards would like to see a resurgence of the demon panic of the early/mid-1980s.




As someone that is the middle of that area, I think your fears are overblown.  If Hasbro is worried about the roadkill remnants of the Moral Majority movement of the 80's, they should just close up shop and liquidate the company.  Most of the leaders of that group wound up in disgrace from having sex with others then their spouse, embezzlement of funds, blatantly using donor money to live lavish lifestyles or in some cases, all of the above.    A Baptist preacher's favorable comments about the TV show Charmed clued me in to start watching it.  Witches, demons and scantily clad girls, oh my!  

I just hope they worry about making a good movie first and the D&D aspect second.  Let's face it, with just a little tweaking, the Fast and Furious set of movies could be re imaged as a d20 version of Car Wars.  F&F has been doing pretty good at the box office and that is what really matters.


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## Morrus (Feb 25, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> I've got a sneaking suspicion that there won't be a Tiefling in the movie, unless it's a villain. It really wouldn't play well in Middle America/the Bible Belt. I don't think that Wizards would like to see a resurgence of the demon panic of the early/mid-1980s.




Actually,  I don't think that would be a bad thing, marketing-wise.  A bit of controversy. The rest of the world can laugh at the minority talking the stupid, and WotC gets free publicity. It's 2016.  It can only work in their favour.  It might get it into very popular podcast, chat show, news program, newspaper.  Sounds like a wonderful opportunity!

I don't think it'll ever happen again, though, for the same reasons that if it happened it would be beneficial: the internet.


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## Umbran (Feb 25, 2016)

broghammerj said:


> Personally, I think if you launch a DnD film you franchise Dragonlance.  It has inter-character dynamics (Sturm, Tanis, Kitiara) , humor between Tas and Flint, betrayal, dynamics between brothers, and a quest for power.  All this is set during an epic war with Dragons which allows for great FX and action.




But that calls for at least a trilogy of movies, and they haven't yet had a single one that was worth a darn.

Demonstrate that you can make one, just one, decently, then think about longer franchises.



			
				horacethegrey said:
			
		

> If the filmmakers are wanting a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe for the film, why not simply adapt John Roger's (Leverage) D&D comic from IDW?




I haven't read those comics, but John Rogers has done some good stuff.  But when you've got an author, and another publisher, in the works, goodness only knows who has the rights to the details.


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## Darrius_Adler (Feb 25, 2016)

I have to say I would love to see a Ravenloft movie for Vampire of the Mists and the book does start off with Jander being in Waterdeep before going to Barovia.


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## Tonguez (Feb 25, 2016)

Umbran said:


> But that calls for at least a trilogy of movies, and they haven't yet had a single one that was worth a darn.
> 
> Demonstrate that you can make one, just one, decently, then think about longer franchises..




personally I'd give up on a movie in favour of a TV series, and live action Dragonlance would work there. We've already seen that TV budgets can cope with the required special  effects and at least TV gives time to tell the story and correct any issues with writing between each episode.

Plus Game of Thrones and now Shannara have given the audience a taste for more in the genre

spin the movie off from the TV audience and yes even spin off into other worlds including Ravenloft


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## horacethegrey (Feb 25, 2016)

Umbran said:


> I haven't read those comics, but John Rogers has done some good stuff.  But when you've got an author, and another publisher, in the works, goodness only knows who has the rights to the details.



They are good. Real good. I was surprised how much I ended up enjoying them. Rogers has a good ear for dialogue and crafting humurous adventures. I think he really captured the feel of an actual roleplaying session of gamers playing these character without having to break the 4th wall. It's a shame IDW put this series on indefinite hiatus (it's canceled as far anyone is concerned). But as soon as I heard that the filmmakers were considering a _Guardians of the Galaxy_ like tone, I immediately thought of this comic, as the characters are very similar to Starlord and his crew. 

But the movie looks to be set in the Forgotten Realms and will probably feature a new party. My only request is that they don't make it like _Rat Queens_. I f***ing hate _Rat Queens_.


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## Xavian Starsider (Feb 25, 2016)

broghammerj said:


> Look at the top 20 movies in that list:
> 
> Most of them are based on wildly successful book franchises that are already well established with fans (LOTR, Harry Potter, Narnia).
> 
> The others are also books but also Disney films.  Finally you have Thor which is already established by Marvel.  DnD doesn't have that luxury.




