# The D&D Movie Finds Its Director



## Umbran (Mar 31, 2016)

One correction: The legal dispute was with "Sweetpea Entertainment".


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## turkeygiant (Mar 31, 2016)

The people attached to this movie make it seem far more legit than I ever imagined a D&D movie being.


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## Twiggly the Gnome (Mar 31, 2016)

I like the part about the cast including a "cunning gnome".


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## Pjack (Mar 31, 2016)

[That should be "David Leslie Johnson", not "David Leslie Jones".]

Based on the director & the writer's past work, I'm guessing this is going to be terrible. Mind you, "terrible" might still mean "lots of fun for 10-13 year-old kids", which wouldn't necessarily be bad for the brand.

I know I shouldn't judge before it's even made, but I'm trying to set my expectations to a reasonable level. :/


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## Pjack (Mar 31, 2016)

[Duplicate post; please delete.]


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## DM Howard (Mar 31, 2016)

You know, I could see this being a good multi-media strategy for the D&D brand as a whole.  "WotC Presents: The Sands of Athas, A Dungeons & Dragons movie.  Like what you see in the movie?  Check out D&D at our website and play the tabletop game with our new Athas sourcebook, or travel to Athas in Neverwinter the MMO, or Sword Coast Legends!"  I can dig that.  "Spanning multiple worlds at least gives me SOME sort of hope of Mystara love.  Right?  RIGHT?!  *Goes and cries in the corner*


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## Jester David (Mar 31, 2016)

The director of _Shark Tale_, _Monsters vs Aliens_, the Jack Black _Gulliver's Travels_, and _Goosebumps_. A tomato range of 76% (_Goosebumps_) to 20% (_Gulliver's Travels_) with an average of 50%. And half of which star Jack Black...

Not who I'd want for a action movie.


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## trystero (Mar 31, 2016)

Jester Canuck said:


> The director of _Shark Tale_, _Monsters vs Aliens_, the Jack Black _Gulliver's Travels_, and _Goosebumps_. A tomato range of 76% (_Goosebumps_) to 20% (_Gulliver's Travels_) with an average of 50%. And half of which star Jack Black...
> 
> Not who I'd want for a action movie.




Coupled with the writer of _Wrath of the Titans_ (which I wouldn't watch if you paid me) and the producer of _The LEGO Movie_ (which I wanted to like but didn't).

Well, at least it'll be better than the one with Jeremy Irons, right?

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?


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## Brodie (Apr 1, 2016)

Well, Roy (not Rob) Lee was producer on a pair of movies I liked (Lego Movie and HTTYD 2) and I liked Monsters Vs. Aliens by Rob Letterman, but that doesn't really instill any hope in me for the movie. On the other hand, I don't really have a bad feeling about the movie (like I did with Batman vs Superman, which I did NOT like) so all I can do is hope that this turns out to be the masterpiece these guys have in them. Making this an ensemble story instead of choosing a lead is a smart move; it highlights - in my opinion - that D&D is always an ensemble story when you sit down to play.

Also... Why look for a 'Vin Diesel-type' instead of just try to get Vin Diesel? It's no secret the guy loves role playing so I doubt it would take much to get him to join.


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## Olaf the Stout (Apr 1, 2016)

Brodie said:


> Well, Roy (not Rob) Lee was producer on a pair of movies I liked (Lego Movie and HTTYD 2) and I liked Monsters Vs. Aliens by Rob Letterman, but that doesn't really instill any hope in me for the movie. On the other hand, I don't really have a bad feeling about the movie (like I did with Batman vs Superman, which I did NOT like) so all I can do is hope that this turns out to be the masterpiece these guys have in them. Making this an ensemble story instead of choosing a lead is a smart move; it highlights - in my opinion - that D&D is always an ensemble story when you sit down to play.
> 
> Also... Why look for a 'Vin Diesel-type' instead of just try to get Vin Diesel? It's no secret the guy loves role playing so I doubt it would take much to get him to join.




My guess is Vin Diesel probably would want a lot more money that the budget would allow.


