New D&D movie(s) on the way

[Werthead]

Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) is apparently in talks to play the lead role in the movie. He seems to be generic. They also want Vin Diesel, because obviously.

I'm still slightly incredulous that they are going for an original (and probably rubbish) story rather than using one of the hundreds of novels or RPG campaigns with proven, massive fanbases.

[KiDisaster]

43 minutes ago, Werthead said:

I'm still slightly incredulous that they are going for an original (and probably rubbish) story rather than using one of the hundreds of novels or RPG campaigns with proven, massive fanbases.

You've gotta take a more optimistic perspective. This way they won't ruin a story that already has a dedicated fanbase, it can be crap all on its own

[Myrddin]

To be honest, starting from scratch avoids the problems Warcraft had.

No preference either way, though. I just hope they can figure out how to tell a good story.

[Martell Spy]

Based on the popular fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and first

Quote

published in 1974, the action-adventure tale centers on a warrior and his band of mystical creatures – including a half-dragon and a cunning gnome – as they embark on a dangerous journey to find a mythical treasure."

 

Yeah, I'll give it a chance, but that short write up doesn't inspire. I'm thrilled that it appears the Forgotten Realms and Waterdeep are going to the big screen. It just seems they are taking a big chance by not using some of the better novels. I hope they don't blow it, and eventually we get to see some of the better FR stories like the Icewind Dale trilogy and the early Dragonlance novels.

[Greywolf2375]

Like the TransFormers, I will go to watch it but I'm not holding out hope that it is going to be any better than the first few that have been made.  I agree that they should take one of the existing and modify it - there will always be backlash that it isn't perfect (see North of the Board) - but I think going with known characters and settings will have a better chance of succeeding. 

THe first had Jeremy Irons and Thora Birch and still was painful to sit through, so names don't impress me with this story.

[The Anti-Targ]

On 7/29/2016 at 2:45 PM, Martell Spy said:

Based on the popular fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and first

Quote

published in 1974, the action-adventure tale centers on a warrior and his band of mystical creatures – including a half-dragon and a cunning gnome – as they embark on a dangerous journey to find a mythical treasure."

Yeah, I'll give it a chance, but that short write up doesn't inspire. I'm thrilled that it appears the Forgotten Realms and Waterdeep are going to the big screen. It just seems they are taking a big chance by not using some of the better novels. I hope they don't blow it, and eventually we get to see some of the better FR stories like the Icewind Dale trilogy and the early Dragonlance novels.

That sound's pretty lame and weak. I hope the reason they are seeking a mythical treasure is at least a little bit compelling.

OTOH

Quote

The action-adventure tale centers on a midget and his fellowship of adventurers – including an elf and a cunning dwarf – as they embark on a dangerous journey to throw a ring into a pool of lava."

Also sounds pretty lame.

[Which Tyler]

3 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

That sound's pretty lame and weak. I hope the reason they are seeking a mythical treasure is at least a little bit compelling.

OTOH

Also sounds pretty lame.

Alternatively; "A film about a man, who's wife is brutally murdered by a serial killer, leaving their son physically disabled. A few years later that son is kidnapped, and the dad has to track and chase the kidnapper thousands of miles with the help of a mentally disabled woman" sounds like an awesome Liam Neeson film.

[Relic]

Why is no one making a Drizzt series of movies? Out of all the D&D stuff out there, those novels would probably be the most successful on a big screen. 

[Martell Spy]

Quote

That sound's pretty lame and weak. I hope the reason they are seeking a mythical treasure is at least a little bit compelling.

 

Agreed. Well, we know nothing about the warrior. That person may or may not be interesting. But the clever gnome and half-dragon part just sets alarms off. It sounds like some 15 year old's 3rd edition campaign. Waterdeep is awsome though and perhaps they'll have Undermountain. So there is some hope here.

Quote

Why is no one making a Drizzt series of movies? Out of all the D&D stuff out there, those novels would probably be the most successful on a big screen. 

 

Yeah, agreed. I'd go Icewilnd Dale Trilogy. Drizzt was quite popular among D&D fans before he got a bit overexposed. It's the kinda of character that might catch on to a general audience. And the trilogy it's self works well for the screen. I'd love if they went that route or did the early Dragonlance trilogy.

There's actually quite a few good Forgotten Realms novels out there. It's kinda frustrating that they are using the realms but refusing to use the best tales from there. It leaves a lot on the shoulders of their writers.

 

[Spring Bass]

1 hour ago, Martell Spy said:

There's actually quite a few good Forgotten Realms novels out there. It's kinda frustrating that they are using the realms but refusing to use the best tales from there. It leaves a lot on the shoulders of their writers.

It's like, what's the point? If you're not going to draw upon source material stories for the films, then why bother spending the money to get the rights? The D &D brand isn't that lucrative in of itself as a movie draw, otherwise those terrible D&D movies would have been at least decent successes. You might as well just make a new fantasy film and keep the budget down. 