How many people who saw Lord of the Rings do you think read the books first? Here's a hint: very few.

While less true of Harry Potter, there were still many who saw it without ever touching one of Rowling's books. Sherlock's fans read little Doyle.  Little of the audience for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies reads Jane Austen. People watched the Avengers who have never owned an issue of Marvel comics. Most of the audience for HBO's Game of Thrones not only hasn't  read the first book, most of them didn't even know it was a book when they started watching. 

Sure, a recognizable property helps. But nearly everyone has heard of Dungeons & Dragons. They might not be able to tell you what it is exactly, but they've heard of it.


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## mflayermonk (Feb 25, 2016)

I think the fact the product isn't very recognizable internationally is a huge challenge to overcome.
If you look at the big, successful franchises they all have some form of international, established market. Transformers, Potter, Lego, Marvel, were all recognizable overseas. 

I think the movie will be:
A motley crew of five adventurers come together to save the land from evil. Just when all seems lost, they use the power of love to defeat the bad guy and restore peace to the land.


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## Ryujin (Feb 25, 2016)

mflayermonk said:


> I think the fact the product isn't very recognizable internationally is a huge challenge to overcome.
> If you look at the big, successful franchises they all have some form of international, established market. Transformers, Potter, Lego, Marvel, were all recognizable overseas.
> 
> I think the movie will be:
> A motley crew of five adventurers come together to save the land from evil. Just when all seems lost, they use the power of love to defeat the bad guy and restore peace to the land.




Funny thing; that last could describe anything from the crappy D&D movies, up through GotG or The Fifth Element. (Yes, The Fifth Element used the tired "love is the most powerful force in the universe" trope.)


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## colinfit20 (Feb 25, 2016)

*Dnd movie premise?*

You know I'd like someone to handle the premise of the Hobbit and LOTR and turn it on its head!

For example say you play on their expectations to hint at cliche villains before ripping the veil to reveal what's really going on and why your adventurers are the heroes I like the idea of adding humour, but do you think people can handle a shape changing female dragon playing the gandalf role?


Throw in a Saruman lich with a habit for turning cities into volcanic craters who starts off as the mysterious opening villain, reveal a shadowy cabal trying to rebuild an ancient and evil empire with plans to dominate the whole world but that involves enslaving the monster races... remember that shape changing female dragon?


Make the world a post apocalyptic version of our world, so we can throw in as many genre tropes and snarkisms but not turn it into the Merlin TV series from a few years ago!


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## Ryujin (Feb 25, 2016)

colinfit20 said:


> You know I'd like someone to handle the premise of the Hobbit and LOTR and turn it on its head!
> 
> For example say you play on their expectations to hint at cliche villains before ripping the veil to reveal what's really going on and why your adventurers are the heroes I like the idea of adding humour, but do you think people can handle a shape changing female dragon playing the gandalf role?
> 
> ...




"Shannara Chronicles" is already doing the post apocalyptic Earth thing. For a D&D movie or TV series I think that the "points of light" idea would work quite well. You're pretty much OK, usually (but not always) if you stay around the larger towns and cities, but going between them is an adventure in and of itself. That gives plenty of options for a storyline.

Maybe they should just throw out the idea of trying to avoid anachronistic comments all together and just go for it? Make a "Krod Mandoon" out of it but up the action, while easing up a bit on the comedy. 

(Damn, I miss that show.)


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## Zaukrie (Feb 25, 2016)

Loved leverage. Maybe they should be working with Rogers.


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## colinfit20 (Feb 25, 2016)

God I actually wanted a sci fi version of that using Traveller 2300's background having those 2 travelling on a small trade ship using their contacts to pay their way keeping the humour but using some of the game idea's for the series!


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## Ryujin (Feb 25, 2016)

colinfit20 said:


> God I actually wanted a sci fi version of that using Traveller 2300's background having those 2 travelling on a small trade ship using their contacts to pay their way keeping the humour but using some of the game idea's for the series!




There was a Kickstarter for a show called "Spinward Traveller" that might have fulfilled that wish if the whole thing hadn't ended in recriminations, anger, and unfulfilled promises. I looked into the carnage. Not good.