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## Electryc (Apr 1, 2016)

We can always be hopeful at least!! This sounds far better than the last outing of Jeremy (collecting my paycheck) Irons, and that comical-relief thief we all loved to hate. (Marlon Wayans)


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## Electryc (Apr 1, 2016)

doublepost!


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## Tiles (Apr 1, 2016)

The last GI Joe movie did star the Rock, just saying...a star like Vin is far from out of reach. We can hope! Minsk!


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## Ryujin (Apr 1, 2016)

Morrus said:


> "This new Dungeons & Dragons will be a Guardians of the Galaxy-tone movie in a Tolkien-like universe. Because when you think of all the Hobbit movies and The Lord of the Rings, they have an earnestness to them, and to see something fun, a Raiders romp inside that world, _I feel is something the audience has not seen before._"




I can't be the only person seeing the irony in this statement.


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## TerraDave (Apr 1, 2016)

Hmm. A strong producer, so-so director, and (from one credit) terrible writer.  

And then there is the elevator talk mash-up: its like guardians, but set in the lord of the rings.


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## Nytmare (Apr 1, 2016)

Brodie said:


> Also... Why look for a 'Vin Diesel-type' instead of just try to get Vin Diesel? It's no secret the guy loves role playing so I doubt it would take much to get him to join.




Oh my god he's an expensive actor.


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## ZeshinX (Apr 1, 2016)

I'm interested to see what they come up with, but my expectations are very, very low.


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Apr 1, 2016)

I hope it doesn't suck. Just a small hope. A fool's hope.


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## THEMNGMNT (Apr 1, 2016)

Not. Good.


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## BrockBallingdark (Apr 1, 2016)

Outside of the producer, this is the best they can do?  Ugh, hopes went right in that Fantastic Four drain.


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## Hand of Evil (Apr 1, 2016)

I hear Warner Brothers is re-filming scenes for Suicide Squad to make it more fun!  I really worry about this "fun" stuff.




> One of the main problems a lot of people seemed to have with the film was a perceived lack of “fun”, and many felt more humor and levity were needed to make it an altogether more “joyous” movie-going experience.
> 
> Well, the studio may well have taken this on board, as BMD reports that reshoots are set to get underway this week on Suicide Squad, with a view to lightening the tone considerably. Apparently they’re not planning to insert jokes left and right, and are simply “beefing up fun character moments and interactions.”


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## Lidgar (Apr 1, 2016)

I really wish they would just do animation rather than live action...mixed with waaayy too much CGI...I can already picture the "romp". 

Yeah, set that hope-o-meter to 2.5.


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## Jhaelen (Apr 1, 2016)

My hope-o-meter is at about negative infinity - and that didn't really change with these news.


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## dracomilan (Apr 1, 2016)

I guess they lack the skills to make proper descriptions, so everything turns to poor similitudes? Like the Lord of the Rings, but not really... Like Guardians, but not really... Like Vin Diesel, but not really... Like a proper Director, but not really...

Oh, I'm getting ready to get a lot of jokes from my friends. 
_Is 'this' the thing you do?_


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 1, 2016)

With the kind of budget they likely have, they'd probably be better off doing a TV series with (mostly) young/relatively unknown (cheap) acting talent and using encounters & opponents that don't require a metric ton of CGI, at least for season 1.  _Shannara_ and _The Magicians _series so far have succeeded in at least LOOKING acceptable.

The cost savings could be put on the other side of the lens, with better writing, etc.

(I can dream, I can dream.)


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## Consona (Apr 1, 2016)

I think property like this needs people who know it through and through.

Like Duncan Jones being a player of WarCraft for a long time, he knows the tone, the story, all those details of that world and story is written by Chris Metzen himself... Or with the GotG example, James Gunn read all those comics long time before there was any Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I don't know whether David Leslie Johnson or Rob Letterman are Forgotten Realms/DnD nerds, but if they aren't, this is gonna end up not so good, IMO. Just another average fantasy flick...

Do anybody know the story or something? Man, this film should have been written, or at least co-written, by guys who made Balgur's Gate 2 or Planescape: Torment, and not by the guy who wrote Wrath of the Titans.


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## Nytmare (Apr 1, 2016)

Lidgar said:


> I really wish they would just do animation rather than live action...mixed with waaayy too much CGI...I can already picture the "romp".





