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New D&D Movie Announced, Forgotten Realms Mentioned

kcwisekcwise Member Posts: 2,287
in Off-Topic
Well, this is interesting. A new partnership to make another D&D movie, with some of the same people involved in the original movie (bleh!). The Forgotten Realms setting is mentioned in the press release, which is both cool and horribly frightening (the mind boggles with how many ways they could mess it up).

From: http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/warner-bros-pictures-and-hasbro-partner-dungeons-dragons-feature-film-franchise-based
Warner Bros. Pictures and Hasbro Partner on Dungeons & Dragons Feature Film Franchise Based on Iconic Property
(August 3, 2015 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Pictures, Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures and Sweetpea Entertainment are moving forward on a feature film franchise based on Dungeons & Dragons, the world’s most popular role playing game. Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis, Courtney Solomon and Allan Zeman of Sweetpea Entertainment, and Roy Lee (“The LEGO Movie,” “How to Train Your Dragon”) are attached as producers.

Highlighting the priority being given to the project, Warner Bros. Pictures already has a script, written by David Leslie Johnson (“The Conjuring 2,” “Wrath of the Titans”).

“We are so excited about bringing the world of Dungeons & Dragons to life on the big screen,” said Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. “This is far and away the most well-known brand in fantasy, which is the genre that drives the most passionate film followings. D&D has endless creative possibilities, giving our filmmakers immense opportunities to delight and thrill both fans and moviegoers new to the property.”

“This is such an enormous opportunity to bring the rich fantasy setting of the Forgotten Realms to life and, together with the creative powerhouse of Warner Bros., use movies to tell the stories that have enchanted passionate D&D fans for decades,” said Stephen Davis, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer of Hasbro, Inc. “D&D is the role-playing game that started it all and now we have the opportunity to ignite a franchise for its legions of avid fans in a way never done before.”

Dungeons & Dragons first became popular in 1974, and since then has amassed millions of players and fans worldwide. The hugely popular property has also influenced numerous writers, directors, game designers, and other creative professionals throughout its four decades.

“We are thrilled that this beloved property can finally make its way to the big screen after 20 years, and that it can be realized by Warner Bros., which has been responsible for the biggest fantasy franchises over the past two decades,” said Courtney Solomon of Sweetpea Entertainment.

Today’s announcement reflects the resolution of Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast LLC’s complaint against Sweetpea Entertainment, Inc. and Sweetpea BVI, Ltd. and the counterclaims filed by Sweetpea against Hasbro in May 2013 related to the Dungeons & Dragon brand. Solomon and Zeman will be attached to produce all Warner Bros.-produced Dungeons & Dragons film and television productions. All rights for future Dungeons & Dragons productions have been unified and returned to Wizards of the Coast, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hasbro.
There is some illuminating commentary here as well:
It’s really entertaining how Warner Bros’ press release makes absolutely no mention of the 2000 stinker, the Jupiter Ascending of its time but with less potential for Tumblr fandom. Which is ironic, considering that this announcement marks the end of the rights battle between Hasbro and Sweetpea Entertainment, Inc.—the same production company who was responsible for the D&D movie that bombed. Instead, quotes from folks like Greg Silverman, Warner Bros’ President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production, are all about looking ahead to drawing in new audiences
So, any thoughts on how hard this will flop?
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Comments

  • kcwisekcwise Member Posts: 2,287
    Even a bad movie can at least be fun for a few laughs, or have some elements which aren't too bad (I liked the thief maze in the original film, for instance). The reason I worry about this one though is the possibility of it being set in the Forgotten Realms. They have one shot to make something decent. If they mess it up, there will likely never be another film.

    Given WotC's current desire to cross promote everything I'd guess a movie set in and around Neverwinter is a very likely possibility. "You've watched the movie, now play the game!"
  • SquireSquire Member Posts: 511
    edited August 2015
    The fact that they're using Forgotten Realms is somewhat promising, but I doubt they'll make a story about canon characters...there are just too many of them, and too many stories, to make a meaningful movie about them. I think, at best, it'll feature mainly OCs with cameos from canon characters.

    Doing the whole IWD trilogy would be cool, but it'd take more than one film to do that, and such a project would be quite a high-risk endeavour, I think. They tried it with Dragonlance, and I don't think they ever made a second film because it flopped so badly (they did an animated one because they couldn't get the budget for a proper film). Shame, because I think Dragonlance is probably my favourite setting in D&D...it (at least the original trilogy) ticks all of my boxes of being mainly low-level, magic being rare/evil, and more about people working together than one hero being so badass that he can beat everybody (which is what Forgotten Realms tends to gravitate towards).