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## colinfit20 (Feb 25, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> There was a Kickstarter for a show called "Spinward Traveller" that might have fulfilled that wish if the whole thing hadn't ended in recriminations, anger, and unfulfilled promises. I looked into the carnage. Not good.




Actually put money into that.
Watched the clips they showed thought they were rather good even if far from complete!
Didn't expect much the cast certainly did a good job not so sure about all the bad stuff you mentioned shame we probably never see a serial based around T2300!


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## Ryujin (Feb 25, 2016)

colinfit20 said:


> Actually put money into that.
> Watched the clips they showed thought they were rather good even if far from complete!
> Didn't expect much the cast certainly did a good job not so sure about all the bad stuff you mentioned shame we probably never see a serial based around T2300!




They had some good actors involved, with Brian Lewis playing the title character. It's a miracle that someone in Hollyweird hasn't snapped that guy up yet. I don't want to go too far afield in this thread so I'll just say a 10 second google search for the name "Ken Whitman" will answer all of your questions about my bad stuff comment.


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## robus (Feb 26, 2016)

Read some of the comments but I'll also leave my vote for something that cleverly meshes a charismatic group of players around a table with a fantasy adventure. Have one of the players describe an action and then switch seemlessly switch to the adventure to see how that all turns out. Switch back to the players when the encounter or dungeon crawl ends using the DMs voice to bring the viewer back out of the adventure and into the living room where the story continues.

For something a bit more irreverent something like Stranger than Fiction could be attempted where the characters "hear" voices narrating their actions. But I think that might getting tiring after a while.

I think the best thing would be to have a engaging group of young people (early teens) be the players with a mom or dad being the DM.

But I think WoTC think that the Forgotten Realms is up there with LotR and thus will do it entirely in the fantasy realm. I think that won't offer enough storytelling freshness to be engaging.

But what do I know


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## Giant2005 (Feb 27, 2016)

Does no-one else find this news kind of alarming?
Weren't the other movies a little heavy on the light-heartedness and failed because of it?
I'd much rather see a grittier movie along the same lines of the Baldur's Gate story or Planescape Torment. Why would they throw away the tones which they have had success with in the past, in favor of tones that they have had nothing but failure with in the past? This decision seems quite insane.


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## Brodie (Feb 27, 2016)

robus said:


> Read some of the comments but I'll also leave my vote for something that cleverly meshes a charismatic group of players around a table with a fantasy adventure. Have one of the players describe an action and then switch seemlessly switch to the adventure to see how that all turns out. Switch back to the players when the encounter or dungeon crawl ends using the DMs voice to bring the viewer back out of the adventure and into the living room where the story continues.
> 
> For something a bit more irreverent something like Stranger than Fiction could be attempted where the characters "hear" voices narrating their actions. But I think that might getting tiring after a while.
> 
> ...




Have you seen The Gamers or The Gamers: Dorkness Rising? (There's a third - Hands of Fate - but that one involves CCGs instead of RPGs.) Those two use that exact premise. Dorkness Rising is the better of the two, with the story putting equal focus on both the players and the fictional setting and making you care about both equally. While I'd like to see a big Hollywood movie like that with a big budget for the fantasy side, I don't think it would work as well as an independent film and wouldn't sell tickets.

Then again, they could pull an ending similar to the Lego Movie and surprise us. Thinking of the Lego Movie now has me hoping they can cast Chris Pratt in the D&D movie.


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## Zaukrie (Feb 27, 2016)

I have zero interest in gamers and our real world. Give me a fantasy world.


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## horacethegrey (Feb 27, 2016)

Zaukrie said:


> I have zero interest in gamers and our real world. Give me a fantasy world.




Seconded. 4th wall breaking shenanigans hold no appeal for me. I want to watch a D&D movie with a fantasy world we can immerse ourselves in for just two or more hours. Leave the meta commentary for a parody or something.


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## Tonguez (Feb 27, 2016)

Giant2005 said:


> Does no-one else find this news kind of alarming?
> Weren't the other movies a little heavy on the light-heartedness and failed because of it?
> I'd much rather see a grittier movie along the same lines of the Baldur's Gate story or Planescape Torment. Why would they throw away the tones which they have had success with in the past, in favor of tones that they have had nothing but failure with in the past? This decision seems quite insane.




yes when I first saw that I was a bit iffy too and immediately thought Snails, Nooooo!

but then Wayans is a parody comedian, what did they expect other than a parody performance! I think that if you look at the the examples of the great fantasy movies then humour has been a part of them. In particular I'm thinking of the likes of Dragonheart and Willow rather than LoTR or Narnia, even something like Inkheart (I enjoyed it).