Oh my god, why did you remind me that that movie existed...


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## Onslaught (Apr 1, 2016)

If Vin Diesel is such a D&D fans, he would probably ask for less money than he would otherwise (like in a Fast and Furious movie).

Anyway, there's probably a saying that "hope is the last one to die" (at least in Portuguese there is  !)... so... there's still hope...


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## Morrus (Apr 1, 2016)

Onslaught said:


> If Vin Diesel is such a D&D fans, he would probably ask for less money than he would otherwise




I bet his agent would love him for that!


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## Nytmare (Apr 1, 2016)

Onslaught said:


> Anyway, there's probably a saying that "hope is the last one to die" (at least in Portuguese there is  !)... so... there's still hope...





_Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blessed:
The soul, uneasy and confined from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come._

– Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man

"Hey Vin, would you mind taking a 20 million dollar pay cut to be in a movie that will probably tank your career?"


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## Onslaught (Apr 1, 2016)

He could try some kind of arrangement in that VD has some say in the project - he is, in a way, part of the taget audience.

Anyway... it's gonna be a Warner movie, right? Lately I haven't had much faith in them when it comes to action/hero movies... well... time will tell... but I reeeeeally hope it end up great. Brand does need a good movie, 'cos there's such a huge ammount of interesting lore and stories to tell


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 1, 2016)

Morrus said:


> I bet his agent would love him for that!




Sometimes, that works out for all involved.  _Sin City_ had a lot of named talent, and most of them took substantial pay cuts to be in the film.


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## chibi graz'zt (Apr 1, 2016)

Well , I would have liked to see George Miller at the helm here, (Mad Max Fury Road was the best film of 2015). Guess we'll have to see what this team puts out.  Im happy its set in the Realms though, a recognizable setting will only help increase viewership.


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## Zaran (Apr 1, 2016)

Olaf the Stout said:


> My guess is Vin Diesel probably would want a lot more money that the budget would allow.




I don't know.  They got Liam Neilson for Battleship.


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## Consona (Apr 1, 2016)

chibi graz'zt said:


> (Mad Max Fury Road was the best film of 2015)



That's debatable... 



chibi graz'zt said:


> Im happy its set in the Realms though, a recognizable setting will only help increase viewership.



How many people around the globe actually know what FR is?


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## Nytmare (Apr 1, 2016)

Onslaught said:


> He could try some kind of arrangement in that VD has some say in the project - he is, in a way, part of the taget audience.




I worked on The Last Witch Hunter.  That film was exactly what you're describing.  He was a producer on a 100 million dollar movie that was his D&D character playing D&D, and it was a train wreck throughout production and in the box office.  

Also he didn't take a pay cut.


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## Halivar (Apr 1, 2016)

Please be April Fool's.
Please be April Fool's.
Pleeeeeeaaase be April Fool's.


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## Onslaught (Apr 1, 2016)

Halivar said:


> Please be April Fool's.
> Please be April Fool's.
> Pleeeeeeaaase be April Fool's.




Forgot that mightbe an option!


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## Morrus (Apr 1, 2016)

Halivar said:


> Please be April Fool's.
> Please be April Fool's.
> Pleeeeeeaaase be April Fool's.




It wasn't posted today.


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## Dausuul (Apr 1, 2016)

Consona said:


> I think property like this needs people who know it through and through.
> 
> Like Duncan Jones being a player of WarCraft for a long time, he knows the tone, the story, all those details of that world and story is written by Chris Metzen himself... Or with the GotG example, James Gunn read all those comics long time before there was any Marvel Cinematic Universe.



I think property like this needs people who can write their way out of a paper bag. Knowledge of the source material is good, but not nearly as important as writing chops. Sometimes it can be helpful to have a fresh set of eyes, somebody who can see how the material will look to people who _aren't_ steeped in it.

I don't care whether David Leslie Johnson is a D&D nerd. I do care that "Wrath of the Titans" was a craptastic movie and he wrote the script. I'm hoping Rob Lee has a lot more influence than Johnson on the final product.


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## Doctor Futurity (Apr 1, 2016)

Well....Rob Lee's good news as I see it, but otherwise I'm now officially going to lower my bar of expectations very, very low.


