Warner Bros. Acquires Dungeons & Dragons Film Rights

[StewShearerOld]

Warner Bros. Acquires Dungeons & Dragons Film Rights

With a movie already in the works Warner Bros. is hoping to roll a natural 20.

Dungeons & Dragons, the 2000 movie based on the groundbreaking tabletop RPG, is one of the unequivocal disasters of fantasy film making. Combining a bad script with awful acting and laughable CGI, it now serves as little more than an step-by-step guide on how to make a lousy fantasy flick and squander the support of a deep rooted fan base. Now, however, it appears that Dungeons & Dragons might be getting a new lease on life on the big screen.

Warner Bros. has acquired the film rights to Dungeons & Dragons and is already well into production of a new film bearing the franchise's name. The film itself is being made with a script written by David Leslie Johnson. Johnson, who previously penned the scripts for <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/5540-Wrath-of-the-Titans>Wrath of the Titans and <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/2873-Red-Riding-Hood>Red Riding Hood, based his screenplay, entitled Chainmail, off of the board game by the same name. Chainmail the game was developed by Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax and included elements that would later make their way into early editions of D&D. The new film will be produced by Roy Lee, currently working on The Lego Movie, and directed by Courtney Solomon, who directed the original Dungeons & Dragons.

While the presence of Solomon is a bit worrisome, considering his involvement in the 2000 stinker, there could yet be hope for the film. Popular properties like Game of Thrones and the ongoing Hobbit films have laid a solid foundation for other fantasy franchises to establish themselves. Dungeons & Dragons, in turn, is arguably one of the most recognizable properties in fantasy. Granted, it's probably recognized as being one of the nerdiest names in fantasy, but if the film were done well it could find an audience and traction at the box office. Warner Brothers, in turn, certainly wouldn't be hurt by having another viable franchise to sequalize. Likewise, the wide exposure offered by a successful film could be a boost for D&D and tabletop RPGs overall.

Source: Deadline


Permalink

 

[Quaxar]

No D&D film or film based loosely on it has ever been more than painfully awful. This can only end in disaster...

Captcha: no way
See? Not even the captcha believes this film will work.

 

[Alluos]

What if... and hear me out here... what if the movie was a sequel to the first movie, where we find that it was actually just a game of D&D played by your average assortment of players and a mediocre DM having trouble keeping the whole game focused.

That would explain why the original was so... the way it was...

 

[Combustion Kevin]

if it plays out like an actual DnD campaign (that doesn't suck), I'll be interested but as of now...

hands on the dice, Warner, your move.

 

[Anachronism]

Is it too much to hope that this will end up being a Planescape movie? That would solve the problem of making it recognisably D&D, unlike the Jeremy Irons one; and of avoiding the usual Medieval-esque aesthetic most major fantasy has these days. It would be a good way of creating a particular look and feel for the film, and clearly set it out as something different and interesting.

Of course, it'll never happen. We'll probably just get a repeat of the last one but with shinier CGI.

 

[Evil Smurf]

As long as nerds don't end up being painted as delusional, antisocial layabouts like the last film I won't mind.

 

[Kahani]

Well, at least anything that comes out of this can't possibly be as bad as the previous films.

Granted, it's probably recognized as being one of the nerdiest names in fantasy

Given that nerds currently rule the box office, that's probably considered the biggest point in its favour rather than the negative it might once have been.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Is it too much to hope that this will end up being a Planescape movie? That would solve the problem of making it recognisably D&D, unlike the Jeremy Irons one; and of avoiding the usual Medieval-esque aesthetic most major fantasy has these days. It would be a good way of creating a particular look and feel for the film, and clearly set it out as something different and interesting.

Of course, it'll never happen. We'll probably just get a repeat of the last one but with shinier CGI.

That would be cool. Not only is that an unusual setting but then they could more easily do spinoffs like Forgotten Realms. I'd be enthusiastic about this if it was a movie based on Homeland: the book about Drizzit, not the terrorism drama.

 

[cidbahamut]

What if... and hear me out here... what if the movie was a sequel to the first movie, where we find that it was actually just a game of D&D played by your average assortment of players and a mediocre DM having trouble keeping the whole game focused.