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## robus (Feb 28, 2016)

Zaukrie said:


> I have zero interest in gamers and our real world. Give me a fantasy world.




I understand your desire but then what's the point? What could a generic (as far as the public is concerned) DnD fantasy movie do better than LotR? I think this is going to end up as another Battleship rather than Lego Movie. I hope I'm wrong.


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## Hand of Evil (Feb 28, 2016)

Kind of wish they would do a tv/cable series, not a movie BUT only if they do a quality one, like Game of Thrones, Black Sails, Spartacus, Banshee, Walking Dead, where there is *money* behind it. Call it The Sword Coast and give us three to five years of episodes, that would be better than a two hour movie.  I just fear what we would get was Shannara, low budget crap.


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## Beleriphon (Feb 28, 2016)

Morrus said:


> Actually,  I don't think that would be a bad thing, marketing-wise.  A bit of controversy. The rest of the world can laugh at the minority talking the stupid, and WotC gets free publicity. It's 2016.  It can only work in their favour.  It might get it into very popular podcast, chat show, news program, newspaper.  Sounds like a wonderful opportunity!
> 
> I don't think it'll ever happen again, though, for the same reasons that if it happened it would be beneficial: the internet.




To paraphrase my Prime Minister on tieflings: Because its 2016.


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## Ryujin (Feb 28, 2016)

robus said:


> I understand your desire but then what's the point? What could a generic (as far as the public is concerned) DnD fantasy movie do better than LotR? I think this is going to end up as another Battleship rather than Lego Movie. I hope I'm wrong.




Exactly my thought. D&D has only one thing going for it, that other fantasy movies don't; that it's a game. Without that it's just generic fantasy setting #243. I wouldn't put a lot of the "real world" in such a movie but I would definitely use it as a framing device. It easily explains anachronistic comments and actions that seem out of sync with motivations of the fantasy characters. 

I also wouldn't use the same actors in both worlds. It's a game. Show the escapist elements. Show that people can be whoever they want to be unbound by race, physicality, or sex.


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## Ryujin (Feb 28, 2016)

Morrus said:


> Actually,  I don't think that would be a bad thing, marketing-wise.  A bit of controversy. The rest of the world can laugh at the minority talking the stupid, and WotC gets free publicity. It's 2016.  It can only work in their favour.  It might get it into very popular podcast, chat show, news program, newspaper.  Sounds like a wonderful opportunity!
> 
> I don't think it'll ever happen again, though, for the same reasons that if it happened it would be beneficial: the internet.




It seems to me that roughly half the people in the United States might not see it your way. That's where Hollywood's marketing begins. Sure, things might play well in the rest of the world but if it doesn't pay in the domestic market, they consider it to be a failure.


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## Von Ether (Feb 28, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> Exactly my thought. D&D has only one thing going for it, that other fantasy movies don't; that it's a game. Without that it's just generic fantasy setting #243. I wouldn't put a lot of the "real world" in such a movie but I would definitely use it as a framing device. It easily explains anachronistic comments and actions that seem out of sync with motivations of the fantasy characters.
> 
> I also wouldn't use the same actors in both worlds. It's a game. Show the escapist elements. Show that people can be whoever they want to be unbound by race, physicality, or sex.




I could live with a big budget version of "Dorkness Rising."


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## Mournblade94 (Feb 29, 2016)

Giant2005 said:


> Does no-one else find this news kind of alarming?
> Weren't the other movies a little heavy on the light-heartedness and failed because of it?
> I'd much rather see a grittier movie along the same lines of the Baldur's Gate story or Planescape Torment. Why would they throw away the tones which they have had success with in the past, in favor of tones that they have had nothing but failure with in the past? This decision seems quite insane.



 I find this very alarming.

Love Guardians of the Galaxy.  Don't think it is a good model in general.  It worked for them.

I don't want a goofy forgotten Realms movie.  I hope they get the tone right.  I am very disappointed in this announcement.

I also hope it is more Forgotten Realms fantasy and less game.  Im not interested in a meta movie.  I never liked those.