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## Hand of Evil (Apr 1, 2016)

As I have said in other threads, think it should be animated or better yet, a high-end cable series like Black Sails, Spartacus, Banshee or Game of Thrones with money behind it.


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## Arilyn (Apr 1, 2016)

Onslaught said:


> If Vin Diesel is such a D&D fans, he would probably ask for less money than he would otherwise (like in a Fast and Furious movie).
> 
> Anyway, there's probably a saying that "hope is the last one to die" (at least in Portuguese there is  !)... so... there's still hope...




Considering that most of us have little hope for this movie, why would Van Diesel wish to be in it?


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## Kramodlog (Apr 1, 2016)

No production date, so a lot can still change.


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## Tiles (Apr 1, 2016)

The currant climate is to shoot for franchises. A stinker is just as likely as a relitive hit. It will at least get studio support for the first film. I expect it will surpass most expectations solely because they are so low.


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## darius0 (Apr 1, 2016)

They should just do "The Crystal Shard" and be done with it. Vin Diesel would even make a good Artemis Entreri.


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## Storyteller Hero (Apr 1, 2016)

I'd like to add that a producer's role in the creative aspect of a film production is limited, so it's more accurate to predict a movie's story quality based on the writer(s) and director(s) working on it.

One large worry is that this will end up becoming a repeat of the gods-awful "Gods of Egypt", a big budget epic fantasy film with a team focusing more on impact than substance.


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## Tiles (Apr 1, 2016)

If they can make people care about the characters and the story, they won't need a big bugget.


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## martinlochsen (Apr 1, 2016)

Seems Wizards have an exceptional talent for choosing the wrong people to work with (outside of the actual ttrpg sphere, that is). Project Morningstar stranded, n-Space went bankrupt, and now this movie... there is just no way this is going to be good.


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## Valetudo (Apr 1, 2016)

There is no way this movie is going to be any good. Im sorry but everything ive heard so far makes me cringe. Its gonna have no budget, bad writing, and probably bad actors. Not to mention once again they will add bad dnd jokes that they will deserve to be punched in the thoat for even thinking. I agree with others that they should just do crystal shards. And im not even a drizzt fan.


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## Kaodi (Apr 1, 2016)

I will stand with the poster who said before, "Hope springs eternal." 

Maybe one day we will get a D&D movie written by [MENTION=189]jonrog1[/MENTION] .


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## TheSwartz (Apr 2, 2016)

Hey, there's nowhere but "up", right?


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## Reinhart (Apr 2, 2016)

As critical as I am of WotC, I don't think they're really to blame for any of this. It wasn't even their choice to work with Warner Bros. That decision was made by Sweet Pea when Hasbro originally wanted to work with Universal Studios.

So what's happening here is they're just taking what's given to them. I suspect that Warner Bros doesn't really know what to make of the D&D IP, as this is somewhat uncharted territory for success. As a result they're playing it cautious and looking at which fantasy/action writers and directors they already have on contract and that aren't tapped for more lucrative projects already. Basically we're getting the "don't risk too much, then roll the dice and maybe get lucky" approach to movie making.


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## Storyteller Hero (Apr 2, 2016)

Somehow I feel like the biggest hope for the movie is that it may still be early enough for the producer to have the director and writer replaced.

A great movie can still be made on a relatively small budget. Deadpool showed the world that much this year. 

It actually doesn't matter if the director and writer are DnD fans as long as they are good at what they do and are respectful to source material. The writer especially needs to be someone who takes the time to do the proper research, unlike the debacle of The Last Airbender...


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## cmad1977 (Apr 2, 2016)

I have zero confidence that this will be even an OK movie.


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## cmad1977 (Apr 2, 2016)

Olaf the Stout said:


> My guess is Vin Diesel probably would want a lot more money that the budget would allow.




And would probably not want to be part of something that is just going to embarrass the product he loves.


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## Mavkatzer (Apr 2, 2016)

Well worth the protracted legal battle...


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## martinlochsen (Apr 2, 2016)

Reinhart said:


> As critical as I am of WotC, I don't think they're really to blame for any of this. It wasn't even their choice to work with Warner Bros. That decision was made by Sweet Pea when Hasbro originally wanted to work with Universal Studios.