    My biggest hope is that they don't do an over-simplified plot like the first one... "the Emperess wants everybody to be equal!" always felt too simplistic to me (how is she going to achieve that anyway? What laws will she pass to make this possible? Equal rights? Equal pay? Equal chance to learn magic whether you have the ability or not? Abolition of slavery? Illegal to treat somebody differently based on their social status? You can't just say "I rule that everybody is equal!", you need to say how you're going to make everybody equal!).

    Personally I think it should be exactly like the game...four heroes should meet in a tavern, and their first quest should be to kill a bunch of rats in the basement!! :D:D Okay, that wouldn't work as a film, but it'd be hilarious...every geek in the room will be in tears with laughter, while every non-geek would be like "uh...what?"
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    LadyRhian said:

    Oh, please, no EFFING comedy relief. I want a movie played straight, more or less, and the humor be situational and appropriate, not tied to one character being the "Ha Ha! I'm the funny one!" character. I thought the second movie (Wrath of the Dragon God), was TONS better than the first, even though far less was spent on it.

    I wouldn't go quite this far. There is a place for comedy in any story. Even LoTR had comedy in the form of Gimly the Dwarf, and to a lesser degree Merry and Pippin. I just pray that they don't go the direction of the original D&D movie where the entire thing was a comedy spoof.

    If they were to do something like Dragonlance (yes, I know it is the wrong realm, but for argument sake), Tas would have to be comedic or he wouldn't be Tas. If they were to do Baldur's gate, Minsc and Boo (don't kill me fans of these two lovable characters) would have to be done with more than a little bit of tongue and cheek. Take my point?

    What really made the Marvel movies (at least for me) was that they didn't take themselves over serious. But they also didn't turn it into a parody. Seeing Peter Quill break into a Dance off against Ronan was Hilarious. And for him to then say "I'm distracting you, you bit Turd Blossom!" made me crack up. And it made sense in the context of the characters and the movie without turning them into caricatures.

    Just don't make it a Fineas Fingers story (which actually could be fun as well now that I think about it).
  • moody_magemoody_mage Member Posts: 2,054
    I *hated* Gimili as comic relief, it was totally not needed. That's pretty much my main complaint with LoTR.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    Oh please Crom make sure that this movie is not gonna suck like that piece of crap with the bald guy from Highlander: Endgame from 2000. Still, i wonder if its gonna be a Drizzt movie since its going to be set in Forgotten Realms.
    http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?2801-New-D-D-Movie-To-Go-Ahead-Produced-By-Lego-Movie-s-Roy-Lee#.VcZ_bXHtlBc
  • iKrivetkoiKrivetko Member Posts: 934
    Try having a look at the existing threads next time.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    I hated show Gunn turned the Nova Corps into a SciFi Keystone Cops band Ronan vinto a shallow cartoon villa in.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    Merged
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited August 2015
    If they don't use Dungeons & Dragons in the title they might as well make an original fantasy and save themselves the cost of the licence. Outside of a limited subculture Forgotten Realms has negligable name recognition.

    I would imagine they would be sailing into muddy legal waters if they adapted a specific novel (or computer game).

    Personally, I would remake Hawk the Slayer. That was pretty much unofficial D&D.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    I hope they avoid standard trope characters like
    Young Male Human Fighter
    Female Human Cleric of Pelor/Lathander Healer
    Female Elf Archer
    Male Dwarf Fighter
    Male Halfling Thief

    I want like
    Female Halfling Paladin (Mazzy? :D)
    Male Half-Orc Thief
    Male or Female Dwarvern Loremaster (Wizard)
    and a Male or Female Gnome Cleric of Nerull/Mrykul

    OR MAYBE AN EVIL PARTY
    That'd be neat!

    But no.
    We're probably going to get the standard.
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    I will be surprised if it has parties or classes at all.
  • CoM_SolaufeinCoM_Solaufein Member Posts: 2,606
    Well, we know how the last D&D movies did.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    Actually The Book of Vile Darkness is the only D&D movie I completed. I absolutely loved it!
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    Wrath of the dragon god wasnt that bad either.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    Vallmyr said:

    Actually The Book of Vile Darkness is the only D&D movie I completed. I absolutely loved it!


    I liked the concept of a Lawful Good character having to team up with evil characters.
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    edited August 2015
    the_spyder said:

    Fardragon said:

    I will be surprised if it has parties or classes at all.

    Actually I'd be surprised if they didn't. The defined roles that made classic D&D were there for a reason. They are easily identified and identifiable and therefore easy to write into a story. Without having to reinvent the wheel, they can easily show a strapping guy in armor who uses a sword and you have your fighter. Put another character in robes with arcane symbols on it and casting magic spells and you have your Magic User. Etc...

    And since that is the essence of what D&D is perceived as, I'd be extremely surprised if they didn't do that.
    Honestly, i would set a D&D movie in the Planescape universe, but thats to much Lore to cover.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnMzDyIJT2g
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