That would explain why the original was so... the way it was...

Breaking the fourth wall a bit would probably be the only way to make a continuation of the franchise palatable. Seeing characters occasionally talk out of character or just something along the lines of Darths and Droids or DM of the Rings could make for an interesting approach, but if they go with another cliche high fantasy story it's going to be a hell of a gamble. I don't have faith that the industry can pull it off.

 

[4RM3D]

The film itself is being made with a script written by David Leslie Johnson. Johnson, who previously penned the scripts for <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/5540-Wrath-of-the-Titans>Wrath of the Titans and <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/2873-Red-Riding-Hood>Red Riding Hood...

Two mediocre movies... The situation isn't looking good. I am all for an amusing/fun D&D movie, but my expectations for this one is very low.

 

[Paradoxrifts]

All the same, I'd rather have a Pathfinder or Exalted movie or even a movie set in one of the myriad D&D movies then another boring generic fantasy flop.

Hold action, prepare to cast expeditious retreat.

 

[therandombear]

Have a feeling we're all going to be very glad that Gygax didn't live to see this
Unless
They only way I see this working is if it IS an actual DnD campaign, and maybe all the in game activities are metaphors for what's happening to the players IRL
<spoiler= Also wouldn't hurt if they brought back this guy>https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQ1_nsoauDkJTVz0db_4iH3R7AxAz-nGFnj2x8MGh1vQm0Qzj6

Hey man, they need more Jeremy Irons

Spoiler

OT: Well, it could be interesting. I'll hold my horses until there is more too see.

 

[Ace Morologist]

As long as the movie doesn't spend its running time doing the metaphorical equivalent of pointing at itself and saying, "See, fans, here's something recognizable that you like!", there's no reason this can't be good. You just need a compelling main character, likeable supporting characters, a magnificent bastard for an antagonist and visually grand scenery in which to stage exciting set pieces. You know, like any adventure movie.

You don't need comedy for the sake of comedy -- just humor to lighten things up now and then. You don't need melodrama necessarily ("What do you know about it... MAGE?!?") -- just a good sense of what's personally at stake for the main characters. From what I've seen, D&D's ruleset isn't built to simulate drama very well anyway. The best drama that arises in D&D games comes from what the players express through their characters when something's important to them. You also don't have to have the characters save the world to tell an exciting story. Nor do you need to fill the sky with dragons.

Okay, I might be thinking too much about this...

--Morology!

 

[Breywood]

I read the article and an image of a bowling alley came to mind with the background music of The Grateful Dead's "Trucking" playing.

The first movie needed a lot more care than it was given, and it showed so bad. Everything about that movie was at best mediocre and at worst terrible. I could think of plenty of my fellow dungeonmasters who had better stuff to offer than that movie.

And so they're bringing back the original director (who convinced tell Jeremy Irons to be an actor so bad it made Zoe McLellan look good by comparison), hiring a mediocre writer and giving no clue to the cast. WoTC must have been given a ton of cash for this one. If they wanted me to set the bar nice and low so I'll be impressed with it being better than I thought it was, they've succeeded. I'll wait and see, but I won't be wasting my money on opening night for this film.

 

[Sixcess]

They should target the 80s nostalgia market and do a live action reboot of the cartoon series. If you're going to go Nerd, go Full Nerd!

And cast Peter Dinklage as Dungeon Master.

 

[SomebodyNowhere]

I'll admit that as bad as the first Dungeons and Dragons movie is, it is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. While it would be nice to see something good come out of that universe; it will be hard to compete with the entertainment factor in pure ridiculousness that the first movie provides.

 

[Elijah Newton]

perhaps if we chant it thusly it will appear as if summoned :

Movie Defense Force DUNGEONS & DRAGONS!
Movie Defense Force DUNGEONS & DRAGONS!
Movie Defense Force DUNGEONS & DRAGONS!

 

[GodzillaGuy92]

The guy who wrote Wrath of the Titans and Red Riding Hood?

Really?

Yeah, no. There's officially no possibility of this movie being good.