Ok. I didn't know any of that. Where is this info from? I was under the impression the legal difficulties were between Sweat Pea and Warner.

EDIT: Found that info on my own. You're right, of course. I haven't been paying attention.

Anyway, everything they're doing gives me the impression that this whole "multimedia franchise" thing they're going for follows a sort of "get the highest profile people we can get for the budget we have"-strategy, rather than "who would be the right people to do this right". I'm not really business-savvy or anything, so I might well be wrong, but the whole thing just reeks of business minded people doing what should be done by creative minded ones.

Look at n-space too. They've never done anything interesting. Lots of ports of big games for NDS, and a bunch of really crappy original games.


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## MarkB (Apr 3, 2016)

I'll be glad if they steer clear of Vin Diesel. Not because he's a bad fit for the style of story they're going for, but because if they did get him, it would in all likelihood become a Vin Diesel movie, and I'd much prefer it to be a true ensemble movie.


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## Quickleaf (Apr 3, 2016)

I'll be cautiously optimistic even though they're not giving us much reason to be.

I am far more optimistic, however, about the Witcher movie coming out 2017 sometime.

They've got a decent writer familiar with the genre: Thania St. John, who worked on _Chicago Fire_ and _Grimm._

They've got a talented director: Tomasz Bagiński, who directed the Witcher game cinematic trailers and several beautiful shorts.

While the producer, Sean Daniel (_The Mummy_), might not be who fans would want handling the Witcher creatively, he's working on production so the writer/director will be the main creative minds behind the film.


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## Jacqual (Apr 3, 2016)

Arilyn said:


> Considering that most of us have little hope for this movie, why would Van Diesel wish to be in it?




Vin Diesel made a promise to Gary Gygax that he would not be in a D&D movie unless he thought the movie would be a good movie. You can find confirmation of this by looking at interviews done by Vin in the past. I believe he made the promise due to his love of the game and the respect he had of Mr. Gygax.


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## Warbringer (Apr 3, 2016)

Share the same sense of doom that others have shared.

At the heart, the whole approach to this movie makes no sense. There is a complete stable of successful D&D novels stretching back 30 years, and love the, or hate, Drizzt and Raistin, are characters that have an established base and would pull crossover.

Add tha Has to sound like they are trying to do this on the cheap, doesn't help the angst either.


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## Hand of Evil (Apr 3, 2016)

The other problem I see is getting people to go see the movie, just have to worry about draw a D&D movie could generate.  Everyone thinks Lord of the Rings but is D&D that respected as a brand?


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## Ryujin (Apr 3, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> The other problem I see is getting people to go see the movie, just have to worry about draw a D&D movie could generate.  Everyone thinks Lord of the Rings but is D&D that respected as a brand?




Respected? Not by those who are outside its circle of influence. I would even say ridiculed. When the guys on "Big Bang Theory" play D&D on the show the audience isn't laughing with them, but at them. What it is, though, is a recognizable brand.How do you play on a recognizable but ridiculed brand in order to draw an audience? The only way that I know how, is to use parody and ridicule. Look at "Knights of Badassdom" for an example.


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## martinlochsen (Apr 3, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> Respected? Not by those who are outside its circle of influence. I would even say ridiculed. When the guys on "Big Bang Theory" play D&D on the show the audience isn't laughing with them, but at them. What it is, though, is a recognizable brand.How do you play on a recognizable but ridiculed brand in order to draw an audience? The only way that I know how, is to use parody and ridicule. Look at "Knights of Badassdom" for an example.




Or you could make something awesome and turn everyone's attitude around. It's been done. Not that I think that is what's going on here, though.


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## Ryujin (Apr 3, 2016)

martinlochsen said:


> Or you could make something awesome and turn everyone's attitude around. It's been done. Not that I think that is what's going on here, though.




You could, but then it wouldn't matter if it was based on a D&D property or not. Then we're back to the "Generic Fantasy #253" scenario.