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## Mournblade94 (Feb 29, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> It seems to me that roughly half the people in the United States might not see it your way. That's where Hollywood's marketing begins. Sure, things might play well in the rest of the world but if it doesn't pay in the domestic market, they consider it to be a failure.




I play D&D everyweek, I don't need to see people enacting it in a movie.

I need the IP to come alive.  I already know what a roleplaying group looks like.


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## Ryujin (Feb 29, 2016)

Mournblade94 said:


> I play D&D everyweek, I don't need to see people enacting it in a movie.
> 
> I need the IP to come alive.  I already know what a roleplaying group looks like.




And that's great for the tiny portion of the overall population who play RPGs. It does little for the rest of the world, who make or break a movie franchise. If you want to see more D&D movies you have to pull in the rest of the movie-going public, not just the tiny portion who already "get it."


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## Mournblade94 (Feb 29, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> And that's great for the tiny portion of the overall population who play RPGs. It does little for the rest of the world, who make or break a movie franchise. If you want to see more D&D movies you have to pull in the rest of the movie-going public, not just the tiny portion who already "get it."




I just don't see how this in light of game of thrones and lotr would actually entice anyone to see the movie.


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## Zaukrie (Feb 29, 2016)

Uh, I don't need a d and d game come alive. I would like good, generic, fantasy. What d and d has is decades of stories. Use those. Ymmv.


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## Psikerlord# (Feb 29, 2016)

Thank god.


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## robus (Feb 29, 2016)

OK - here's my alternative pitch: A mix of live action and animation. Get the Critical Role people (or equivalent voice talent) to provide the voices for the animated part and then cut back to the live action when they start to have some (scripted, but humorous) discussion of options. So animation for the gritty stuff, live action for the humor. When Mercer starts talking we know we're heading back into the adventure.

For example. The movie starts with animation. Our heroes are in the midst of an epic battle. But then one of them gets a bad roll and one character starts discussing how they always get a bad roll right at a critical moment. Record scratch as we leap back to reality to find the players seated around a comfortable table where they talk about the situation and decide how the bad roll is going to be handled. Mercer narrates the resolution and we switch back to the animated part and on with the story.

One of the players probably has to have some issue that's causing them distress that can get resolved during the movie (divorce, cancer, I dunno something suitably weighty, perhaps paralleling a quest in the adventure) - but where D&D allows them to escape, cope, feel better for a little while. For maximum pathos have this be their final adventure before they succumb to cancer - their character makes an epic sacrifice for the team. Guaranteed Oscar fodder! 

Some clever writer could have a field day with that concept - I'm thinking Charlie Kaufmann 

Anyway - that to me would be a D&D movie.


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## Ryujin (Feb 29, 2016)

Mournblade94 said:


> I just don't see how this in light of game of thrones and lotr would actually entice anyone to see the movie.




In light of "Game of Thrones" and "Lord of the Rings" just what would entice people out of their homes to watch "Generic Fantasy Movie #43"? If you've got a hook, it's crazy not to use it.


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## Tonguez (Feb 29, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> And that's great for the tiny portion of the overall population who play RPGs. It does little for the rest of the world, who make or break a movie franchise. If you want to see more D&D movies you have to pull in the rest of the movie-going public, not just the tiny portion who already "get it."




No one had heard of Game of Thrones before season 1 of the TV series, and now its a bigger sensation than LotR. At least DnD does have an established fan base and a degree of name recognition to work from. Which is why Dragonlance is a good place to start - it ties directly into the Dragon part of the product identity and by focusing on the dragons with developed personalities gives it a different flavour to the other two.


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## Ryujin (Feb 29, 2016)

Tonguez said:


> No one had heard of Game of Thrones before season 1 of the TV series, and now its a bigger sensation than LotR. At least DnD does have an established fan base and a degree of name recognition to work from. Which is why Dragonlance is a good place to start - it ties directly into the Dragon part of the product identity and by focusing on the dragons with developed personalities gives it a different flavour to the other two.




The problem, as I see it, is that the 'name recognition' in question is generally negative, when you speak with the uninitiated. "Game of Thrones" gives the cable audience what they want, but can't get from broadcast television; blood, violence, and nudity. What will a D&D movie give them presuming that it's the Hollywood norm of PG, to hit the widest possible audience?


