New Dungeons & Dragons movie...?

[Mordar]

My first notice came from here.

Chris Pine...meh.

"...film that will feature an ensemble cast and take a subversive approach to the game..."

Oh good, I was hoping for more movies with a subversive bent. Or maybe that is sarcasm. <sigh>

So, it looks like a plan to overpay a star and then to subvert the subject matter that it is supposed to be portraying/representing.

- M

[Ajustusdaniel]

I mean, most tables I've played at, the players have something of a subversive bent themselves, so that seems pretty accurate to the D&D experience.

Unless they're going to subvert that by playing all the tropes entirely straight.

[JadedDM]

I half wonder if they're going to make it a comedy, where the heroes do a bunch of stupid stuff like PCs normally do. Like, the Rogue tries to steal everything not nailed down, or the Bard tries to seduce everyone they meet, even monsters.

At the end of the film, during the climatic final battle with Evil, it appears hopeless, but then Pine's character says, "Wait, I have an idea! All we need are a few hundred peasants and as many ten foot wooden poles that you can find..."

[JoshL]

Don't get me wrong, I love the Gamers movies, but can't we have an actual GOOD D&D movie that takes itself reasonably seriously before we start with the "subversive takes"? Please?

[t209]

"Subversive bent"...hoping if it was Slayers Anime-style rather than Game of Thrones-knock offs.
Or maybe switch between DnD and Fantasy sessions like Princess Bride but in DnD seissions.
Or they can just adapt Forgotten Realms novels or comics.

[Saintheart]

Don't get me wrong, I love the Gamers movies, but can't we have an actual GOOD D&D movie that takes itself reasonably seriously before we start with the "subversive takes"? Please?

You're expecting way too much from the writer/directors hired for this incoming B-movie. Daley and Goldstein were responsible for Horrible Bosses 1 & 2, 2018's forgettable Game Night, and the particularly excremental remake of National Lampoon's Vacation. Having presumably run out of original ideas with Burt Wonderstone, they're now just surviving off the usual Hollywood algae of poorly-budgeted semi-comic remakes, do-overs, and parodies, which is okay provided you've got the talent of the Zucker brothers or the underrated Wayans boys (which these guys don't).

Some directors have certain actors they like to work with a lot. Good directors attract and use good actors. Robert deNiro works with Scorcese, Everett McGill and Kyle McLachlan worked with David Lynch, Michael Biehn and Sigourney Weaver worked a lot with James Cameron.
These guys use Jason Bateman.

Sure, they were two of the 6 writers on Spider-Man Homecoming, and there too consciously "subverted" the large-stakes Marvel films, but they did have the benefit of having a massively successful franchise on screen that audiences were getting tired of. And there's a big difference between writing and directing, specifically that Homecoming wasn't directed by them and all the other premium mediocre stuff they've given us was.

[Dire_Flumph]

Don't get me wrong, I love the Gamers movies, but can't we have an actual GOOD D&D movie that takes itself reasonably seriously before we start with the "subversive takes"? Please?

You have higher expectations than me. I'm expecting them to use a D&D movie as a springboard to do "subversive takes" on Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings more than actual gamer stuff.

[GentlemanVoodoo]

"Landing Pine, who has been the linchpin of the Star Trek film series for Paramount, is a strong start for what the studios hope will be a new franchise launch."

Yeah...after Paramount's last bound of successes, I am sure they are looking for an new franchise launch. Also can't say Chris Pine was the right choice for this. But either way it is going to be a cluster.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by JoshL
Don't get me wrong, I love the Gamers movies, but can't we have an actual GOOD D&D movie that takes itself reasonably seriously before we start with the "subversive takes"? Please?

I agree with this. I’d much rather have a decent fantasy movie that takes itself seriously and stands on its own merits.

I just don’t need “subversive” right now. A little straight-up heroism is fine by me.

[Keltest]

I agree with this. I’d much rather have a decent fantasy movie that takes itself seriously and stands on its own merits.