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## martinlochsen (Apr 3, 2016)

There are some small glimmers of hope though, to be fair. Consider these quotes from the Collider-article previously linked to on enworld:

Roy Lee


> "everyone who’s involved with it now, especially the writer of the first draft is a fan from the very beginning starting with Chainmail, which turned into Dungeons & Dragons, so you’ll see things that are very faithful to the source material as well as new elements are being incorporated with help from Wizards of the Coast, who are giving a lot of input on the script.”




It's a bit cryptic, but it seems David Leslie Johnson didn't write the first draft for the script, and the guy who did is a D&D-fan, and a pretty hard core one if he even knew what Chainmail is. Also, input from WotC is a good sign, I think. They have people who understand what D&D is about. Seems Roy Lee really thinks being faithful to the source is a priority too, which is good.

It's also mentioned in the same article that it's to be an ensamble piece, which many people here, including myself, think is a good idea.

Not much, perhaps, but let's take the good news as it is.


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## martinlochsen (Apr 3, 2016)

Ryujin said:


> You could, but then it wouldn't matter if it was based on a D&D property or not. Then we're back to the "Generic Fantasy #253" scenario.




Not sure I agree. The brand would still get you attention and a core audience. It's probably easier to market, though perhaps a bit riskier.


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## Ryujin (Apr 3, 2016)

martinlochsen said:


> Not sure I agree. The brand would still get you attention and a core audience. It's probably easier to market, though perhaps a bit riskier.




I've said this before, in another thread about this topic: The core audience won't support this movie. To make money and have a hope for further productions, you need people who aren't already tied to the concept. The question is, "How do you do that, especially if the property still suffers from the 'nerd' factor?" Pop culture has co-opted many of the things that, a mere 10 years ago, would have been considered nerdy. They still refer to them as nerdy but when more people are involved in them than not, they're no longer nerdy. Pen & paper RPGs don't fall int he co-opted group.


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## Psikerlord# (Apr 4, 2016)

If they can make a D&D version of guardians of the galaxy - that would be terrific. 

But... wrath of the titans scriptwriter? And goosebumps director? Hmm. I have a bad feeling about this.


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## S'mon (Apr 4, 2016)

Pjack said:


> [That should be "David Leslie Johnson", not "David Leslie Jones".]
> 
> Based on the director & the writer's past work, I'm guessing this is going to be terrible. Mind you, "terrible" might still mean "lots of fun for 10-13 year-old kids", which wouldn't necessarily be bad for the brand.
> 
> I know I shouldn't judge before it's even made, but I'm trying to set my expectations to a reasonable level. :/




My son should be 9 when this comes out, I bet he'll love it.


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## firstkyne (Apr 4, 2016)

"to see something fun, a Raiders romp inside that world, I feel is something the audience has not seen before." Erm...did any one see Pirates of the Caribbean?

The "Ernestness" of LOTR wasn't massive, was it? I mean Legalos slid down some stairs on a shield whilst firing a bow. If this film is less earnest, I anticipate a lot of comedy: this strikes me as likely to fail. Surely you need some earnestness to get the huge suspension of disbelief required from the audience?

Vin Diesel would not make this a better proposal. Lovely D&D proponent though he is.


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## arjomanes (Apr 4, 2016)

Jack Black would be a great bard.


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## Kaodi (Apr 5, 2016)

If they want to make this thing like Guardians of the Galaxy then who is their music director? One thing that I do not think we have discussed much but that really counts is the score: can a D&D movie have a score that could actually buoy the movie? What existing songs or groups would work great in a D&D movie? Something by Epica?


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## Dannyalcatraz (Apr 5, 2016)

Depends on what you want from your score.  If you want neoclassical orchestral, that's one set of composers.  If you're fine with modern ambient stuff, that's different people.  And so on.


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## Caliburn101 (Apr 5, 2016)

Between childish cartoons, popular parodies of the game and poor B-movies, the scope and depth of drama that can come from a game run with mature, experienced players with a good GM who knows how to craft a great story is entirely lost on most people.

The game is still seen a something of a joke by those unexposed to it.

Warner Brother's are complete idiots if they think a GotG formula is going to get them measurable success, and there is one exemplar of the approach they SHOULD take to make it vastly popular.

Game of Thrones...

