# Cast the iconic D&D characters



## Firebeetle (May 23, 2006)

We all know and love 'em (well, at least know them.) If the next D&D movie where to be made using the great D&D iconic characters, who should play them onscreen? 

Here's the list as I know it.
Krusk the barbarian 
Devis the bard 
Jozan the cleric 
Vadania the druid 
Regdar the fighter 
Tordek the fighter 
Ember the monk 
Alhandra the paladin 
Soveliss the ranger
Lidda the rogue 
Hennet the sorcerer
Mialee the wizard
Nebin the illusionist
Naull the wizard
Gimble the bard
Kerwyn the rogue
Eberk the cleric
Meepo the, well, kobold.

If there are any more, please post 'em. Unlimited budget, you can get whomever you want. Feel free to post pictures, we love 'em!


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## jester47 (May 23, 2006)

Based on Scorge of Worlds, I would cast Mike Dorn as Regdar.


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## drothgery (May 23, 2006)

Kate Beckinsale for Alhandra?


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## DragonTurtle (May 23, 2006)

The Rock as Krusk?


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## WayneLigon (May 23, 2006)

Devis the bard  - Travis Fimmel
Hennet the sorcerer - Sean Williams Scott


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## Henry (May 23, 2006)

Krusk the barbarian - Michael Dorn, because we've already seen him in the Makeup. 
Devis the bard - 
Jozan the cleric - Christian Bale
Vadania the druid - Rebecca Romijn
Regdar the fighter - 
Tordek the fighter - Lee Arenburg (because Dammit, I liked Elwood Gutworthy!)
Ember the monk - Vivica A. Fox (seen that body lately? Yowza! She's toned!)
Alhandra the paladin - 
Soveliss the ranger - Craig Parker (played Haldir in Two Towers)
Lidda the rogue - Linda Cardinelli (she's done humor before, and she's pretty small to begin with, so camera tricks = piece of cake for size!)
Hennet the sorcerer - Ryan Philippe
Mialee the wizard - Tilda Swinton
Nebin the illusionist
Naull the wizard
Gimble the bard  

Cast budget -- about 50 million dollars.


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## hafrogman (May 23, 2006)

Why does everyone always leave out poor Kerwyn . . . just because he only ever made one picture. . . that doesn't seem to have even made it into the WotC art galleries.  Still!

Long live Kerwyn, iconic human rogue!

No idea who would play him though.


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## hafrogman (May 23, 2006)

Devis = Christian Slater.

I can see it.


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## Firebeetle (May 23, 2006)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> Why does everyone always leave out poor Kerwyn . . . just because he only ever made one picture. . . that doesn't seem to have even made it into the WotC art galleries.  Still!
> 
> Long live Kerwyn, iconic human rogue!
> 
> No idea who would play him though.




I completely forgot about that guy. I'll add him.


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## Ed_Laprade (May 23, 2006)

I only recognized two of those names. And if you're not including Minsc, who cares?


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## KenM (May 23, 2006)

Ed_Laprade said:
			
		

> I only recognized two of those names. And if you're not including Minsc, who cares?





 Minsc is from the BG computer game, not considered one of the iconic characters. With Minsc thou, any decent actor can do the role. But you have to cast Boo the space hamster right.


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## Ranger REG (May 23, 2006)

DragonTurtle said:
			
		

> The Rock as Krusk?



Kane as Krusk. Unless we can use the Great Khali. His Indian speech is spot on for Orcish.

 

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Regdar. Either him or the guy from _Spawn._


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## Filby (May 24, 2006)

I can see Vin Diesel as either Krusk or Regdar.

Btw, you forgot Eberk, the dwarf cleric. (And Meepo.)


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## WayneLigon (May 24, 2006)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> Long live Kerwyn, iconic human rogue! No idea who would play him though.




Johnny Depp!


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## trancejeremy (May 24, 2006)

Gilbert Gottfried as Meepo.


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## Ranger REG (May 24, 2006)

Filby said:
			
		

> I can see Vin Diesel as either Krusk or Regdar.



With all due respect to fellow gamer Vin, his voice sounds off.

Either he has to have the voice of Michael Dorn, The Rock, or Henry Simmons.


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## Firebeetle (May 24, 2006)

Filby said:
			
		

> I can see Vin Diesel as either Krusk or Regdar.
> 
> Btw, you forgot Eberk, the dwarf cleric. (And Meepo.)




Yep, you're right. Added.


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## Klaus (May 24, 2006)

Mialee ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/mialee.jpg ): Kristin Kreuk ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471036/ )

Lidda ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/lidda.jpg ): Camilla Belle ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004741/ )

Vadania ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/vadania.jpg ): Kristanna Loken ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0518085/ )

Regdar ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/regdar.jpg ): Vin Diesel ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004874/ )

Alhandra ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/alhandra.jpg ): Erica Durance ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1570568/ )

Ember ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/ember.jpg ): Gabrielle Union ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005517/ )

Hennet ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/hennet.jpg ): Joshua Alba ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1130845/ )

Krusk ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/krusk.jpg ): Lawrence Makoare ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0538692/ )

Soveliss ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/soveliss.jpg ): Ian Somerhalder ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0813812/ )


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## RigaMortus2 (May 24, 2006)

For Krusk, perhaps Clancy Brown who played Victor Kruger/The Kurgan in the Highlander movie?

Or perhaps Hugh Jackman?  He does have Wolverine down pretty good...  Hmmm, or maybe even Tyler Mane who played Sabertooth in X-Men 1.