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## robus (Mar 1, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> The problem, as I see it, is that the 'name recognition' in question is generally negative, when you speak with the uninitiated. "Game of Thrones" gives the cable audience what they want, but can't get from broadcast television; blood, violence, and nudity. What will a D&D movie give them presuming that it's the Hollywood norm of PG, to hit the widest possible audience?




I think the World of Warcraft movie is going to land with a similar thud as Gods of Egypt. And a generic DnD movie would do the same IMHO.


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## Ryujin (Mar 1, 2016)

robus said:


> I think the World of Warcraft movie is going to land with a similar thud as Gods of Egypt. And a generic DnD movie would do the same IMHO.




I tend to agree. That's why I think that a D&D movie would have to use what D&D is, to play to its strengths.


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## ccs (Mar 1, 2016)

robus said:


> I think the World of Warcraft movie is going to land with a similar thud as Gods of Egypt. And a generic DnD movie would do the same IMHO.




Warcraft might do better than Gods.
Gods has two really steep hurdles standing in its way (other than just not being very good anyways):
1) Obviously bad CGI. You can see it right there in the trailers/adds.
2) It's a bunch of white guys playing Egyptians/Egyptian gods.  The guy that plays Jamie Lanister on GoT , playing Horus?  Gerrard Butler as Set?  Geoffrey Rush as Ra?  Right....  And then they turn into metallic transformer-esque animals.  ???
OK, their fantasy Egyptians, surely.  But that still wont sell.


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## ccs (Mar 1, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> In light of "Game of Thrones" and "Lord of the Rings" just what would entice people out of their homes to watch "Generic Fantasy Movie #43"? .




It being late Jan/Feb (maybe early March), it's not sh**** weather, I'm bored & it's at the local dollar theatre? 
It helps if I have a free ticket credit from seeing the stuff that came out in Oct-Dec.  My Regal rewards always expire right before the god stuff starts coming out.


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## Ryujin (Mar 1, 2016)

ccs said:


> Warcraft might do better than Gods.
> Gods has two really steep hurdles standing in its way (other than just not being very good anyways):
> 1) Obviously bad CGI. You can see it right there in the trailers/adds.
> 2) It's a bunch of white guys playing Egyptians/Egyptian gods.  The guy that plays Jamie Lanister on GoT , playing Horus?  Gerrard Butler as Set?  Geoffrey Rush as Ra?  Right....  And then they turn into metallic transformer-esque animals.  ???
> OK, their fantasy Egyptians, surely.  But that still wont sell.




Given that people are becoming more aware of things like "white-washing", that could certainly be a strike against it. So could the previous two shots at Greek mythology, that fell pretty flat ("300: Rise of an Empire" and "Immortals"). "World of Warcraft" has the video gaming community behind it, which is certainly a bigger push that the RPG community. Less bookie stigma too. I'm not sure how that's going to play out. Could be huge. Could be "Jupiter Ascending."


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## horacethegrey (Mar 1, 2016)

_Warcraft _also has Duncan Jones directing. Guy already has 2 good films under his belt (_Moon_, _Source Code_), so let's hope he keeps up the winning streak.

That said, the most worrying thing about the movie (aside from the CGI, which really stands out), is the control Blizzard has over it. Sam Raimi was slated to direct it at first but backed out over creative differences with them. 

I really hope the movie is a success. If it bombs it may put fantasy films back into the backburner once again and Warner may cancel their plans for a D&D movie. I want fantasy films to stand side by side with superhero films in this era of geek friendly cinema.


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## ccs (Mar 1, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> Given that people are becoming more aware of things like "white-washing", that could certainly be a strike against it. So could the previous two shots at Greek mythology, that fell pretty flat ("300: Rise of an Empire" and "Immortals"). "World of Warcraft" has the video gaming community behind it, which is certainly a bigger push that the RPG community. Less bookie stigma too. I'm not sure how that's going to play out. Could be huge. Could be "Jupiter Ascending."




Hey, don't forget two crappy Hercules movies almost back to back, Wrath of the Titans, & a s%^&* Conan movie!
Those certainly aren't helping the fantasy cause.

And "white-washing" aside, this is more in the category of seeing John Wayne playing Genghis Khan.  It's just too unbelievable to sell.


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