Serious plot, depth of characterisation, non-pastiche/clichéd evil that everyone can understand would instil real fear if it existed, and dragons that NO-ONE equates with childish fantasy.

It is entirely, blaringly, ridiculously obvious that a Game of Thrones approach with sensitively applied well-balanced amounts of extra 'D&D fantasy factor' is the way to go with this.

That's the only way this isn't going to fall flat on it's face.

Moreover - Game of Thrones is STAGGERINGLY popular, and if WoTC want the game to be enhanced and increase sales off the back of a movie franchise, then there are very obvious lessons here.

Someone with _at least_ half a brain needs to be engaged to redirect efforts on this. I am sure some of the writers on Game of Thrones would look favourably at a D&D movie proposal promising a more serious approach to this subset of the genre - and those people can _write_...

A group-dynamic based, character-led, gritty but D&D fantasy story with elements of GoT (without the explicit gore) would be fantastic.

I love Guardians - it's very well done space-opera with the right mix of music, jokes and over the top pseudo-science... but the first Star Lord quip from a Paladin or massively over the top Hobbit-style Goblin King antagonist will have me walk out of the cinema - it just doesn't fit...

Frankly I'd much rather see $50 million and top-flight AAA movie company support given to the producers of the Mythica films so they could realise the vision of their world as they would really like to - the tone of which already suits the D&D drama tropes far better than anything produced so far under the D&D banner. Plus, the idea of a Barbarian who says 'Groot' all the time 'because all Barbarians have Intelligence as a dump stat... right?' and that will be something 'audiences haven't seen before' is just crass.

Anyway - I've indulged in too many post edits at this point - I need to get off my soapbox and stop shaking my head and trying to type at the same time...


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## Ryujin (Apr 5, 2016)

"Mythica" or "Chaldea" would both be good candidates. The first "Mythica" movie played right to the 'building the party meme, right down to the tavern.


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## ccs (Apr 5, 2016)

Caliburn101 said:


> but the first Star Lord quip from a Paladin or massively over the top Hobbit-style Goblin King antagonist will have me walk out of the cinema - it just doesn't fit...




Doesn't FIT?  Fit what?  D&D???
I've got some bad news for you.  Our favorite game has been a brew of continuous B-movie/serial/pulp action level over the top stuff, plots, quips, one-liners, inappropriate comments, etc for a looong time.  Probably since about 5 minutes after its inception.... 

The trick is translating this onto the screen.


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## Ryujin (Apr 5, 2016)

arjomanes said:


> Jack Black would be a great bard.




There is only one bard and his name is Scott C Brown. OK, two if you include Andy D.


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## Caliburn101 (Apr 6, 2016)

ccs said:


> Doesn't FIT?  Fit what?  D&D???
> I've got some bad news for you.  Our favorite game has been a brew of continuous B-movie/serial/pulp action level over the top stuff, plots, quips, one-liners, inappropriate comments, etc for a looong time.  Probably since about 5 minutes after its inception....
> 
> The trick is translating this onto the screen.




The trick, actually, is making the film s_uccessful _- not confusing round the table out-of-character banter with what the characters were doing, or characterising the entire hobby with one's recollections of how casual games are played for a laugh.

People who don't game will not 'get it', and there are not enough gamers who will appreciate that kind of approach to make 10% of their money back if they make it with decent effects.

All the D&D movies so far have fallen into that trap to one extent or another, and they have all bombed.

Game of Thrones however is a worldwide success. Mythica, for an indie movies series that is very 'D&D' is also a great success considering the very small budget. Neither of these two live action expressions of D&D indulge in adolescent one-liners, B-movie antics or modern cross-culture quips. They treat the characters and a worlds they are set in as serious, 'could credibly exist' concerns.

This is the secret of their success - they have enough 'real world' touchstone material to resonate with wider audiences.

As far as the rest is concerned - having been a gamer since the first roleplay material became available, I don't need to use the word 'probably' to know what it was like then, at any time in between or indeed, now.

So the only 'bad news' I can see is that there may be more than one person who thinks a casual 'popcorn and bubblegum' approach to the movies will do it's chances any good at all.

It hasn't before, and it won't do now.


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