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## Demmero (May 24, 2006)

Gimble the Gnome Bard = Angus Young?


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## sniffles (May 24, 2006)

Eww!! With some of these casting choices I'd be expecting a D&D movie of about the same quality as the first one. Tyler Mane may look good in the costume but he sure can't act!


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## Klaus (May 24, 2006)

sniffles said:
			
		

> Eww!! With some of these casting choices I'd be expecting a D&D movie of about the same quality as the first one. Tyler Mane may look good in the costume but he sure can't act!



 That's why I chose Lawrence Makoare, who played Lurtz in FotR and Gothmog (the deformed orc captain) in RotK.

For Gimble the Bard I'd cast Eddie Vedder! He has a rather 3.5e-gnomish cast to his face. Plus he could sing!


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## Mad Mac (May 25, 2006)

Wait? You chose someone cute to play Mialee? Doesn't that go against everything she stands for, or something?


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## Klaus (May 25, 2006)

Mad Mac said:
			
		

> Wait? You chose someone cute to play Mialee? Doesn't that go against everything she stands for, or something?



 Not *my* Mialee, obviously. 
http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictur...nics/mialee.jpg

I chose Kristin Kreuk for quite a few reasons: she has the correct build, the short height, dark hair and almond-shaped green eyes. Her Irish/Chinese descent gives her an exotic look that, IMHO, mimics the D&D elf. Ian "Freaky Eyebrows" Somerhalder as Soveliss only enhances that exotic look.

Want an unorthodox casting? I'd cast Daniel Dae Kim (Jin in Lost) as a drow, dying his hair white and his skin an unnatural shade of black. I even painted him once as a drow to see what he'd look like, and was quite pleased with the exotic look of it.


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## Soel (May 25, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Kane as Krusk. Unless we can use the Great Khali. His Indian speech is spot on for Orcish.




Khali could make a good hill-giant, but please don't let him speak!  
Btw, Ranger, you should check out the Wrestling thread on the Wizards Rec Room boards!

I agree with Kristin Kreuk as Mialee and Camilla Belle as Lidda (yum on both counts!)

But, where's the love for the psiconics????


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## Ranger REG (May 25, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Not *my* Mialee, obviously.
> http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictur...nics/mialee.jpg
> 
> I chose Kristin Kreuk for quite a few reasons: she has the correct build, the short height, dark hair and almond-shaped green eyes. Her Irish/Chinese descent gives her an exotic look that, IMHO, mimics the D&D elf. Ian "Freaky Eyebrows" Somerhalder as Soveliss only enhances that exotic look.



Honestly, I'd go with Jolene Blalock as Mialee.

I'd cast Gina Torres as Ebon.

An unrelated note but worth mentioning: If Paul Bettany looks good as an albino monk in _The Da Vinci Code,_ picture him in gold skin with hourglass eyes ... a la _Dragonlance's_ Raistlin Majere.


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## Firebeetle (May 25, 2006)

Soel said:
			
		

> Khali could make a good hill-giant, but please don't let him speak!
> Btw, Ranger, you should check out the Wrestling thread on the Wizards Rec Room boards!
> 
> I agree with Kristin Kreuk as Mialee and Camilla Belle as Lidda (yum on both counts!)
> ...




Who are the iconic psionics? Hey, that rhymes.

Dang, there are a lot of iconics! If they made a D&D TV show, they would easily be able to do a "Mission Impossible" style and rotate characters in and out. Further, they could kill off characters easily and not fear "running out."


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## Klaus (May 25, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Honestly, I'd go with Jolene Blalock as Mialee.
> 
> I'd cast Gina Torres as Ebon.
> 
> An unrelated note but worth mentioning: If Paul Bettany looks good as an albino monk in _The Da Vinci Code,_ picture him in gold skin with hourglass eyes ... a la _Dragonlance's_ Raistlin Majere.



 Jolene Blaylock is way too tall (we're sticking to the D&D elf, which stands, on average, at 5' 5"... I am pushing the envelope with Ian Somerhalder at 5' 9"). Gina Torres is nice for *Ember* (  ), too.


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## Firebeetle (May 25, 2006)

Wow Klaus, you've done a great job here. Have you considered being a casting agent?

I could definately see some of these happening.


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## Firebeetle (May 25, 2006)

Demmero said:
			
		

> Gimble the Gnome Bard = Angus Young?



You cheeky monkey. Will "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" be used for inspire competence for assassins?


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## Klaus (May 25, 2006)

Firebeetle said:
			
		

> Wow Klaus, you've done a great job here. Have you considered being a casting agent?
> 
> I could definately see some of these happening.



 Hey, if you known someone who knows someone, feel free to drop my name in!

RangerREG -> Re: Paul Bettany as Raistlin, I believe he'd do wonders. I'd like to see him do all his Raistlin scenes, then bulk up and act as Caramon, too!


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## Demmero (May 25, 2006)

Firebeetle said:
			
		

> You cheeky monkey. Will "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" be used for inspire competence for assassins?




Hmm...that'd work.  I'm leaning towards a modified version of 'TNT' for Inspire Courage.

_'Cuz I'm TNT!
I'm Tiny 'N Tough!
TNT!
Won't take none o' yer guff!
TNT!
I'm a powder keg!
TNT!
I'll bite off your leg!_


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## Ranger REG (May 25, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Jolene Blaylock is way too tall (we're sticking to the D&D elf, which stands, on average, at 5' 5"... I am pushing the envelope with Ian Somerhalder at 5' 9"). Gina Torres is nice for *Ember* (  ), too.