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

 I think I'd rather see a movie crafted around one of the classic modules or even a series of modules. Like say Tomb of Horrors or The Against the Giants series. I'm not sure any of the novelized stuff would really grab my attention.

 As cheesy as it sounds, I would also enjoy seeing something like Guardians of the Flame, where a group of gamers get drawn into their tabletop world.

 

[The Anti-Targ]

15 hours ago, Martell Spy said:

 

Agreed. Well, we know nothing about the warrior. That person may or may not be interesting. But the clever gnome and half-dragon part just sets alarms off. It sounds like some 15 year old's 3rd edition campaign. Waterdeep is awsome though and perhaps they'll have Undermountain. So there is some hope here.

 

Yeah, agreed. I'd go Icewilnd Dale Trilogy. Drizzt was quite popular among D&D fans before he got a bit overexposed. It's the kinda of character that might catch on to a general audience. And the trilogy it's self works well for the screen. I'd love if they went that route or did the early Dragonlance trilogy.

There's actually quite a few good Forgotten Realms novels out there. It's kinda frustrating that they are using the realms but refusing to use the best tales from there. It leaves a lot on the shoulders of their writers.

 

If he description was "clever gnome" I would be less worried. But the description is cunning gnome, which raises the concern level even more. Also what did the dragon mate with? A Wyvern? surely we're not going to have a humanoid scaly thing. That would have all sorts of weird procreative implications. Half Orc as a "race" is bad enough.

I'd certainly be down with Icewind Dale or a Drizzt story.

 

 

[Jon AS]

2 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

Also what did the dragon mate with? A Wyvern? surely we're not going to have a humanoid scaly thing. That would have all sorts of weird procreative implications.

Most D&D dragons can shapeshift into humanoid form, that mechanic is how you usually get half dragons in D&D...

[Werthead]

On 30/07/2016 at 10:17 AM, Relic said:

Why is no one making a Drizzt series of movies? Out of all the D&D stuff out there, those novels would probably be the most successful on a big screen. 

It is puzzling. AFAIK, Hasbro and WotC own all of the books and characters and their film rights, so they wouldn't necessarily have to pay Salvatore a ton more money, and Salvatore has sold a lot more novels than copies of D&D itself have ever been sold. Strange.

[Durckad]

Drizzt does seem like it would be an obvious movie to make if one were set on making a D&D movie in the Forgotten Realms but the main issue with that is that, well, uh The Crystal Shard, the first Drizzt book, is just not very good and Streams of Silver is just a straight up Lord of the Rings ripoff. Cue the deluge of 'lol all d&d bookz suk.' I do like some of the later books but those first two are just rough.

22 hours ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

 I think I'd rather see a movie crafted around one of the classic modules or even a series of modules. Like say Tomb of Horrors or The Against the Giants series. I'm not sure any of the novelized stuff would really grab my attention.

 As cheesy as it sounds, I would also enjoy seeing something like Guardians of the Flame, where a group of gamers get drawn into their tabletop world.

 

I've always thought a psychological horror movie set in the Tomb of Horrors might be pretty neat. A group of adventures sets out to plunder the tomb and, as the guardians and traps whittle down their numbers and their sanity, they have to deal with the resultant paranoia, fear, and madness slowly overtaking them.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

10 minutes ago, Durckad said:

I've always thought a psychological horror movie set in the Tomb of Horrors might be pretty neat. A group of adventures sets out to plunder the tomb and, as the guardians and traps whittle down their numbers and their sanity, they have to deal with the resultant paranoia, fear, and madness slowly overtaking them.

 I love this idea. Would line up early to see that film.

[Durckad]

4 hours ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

 I love this idea. Would line up early to see that film.

Yeah, it might work better as a lower-budget indie moviebut would probably not be the super-epic blockbuster that I'm sure Hasbro wants it to be.

[baxus]

On 7/31/2016 at 8:14 AM, The Anti-Targ said:

I'd certainly be down with Icewind Dale or a Drizzt story.

I'd prefer The Dark Elf trilogy. Drizzt's origin story is the best part of the whole series for me, and Menzoberanzzan (spelling?) would be an extremely interesting setting for a movie.

[The Anti-Targ]

My problem with getting too close to Dark Elf society is that it is such a patently ridiculous society. No society can really function like that. even in the worst examples of barbarity in human history, societies have eventually evolved to at least nominally have some core noble principles. Leaving things at that vague level of "Dark Elves are evil" without exposing too much of the sort of intellectual contortions you have to make for an entirely evil race to live as a society is necessary, IMO, for a D&D movie to work.

[baxus]

Let's be honest here, the definition of "core noble principles" has changed significantly over time.

At one point, it was noble to discuss philosophy all day long while having slaves tend to your every need. At another, it was noble to cut slaves' or captives' hearts out in a religious ceremony to appease gods or consecrate a temple.

It wouldn't be that far-fetched to have a society where it would be considered noble to maintain a constant state of conflict with rival houses, especially given the religious situation of Dark Elves and Faerun in general (proven existence of gods, gods granting or denying powers to their followers etc.).