Ignore the standard rule, or just let the others walk on soapboxes or elevated planks.


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## Filby (May 25, 2006)

Firebeetle said:
			
		

> Who are the iconic psionics? Hey, that rhymes.




Lemee see...

Eulad the maenad wilder
Ialdabode the human telepath (psion)
Mitra the human shaper (psion)
Ragnara the human psychic warrior
Rurik the dwarf egoist (psion)
Sandbarrow the half-giant psychic warrior
Taraneh the human seer (psion)
Xerxes the xeph soulblade

There's also a mess of others from the "Complete" books (Ferno the elf warmage, Morthos the human warlock, and so on), but I'd say they're more or less "non-canon."


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## Hypersmurf (May 25, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> An unrelated note but worth mentioning: If Paul Bettany looks good as an albino monk in _The Da Vinci Code,_ picture him in gold skin with hourglass eyes ... a la _Dragonlance's_ Raistlin Majere.




I can't remember if it was you or not, but someone proposed Bettany for Raistlin about a year ago, and my jaw dropped.  He's perfect 

-Hyp.


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## Justin (May 25, 2006)

Vadania - Frida Betrani (Lya, the Nox from a few episodes of SG-1)
Kerwyn - Colin Farrell (came to me after seeing the pic of Kerwyn above)


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## sniffles (May 26, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Not *my* Mialee, obviously.
> http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictur...nics/mialee.jpg
> 
> I chose Kristin Kreuk for quite a few reasons: she has the correct build, the short height, dark hair and almond-shaped green eyes. Her Irish/Chinese descent gives her an exotic look that, IMHO, mimics the D&D elf. Ian "Freaky Eyebrows" Somerhalder as Soveliss only enhances that exotic look.
> ...



Wow! You've been reading my mind, Claudio. I've often thought it would be interesting to see Asian performers as elves. 

Kristin Kreuk does have the looks, but I still vote for talent over looks.   
And that link didn't work for me. I got a 404 error.  :\

@Justin - good choice for Vadania! Or Carol Kane, except she's a bit too old now. Back when she was in *Groundhog Day * she would have been perfect.


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## Justin (May 26, 2006)

sniffles said:
			
		

> @Justin - good choice for Vadania! Or Carol Kane, except she's a bit too old now. Back when she was in *Groundhog Day * she would have been perfect.




Thanks. I don't watch TV, but I'm glad I borrowed season 1 to watch on my computer.  

Btw, Carol Kane wasn't in GHD, that was Andie MacDowell. But what a babe she STILL is!


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## sniffles (May 26, 2006)

Justin said:
			
		

> Thanks. I don't watch TV, but I'm glad I borrowed season 1 to watch on my computer.
> 
> Btw, Carol Kane wasn't in GHD, that was Andie MacDowell. But what a babe she STILL is!



Oops! Wrong movie! I meant *Scrooged*!!


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## Klaus (May 26, 2006)

sniffles said:
			
		

> Wow! You've been reading my mind, Claudio. I've often thought it would be interesting to see Asian performers as elves.
> 
> Kristin Kreuk does have the looks, but I still vote for talent over looks.
> And that link didn't work for me. I got a 404 error.  :\
> ...



 Hmm, let's try this again: http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/mialee.jpg

As for talent over looks, I believe Kristin Kreuk can deliver a decent performance as Mialee (hey, this ain't Shakespeare!  ). The way I set up the cast above, you have one big star (Vin Diesel), needed to make a movie... er, move; a few known-enough talents (Kristanna Loken, Kristin Kreuk) and the rest you fill up with aspiring actors aiming for the big shot (most of the other from-TV-series actors).


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## RigaMortus2 (May 26, 2006)

sniffles said:
			
		

> Eww!! With some of these casting choices I'd be expecting a D&D movie of about the same quality as the first one. Tyler Mane may look good in the costume but he sure can't act!




What are you basing his lack of acting ability on?  The first X-Men movie, or other projects he was involved in?


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## Ranger REG (May 26, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> RangerREG -> Re: Paul Bettany as Raistlin, I believe he'd do wonders. I'd like to see him do all his Raistlin scenes, then bulk up and act as Caramon, too!



Meh. Don't really like the age-old twin illusion trick, even with computer-aided cut-and-paste special effect. This is where the casting producers have their work cut out, to search a bulked-up twin double of Bettany.


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## Ranger REG (May 26, 2006)

Hypersmurf said:
			
		

> I can't remember if it was you or not, but someone proposed Bettany for Raistlin about a year ago, and my jaw dropped.  He's perfect



Maybe it's me. Maybe it's someone else. At least I'm not alone in the boat.


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## RigaMortus2 (May 26, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Meh. Don't really like the age-old twin illusion trick, even with computer-aided cut-and-paste special effect. This is where the casting producers have their work cut out, to search a bulked-up twin double of Bettany.




If Jean Claude Van Damn can pull it off (Double Impact)...


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## Ranger REG (May 26, 2006)

RigaMortus2 said:
			
		

> If Jean Claude Van Damn can pull it off (Double Impact)...



Or Jet Li, Jackie Chan, the silver-haired dude on _All My Children_ soap (which I swear they're not real-life twins)... all passe.


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## Droogie (May 27, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Mialee ( http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/mialee.jpg ): Kristin Kreuk ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471036/ )




I have to say, in that pic, she is hot, hot, hot.

But I think Evangeline lilly could play the part as well http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1431940/


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## Ranger REG (May 27, 2006)

Droogie said:
			
		

> But I think Evangeline lilly could play the part as well http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1431940/



Hehehe. Now that would be a sight to see: An elf going out with a hobbit (Dominic Monaghan).


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## demiurge1138 (May 31, 2006)

For Lidda: Ellen Page 

I saw X-Men 3 over the weekend and thought "oh my god, that's Lidda!"

Demiurge out.


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## Klaus (May 31, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Hehehe. Now that would be a sight to see: An elf going out with a hobbit (Dominic Monaghan).



 "... and this, children, is how Tallfellows came to be."

IYKWIMAITYD, of course.


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## cnath.rm (May 31, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Hmm, let's try this again: http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Iconics/mialee.jpg
> 
> As for talent over looks, I believe Kristin Kreuk can deliver a decent performance as Mialee (hey, this ain't Shakespeare!  ). The way I set up the cast above, you have one big star (Vin Diesel), needed to make a movie... er, move; a few known-enough talents (Kristanna Loken, Kristin Kreuk) and the rest you fill up with aspiring actors aiming for the big shot (most of the other from-TV-series actors).



That's a really good way of looking at it, also leads to further feelings that you should be the casting director for the movie. (and in case I haven't mentioned it before, your art (in general and on the iconics) totally rocks)


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## Klaus (May 31, 2006)

cnath.rm said:
			
		

> That's a really good way of looking at it, also leads to further feelings that you should be the casting director for the movie. (and in case I haven't mentioned it before, your art (in general and on the iconics) totally rocks)



 Thanks!

Everyone start writing your congressman or the director of the studio of your preference! Put in the good word for me! You shall not be disappointed!


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## glass (Jun 2, 2006)

Droogie said:
			
		

> I have to say, in that pic, she is hot, hot, hot.



I slightly wondered what she was doing when that picture was taken. She looks very... happy.  


glass.


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## Kaodi (Jun 2, 2006)

*Maybe I'm Going Crazy...*

...But I was thinking of possibly casting Eva Mendes as Alhandra.

This also kind of brings up the issue though, that I don't think I would make the Iconics characters in a movie. They're more like vehicles for the mechanics than real character concepts. That being said, in something of a hijack, we could change this thread to characterization and casting of a D&D movie in general...


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## Firebeetle (Jun 2, 2006)

Kaodi said:
			
		

> ...But I was thinking of possibly casting Eva Mendes as Alhandra.
> 
> This also kind of brings up the issue though, that I don't think I would make the Iconics characters in a movie. They're more like vehicles for the mechanics than real character concepts. That being said, in something of a hijack, we could change this thread to characterization and casting of a D&D movie in general...




Yeah, that's worked so very good so far.    Like whats-his-name from the first movie, or that strong-jaw-guy from the second movie. And Slugs or Snails or, whoever Marlon Wayans was playing. That guy evoked the very essence of D&D!

Sure, the iconics are vehicles for rules mechanics, but they are also the faces of D&D and deserve to be treated with more depth. And there are books on them, so they do have character treatments outside the rulebooks.

Incidentally, I started this thread with the concept in my head of making a TV series. I thought the last movie still stank as a movie, but was a decent TV show. It could still be low budget but watchable. Who are the characters, the D&D iconics of course. But there are so many you say? That's good, because we are going to do this "Mission Impossible" (the TV show) style with rotating characters AND many of them die or otherwise changed in the series. This allows you a lot of flexibility and unpredictibility in writing the show. It also allows you to cast young actors as halflings and gnomes and then either rotate them out or kill them as they age. Lidda's funeral, I can see it now. . .

Each season of thirteen shows revolves around three adventure ideas, four or five episodes per adventure storyline. Some classic element to tie them together in the first place, like the Rod of Nine Parts or classic modules such as Against the Giants or the Slavelords series or some such. I think D&Ds history and iconics should really be USED to generate a unique feel. This includes classic monsters (beholder, displacer beast, mind flayers) and epic characters (Mordenkainen, et al.) 

Now I have to contact all my Hollywood contacts to seal the deal. Laugh if you want, I know the guy that did the storyboards for "The Golem"; that was a big, big, direct-to-video release that was! I'll have Joel Silver's home telephone number any day now. . .just you wait. . .


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## Ranger REG (Jun 3, 2006)

Firebeetle said:
			
		

> And Slugs or Snails or, whoever Marlon Wayans was playing. That guy evoked the very essence of D&D!



 
Snails is the very essence of _D&D_?!?!!!

Is *Firebeetle* an alias for Courtney Solomon?


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## Klaus (Jun 3, 2006)

Hey, Firebeetle, I call dibs on the Casting Director job!

I agree that if you have any mythology associated with your property, you should use it. Case in point: the Catwoman movie. Why call it Catwoman if she's not Selina Kyle, doesn't leap about Gotham City and tries to swoon/escape Batman?

Glass -> Re; Kristin Kreuk picture: she's rubbing herself against a rock singer in a movie about 4 youngsters who travel to Europe. One of the youngsters is Michelle "Dawn Summers" Trachtenberg, who dressed *very* skimpily in this movie.


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## Soel (Jun 3, 2006)

demiurge1138 said:
			
		

> For Lidda: Ellen Page
> 
> I saw X-Men 3 over the weekend and thought "oh my god, that's Lidda!"
> 
> Demiurge out.




Yes indeed!


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## Firebeetle (Jun 3, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Snails is the very essence of _D&D_?!?!!!
> 
> Is *Firebeetle* an alias for Courtney Solomon?




You found me out! They're not going to let me direct another movie after "An American Haunting" so I'm shooting to do D&D on the little screen! Yeah. All this iconic talk is crap, I'm using characters and setting from my personal campaign I started when I was eleven! I'm planning on casting ALL the Wayans brothers and Snails family in the show, including characters called Slugs and Leech. If there is one thing the Wayans understand, it's D&D!


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## Kaodi (Jun 3, 2006)

*Most Important Characters*

Anyway, if we were going to make a D&D movie or television series, featuring the iconics, the most important characters to get " right " are going to be Jozan, Vadania, Alhandra, Eberk and... and... anyone else who features some sort of religious ideal as part of their characterization. In this particular case, perhaps Alhandra becomes the most important character to get " right " , because we will all be counting on her adherance to the paladin's code of honour to keep those pesky self-pious religious censors off of ours backs. I know this is skirtting a little close to the precipitous drop past what is allowed for discussion, but it *is* integral to the success or failure of a production featuring these types of characters. If you are just going to gloss over it, then you aren't really being Iconic.


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## drothgery (Jun 3, 2006)

Of course, to knock things down to a reasonable case, we should probably knock this down to the clasic D&D four-person party of divine caster, arcane caster, warrior, skill guy, and then maybe one extra.

So we get one each from...

_warriors_
Alhandra the paladin 
Ember the monk 
Krusk the barbarian 
Regdar the fighter 
Soveliss the ranger
Tordek the fighter

_skill guys_ 
Devis the bard 
Gimble the bard
Kerwyn the rogue
Lidda the rogue

_divine casters_
Eberk the cleric
Jozan the cleric 
Vadania the druid 

_arcane casters_
Hennet the sorcerer
Mialee the wizard
Nebin the illusionist
Naull the wizard

So I'd go with Alhandra, Lidda, Jozan, and Mialee for the classic four, and then maybe Gimble, Devis, or Soveliss to round things out? Not Ember, though; then the movie would be "Jozan's Angels"...


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## Kaodi (Jun 4, 2006)

*Cast*

If I were going to make a movie, I would go with Alhandra, Gimble, Eberk, Mialee and Krusk.
If I were going to make a series, I would start with Jozan, Tordek, Lidda and Mialee.


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## Darth K'Trava (Jun 5, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Snails is the very essence of _D&D_?!?!!!
> 
> Is *Firebeetle* an alias for Courtney Solomon?




I read that sentence and saw sarcasm there.

At least I HOPE it's sarcasm.


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## Darth K'Trava (Jun 5, 2006)

drothgery said:
			
		

> Of course, to knock things down to a reasonable case, we should probably knock this down to the clasic D&D four-person party of divine caster, arcane caster, warrior, skill guy, and then maybe one extra.
> 
> So we get one each from...
> 
> ...




And as he was portrayed in at least one novel, he'd literally pass out from being surrounded by nothing but females...   And, basing on that, he'd be trying to hook up with Alhandra, provided he could get past his "puppy luv" for her.


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## Ranger REG (Jun 5, 2006)

Darth K'Trava said:
			
		

> I read that sentence and saw sarcasm there.
> 
> At least I HOPE it's sarcasm.



Well, I thought it was when I posted it, but *Firebeetle* confessed.

 

I swore that if I ever meet Courtney Solomon face to face, I'm gonna give him one big slap upside his head that he'll see supernovae.


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## Kaodi (Jun 5, 2006)

*What About Plot?*

I suppose if we were going to cast an Iconic movie, we'd also have to come up with a plot and setting for it... 

For setting, while I want to go Greyhawk, perhaps it would be better to go unique, since the standard v3.5 pantheon is *seriously* paired down from there. Doesn't mean that some elements can't be borrowed from that setting though.

And for plot... um... I don't think I would make it quie *save the world* level, but it would be important. Let's say kingdom to the northwest of the heroes home has recently been overrun by the armies of the half-demon son of a general or servitor of Orcus. This is all fine and well, because no one around the heroes is really *that* concerned about it yet, but then a strange approaches the party (maybe in a tavern, but perhaps it would be better to draw the party together first, not have them pre-exist). This stranger is a skilled sorcerer or wizard, and happens to be the fully human older brother of the half-demon. He has brought the party together, the best individuals he could find on short notice, to attack and infiltrate the stronghold of his brother, which he will teleport them to. Dungeon crawl ensues, with more horror elements than a standard fantasy movie (undead and fiends mixed in with human, half-orc and goblinoid mercenaries). Of course, the dungeon crawl would have to feature its own sub-plots and stories, but eventually they would get to the end, to find that the half-demon isn't there. They do find out where he is though, in some -really cool climatic battle environment- nearby, which they can reach without too much more trouble. Fight ensues, they emerge victorius (with at least one character death), and they avert whatever disaster which was about to ensue. The brother then arrives to pick up the pieces, and ends up taking over the area, in a bit of a twist (while not evil, he is ambitious, and this was part of his plan from the beginning). Movie ends, and while the main plot has been resolved, there remain some loose ends that could be used for a sequel, though there is generally closure in case there isn't one.


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## Klaus (Jun 5, 2006)

I'd go very local on the plot, specially since the budget would be very limited. I'd rather do few FX and do them well than spread the budget too thin (D&D 1, I'm looking at you). Stuff like Pitch Black, Dragonslayer or 13th Warrior on scale.


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## TracerBullet42 (Jun 5, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Glass -> Re; Kristin Kreuk picture: she's rubbing herself against a rock singer in a movie about 4 youngsters who travel to Europe. One of the youngsters is Michelle "Dawn Summers" Trachtenberg, who dressed *very* skimpily in this movie.



The movie is called Eurotrip, and she's rubbing herself up against a very "punk" Matt Damon in one of the greatest cameos of all time...

Check the movie out and you'll find yourself singing "Scotty Doesn't Know" for weeks to come...

Plus, it has a brief appearance by David Hasselhoff....


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## Kaodi (Jun 5, 2006)

*Local, Eh?*

I could go with local. Besides, D&D is plenty site-based (typically). So far, though, I'm still thinking a half-demon fighter/sorcerer, son of one of Orcus' chief minions. Maybe he even carries a cheap replica of the wand of Orcus. 
So, maybe the heroes are all travelling into a small town in the foothills of whatever mountain range, and there is a small fortress within spitting distance of town, but no one likes to go there because it is dangerous, and perhaps haunted. 
First, Alhandra and Mialee (group A) arrive in town, and they want to go and check out the ruins because Alhandra senses a great darkness hanging over the town. When Tordek, Gimble and Krusk (group B), a middle-aged gentleman approaches them and convinces them to go and search the ruins. The gentleman is actually the older brother of the half-demon, and is hoping that group B will rid the fortress of the fiends and undead so that he can claim a secret of treasure hidden within its bowels. Of course, he doesn't tell them that.
So, group A arrives at the ruins first, several hours before group B. They get close undetected with the aid of Mialee's magic, but when they spot a pair of demons that have cornered one of the townspeople who foolishly approached the ruins, Alhandra attacks. She slices, she dices, but despite her success, she alerts another nearby sentry and soon the three of them are fighting for their lives. In an ambush, the townsperson is cut down, and Alhandra is severely wounded, but Mialee manages to kill it with her arcane firepower.
Now, cut a few hours ahead, and group B enters the ruins and encounters a bedraggled Mialee fighting off another fiendish foe. Krusk charges into the fray and kills it, and Eberk uses his healing powers to revive Alhandra.
After this, the group decides to look for a better way in than through the front doors, and between Gimble and Eberk they manage to find a nearby passageway that leads into the bowels of the fortress. Down here, they encounter skeletons, zombies, ghouls, etc, some of which Tordek vapourizes with his powers, some which keep on coming after he tries. After a mini-boss fight with a pair of necromancers, they make their way back into the portion of the fortress patrolled by demons. 
Gradually, they fight and sneak to the lair of the cambion, and there they fight him and whatever appropriately sized pet would fit here, in a big climactic fight. Gimble lulls the creature into dormancy with his magic, while Alhandra and Krusk rush off to fight the cambion. Eberk and Mialee, in the mean time, have their hands full with some minions. In the ensuing melee, the two warriors are doing OK against their fiendish foe, but he manages to sunder Krusk's weapon. The creature breaks out of Gimbles magical hold, and scoops up the gnome in its jaws. Before it bites down though, Krusk sees what is happening and leaps on the creatures back, grappling it, and Gimble is thrown free, but he is bleeding and unconscious. Minor minions defeated, Eberk rushes to heal his companion, while Mialee is left to bring the beast down with her spells, while Krusk is doing his best to keep it away from his companions. Meanwhile though, Alhandra is left fighting the cambion, who clearly has the upperhand. Suddenly, Alhandras weapon is knocked from her grasp, and then the cambion sinks his weapon deep into the paladins side. She turns ashen, and sinks to the ground, grasping the cambions blade jutting out of her. The party tries to come to her aid, but the half-demon erects some kind of flaming barrier around them, but when the half-demon tries to pull out his blade to strike the final blow. Alhandras eyes light up with a holy light and holds on for all shes worth. Forgetting his weapon, he rushes to grab Alhandra's blade, but when he touches it he is burned horribly, for it is surrounded by the same light in Alhandras eyes. Then, in a twist from how the villain rises up silently behind the unsuspecting victim, Alhandra rises up behind the howling cambion, his weapon clenched in her hands, and she strikes him down. 
After that, it takes a moment for the fiery barrier to die down, and by the time a weary and drained Eberk can get to her side, her spirit is gone, not that he would of been able to save her, for the last of his powers have already been spent. It takes a moment for all of this to really sink in, and Mialee gets a more than a little upset, because she had travelled for several years with the courageous paladin, on many adventures. After some words, they get back to work and descend down a secret passageway that the half-demon had opened up before they arrived. They find a vault filled with weapons, armour and treasure. One display case though, is conspicuously empty, and then a magic mouth activates, telling the party that they have done a great service to the town, but that he (the brother) has made off with the prize. At this, everyone is quite angry, but the ever curious Gimble finds a hidden compartment in the case holding one last treasure, a magical journal of some kind containing a map and several writings that Mialee recognizes as spells. It appears that all has not been lost, and the scene closes zooming in on a location marked on the map. 
In the end, the party heads back to town with the bodies of Alhandra and the person who was killed earlier. They elders promise that a fitting mausoleum will be built for the paladin, and wishes the remaining party members good luck on tracking down the place marked on their map. One of the elders tells the party that he has known the brother for many years, and doubts that he will purposefully attempt to harm anyone, but that he is filled with a great ambition and sometimes makes foolish decisions. The party is wished well in their journeys, and they set out for the location marked on the map.

The End.

Rough I know. Could use -lots- of improvement, but as the quote goes (whether it is originally from Alpha Centauri, I do not know), " With rough tools, we make better tools, and with better tools, we make more precise tools. "


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## Klaus (Jun 5, 2006)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> The movie is called Eurotrip, and she's rubbing herself up against a very "punk" Matt Damon in one of the greatest cameos of all time...
> 
> Check the movie out and you'll find yourself singing "Scotty Doesn't Know" for weeks to come...
> 
> Plus, it has a brief appearance by David Hasselhoff....



 Very funny movie!

WAIT! That WAS Matt Damon? I thought he only LOOKED like Matt Damon! :O


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## Darth K'Trava (Jun 6, 2006)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> Well, I thought it was when I posted it, but *Firebeetle* confessed.




That's about like my friend Bill, who slightly resembles George Lucas (minus the beard), to go around and saying that stuff like "Howard the Duck" was something he came up with "for the kids" and stuff like that.   

Mostly to be facetious.


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## Firebeetle (Jun 6, 2006)

Kaodi said:
			
		

> I suppose if we were going to cast an Iconic movie, we'd also have to come up with a plot and setting for it...




I'm thinking TV show would be far more successful than another movie. D&D lends itself well to an episodic premise by it's very nature. Movies simply need more plot and characterization to be effective, which doesn't leave enough room for kicking in doors and stealing treasure.

Most of all, we already have two failure movies, why make more?



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> For setting, while I want to go Greyhawk, perhaps it would be better to go unique, since the standard v3.5 pantheon is *seriously* paired down from there. Doesn't mean that some elements can't be borrowed from that setting though.




[sarcasm]That worked so well in the last two films. [/sarcasm] It must be Greyhawk. Iconic characters. Iconic setting. Iconic NPCs, monsters and villains for that matter. WHO ARE the iconic monsters and villains of D&D?

NPCs:
Mordenkainen
Melf
Bigby
Leomund
Tasha
who else?

Monsters:

Mind Flayers
Beholders
Drow
Githyanki
who else?

Villains:
Warduke 
There has to be more than just Warduke!



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> And for plot... um... (snip)




Mistake number one, plot before characters. Figure out your villain first, then his/her agenda, then what the characters will do, then you get your plot.

Incidentally, it is terribly important point but hugely overlooked as to HOW the characters relate. This needs to be much more than snide remarks. We need love triangles, old rivalries, grudges, past romances, stuff like that. These characters must be about what they want and how they work together to satisfy everyone's goals.


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## Klaus (Jun 6, 2006)

A DnD TV series would *have* to follow the steps of Firefly. The episodes plots are just an excuse to develop the characters. You can easily have, say, mind flayers fulfilling the niche of big bad evil dudes who manipulate stuff from the shadows and we won't see them fully until the ending of Season 1, when they monitor our heroes though a crystal ball and think to each other "everything is going as planned".


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## Ranger REG (Jun 6, 2006)

Firebeetle said:
			
		

> Most of all, we already have two failure movies, why make more?



Because _D&D_ is as iconic as vampires, and you know how many good (and bad) vampire  movies out there.

Besides, Rankin-Bass made two mediocre Tolkien/Middle-Earth films before PJ performed his miracle. Perhaps the third time is the charm ... but this assumes you, *Courtney Solomon* (  ), relinquish the film right to someone more qualified (i.e., better than you) to do fantasy films.


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## glass (Jun 6, 2006)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Glass -> Re; Kristin Kreuk picture: she's rubbing herself against a rock singer in a movie about 4 youngsters who travel to Europe. One of the youngsters is Michelle "Dawn Summers" Trachtenberg, who dressed *very* skimpily in this movie.



This movie? I avoided it like the plague. I wish I hadn't, now!


glass.


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## Klaus (Jun 6, 2006)

It is surprisingly funny.

Plus how can you beat Lucy Lawless as the owner of a brothel in Amsterdam?


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## Kaodi (Jun 6, 2006)

*Well...*

You talk about having all of these classic characters and monsters appear, but this is supposed to be a serious venture, not a bloody parade of every last " iconic " thing out there.

If we were to look at this is game related terms, I definately don't think I would start out most of the characters at 1st level, even though that might be the " iconic " thing to do. Being a small fry works great at the gaming table, but making a good television series out of a bunch of weak, incompetent characters is not likely to be succesful in this genre. 3rd or 4th would be ideal, I think, so that we don't quite have Mialee laying flat whole groups of bad guys yet with her fireball, but we do have a group that can lay the smackdown on your average gang of goblins and orcs.

Like I said before, we don't want to lay out our hand in the couple episodes, or even the first two seasons. I'd hold back 3/4 of the iconic monsters, and maybe throw in one, or at most two, powerful NPCs to act as patrons, or cameos.

You keep talking about what didn't work in the first two films, and you lambast the people involved as incompetent, but what you don't seem to acknowledge in your criticisms based on the movies is that those elements that didn't work, didn't work because they were implemented by people who were incompetent. If I make a movie about Richard III and it sucks, then I make a movie about King Lear, and it sucks, does that mean that Shakespeare is no good for making movies?

End rant. Now, where was I? Even if my plot idea sucked, or wasn't fleshed out very well, the reason I was thinking of a half-demon fighter/sorcerer is because I wanted that evil-looking, hulking warrior who possessed some magical abilities to boot. No liches, no dark elves, no githyanki, no illithids. They're all scrawny. And the half-demon may also relate better to the audience because he represents the darkest side of a human, and basically has a human outlook, taken to an extreme by his wickedness and power, whereas most of the others are somewhat alien. Aliens mastermind villains are great if the series has some staying power, but its better to cast the net wide before you draw it in tight.


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## Firebeetle (Jun 6, 2006)

Kaodi said:
			
		

> You talk about having all of these classic characters and monsters appear, but this is supposed to be a serious venture, not a bloody parade of every last " iconic " thing out there.




I fail to see how including the iconics negates a serious effort. Further, it's proven successful, Hercules was "myth of the week" and worked well beyond all expectations.



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> If we were to look at this is game related terms, I definately don't think I would start out most of the characters at 1st level, even though that might be the " iconic " thing to do. Being a small fry works great at the gaming table, but making a good television series out of a bunch of weak, incompetent characters is not likely to be succesful in this genre. 3rd or 4th would be ideal, I think, so that we don't quite have Mialee laying flat whole groups of bad guys yet with her fireball, but we do have a group that can lay the smackdown on your average gang of goblins and orcs.




I think they should be low-level and get their butts pasted often. It's fun and increases drama if the audience doesn't know if they'll win or not. If they lose often and die every now and then, you accomplish that.



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> Like I said before, we don't want to lay out our hand in the couple episodes, or even the first two seasons. I'd hold back 3/4 of the iconic monsters, and maybe throw in one, or at most two, powerful NPCs to act as patrons, or cameos.




What makes D&D different than LotR? iconic monsters and characters. Lay 'em on, we DON'T want to be seen as a LotR rip-off. Remember the Batman rip-off Flash show? Nobody else does either.



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> You keep talking about what didn't work in the first two films, and you lambast the people involved as incompetent, but what you don't seem to acknowledge in your criticisms based on the movies is that those elements that didn't work, didn't work because they were implemented by people who were incompetent. If I make a movie about Richard III and it sucks, then I make a movie about King Lear, and it sucks, does that mean that Shakespeare is no good for making movies?




I think ideas that don't work really don't work and it is foolishness to pursue them again. If you want to develop a franchise then develop it, don't use it to do something else. 

and I've never seen a Richard III or King Lear I didn't like. In fact, Ian McKlellan Richard III is one of my favorite films, as well as "Ran", Kirosawa's Lear adaptation. 



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> End rant. Now, where was I? Even if my plot idea sucked, or wasn't fleshed out very well, the reason I was thinking of a half-demon fighter/sorcerer is because I wanted that evil-looking, hulking warrior who possessed some magical abilities to boot. No liches, no dark elves, no githyanki, no illithids. They're all scrawny. And the half-demon may also relate better to the audience because he represents the darkest side of a human, and basically has a human outlook, taken to an extreme by his wickedness and power, whereas most of the others are somewhat alien. Aliens mastermind villains are great if the series has some staying power, but its better to cast the net wide before you draw it in tight.




I just think it's not the time to discuss plot. If you need a hulking villain, we have Warduke. done. I don't see a problem with scrawny and fans will definately be expecting drow, beholders, liches, and mind flayers.


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## Kaodi (Jun 6, 2006)

*Shakespeare*

If you have never seen a version of Richard III you didn't like, I urge you to seek out the video documentaryish-thing that features Al Pacino trying to make a production of Richard III. In my ultra-enlightened, vastly superior to all-comers opinion (Did you note the sarcasm?), Al Pacino as Richard III -sucked-. The documentary doesn't show much of a finished production, but I didn't like the feel of him as that character at all. 
Now mind you, I have nothing against Al Pacino, and not too long ago I saw him in The Merchant of Venice, as the Jewish merchant (I don't know the name), and I thought he was awesome. 
Anyway, in school, we saw the Ian MacKellan Richard III, and I thought it was pretty good.

Back to the real discussion of this thread (No, not Michelle Tractenberg and EuroTrip, though I am a fan of both), you're right that the Myth parade worked for Hercules, but that wasn't really attempting to be anything, just a succesful show. In Dungeons & Dragons, however, the focus is more on one theme drawn out over a lengthy adventure. While making really long story arcs for the series might now work, it would be nice to see some run for 5-7 episodes before being resolved. And in that space, you *could* fit a number of different environments and monsters, like how the Eberron series of modules goes from Sharn, to the Mournland, to Xen'drik, etc. (I'm probably missing some steps, I've never played it, but I think thats the gist of it), where each episode is one part of the adventure.

Anyway, I have to split to go game for the first time in a month, and my sister is on my back (How dare she question my using messageboards, that telephone talker, computer chatting punk?). We can continue this somewhat interesting, perhaps mildly hostile discussion later. 

Bye.


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## Ranger REG (Jun 6, 2006)

Firebeetle said:
			
		

> What makes D&D different than LotR? iconic monsters and characters. Lay 'em on, we DON'T want to be seen as a LotR rip-off. Remember the Batman rip-off Flash show? Nobody else does either.



I do remember. Just didn't know you toddlers have seen it since it was before your time.  

Personally, I don't care if they rip off (or perhaps "inspired" is a better word) from _LOTR_ or _Pirates of the Caribbeans._ If they look at these films as aspiring models for an improved _D&D_ film (a perfect marriage of story and effects), rather than going off the tangent like you -- *Courtney Solomon* -- did, then we may see some increase in audience attraction and less ranting.


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