I just don’t need “subversive” right now. A little straight-up heroism is fine by me.

I dunno. Maybe the subversive element is that its actually just a good movie on its own merits? That would certainly subvert my expectations.

[Hopeless]

Is the same movie that other teen actor or whatever he was called was involved in?

So will Pine be part of the main cast or playing the role of the Prince in distress or pseudo bad guy for the movie?

There's literally doezens of options here, I'm curious to see where they're heading with this!

There was a movie with Natalie Portman a few years ago where the lead "hero" was a wastrel prince and his retainer ended up being chased by a I think was a gay Ogre I think?

Edit: Ah there you go "Your Highness"

Is this likely to follow that kind of movie given some of the responses here?

[Sapphire Guard]

Usually you get films playing things straight before the subversive ones. Skipping ahead seldom ends well.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I can't think of a D&D media project that did end well.

[Hopeless]

For whom?

Jeremy Irons did a fine job as a villain in one of them, Bruce Payne deserved more recognition for his efforts though.

Will they go the Gamers movie route or try a regular fantasy adventure movie?

[Rogar Demonblud]

If they're trumpeting their 'subversion', they're going to be trying to impersonate the Gamers movies.

[Spiderswims]

Wtf? We don’t need a subversive version of DnD. We need a faithful, mature, adult adaptation, treating the content seriously and not like it’s a teen CW vehicle. This has a Star Wars/ Marvel level potential with so many potential worlds and characters, it’s truly amazing how Hollywood continues to screw it up.

[JadedDM]

We need a faithful, mature, adult adaptation, treating the content seriously and not like it’s a teen CW vehicle.

You are playing very different kinds of D&D games than I've ever seen before in my life.

[Tvtyrant]

Considering even B Drizzt stories make it on the New York Times sellers list, it is weird they haven't just made live action movies or shows about him.

[Dire_Flumph]

Considering even B Drizzt stories make it on the New York Times sellers list, it is weird they haven't just made live action movies or shows about him.

Fair or not, the only adaption of a D&D novel to date was the 2008 "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" movie (also on the NYT bestseller list), and that probably hammered the nail into the coffin pretty deep.

[Tvtyrant]

Fair or not, the only adaption of a D&D novel to date was the 2008 "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" movie (also on the NYT bestseller list), and that probably hammered the nail into the coffin pretty deep.

Agreed. It's pretty sad though IMO, D&D is hot right now and a lot of those books are now nostalgia pieces. With some actual acting and a decent vision they could make bank.

Heck they could make another Arkham knockoff using Drizzt instead of a Gondorian Ghost or Spiderman and it would make a lot of money. The setup is there, they just need to push forward.

[Hopeless]

It ultimately depends who they go with.

The Gamer movie which requires a back story for the cast members at the table and maybe they're dressed up as their "idealized" selves for whilst in the game?

Or just go with the atypical group of adventurers' using your chosen cast and hope they're up for the task.

Not everyone can make a role from literally nothing, which is why I'm wondering why they haven't gone for a live action Exandria movie?

Get Matt and company involved and it should be incredible!

But this is Disney after all so who knows!

[warty goblin]

Considering even B Drizzt stories make it on the New York Times sellers list, it is weird they haven't just made live action movies or shows about him.

Since my state is having Fun With Covid Lockdowns again, I've been rereading a bunch of the old Drizzt novels, and I suspect they'd be kinda hard to adapt.

For starters they're all action. The Crystal Shard has two entirely separate invasions, and a whole welter of smaller fight scenes. Streams of Silver is basically the traveling monster murder roadshow, and I recall The Halfling's Gem involving a backflip off a galloping camel. All of which would be mega-expensive to film, since there's a ton of stunts and monster effects needed. Plus there's all the effects for the heroes, since only Wulfgar and Cattie-brie are human.

Aside from the expense, this is also really gonna limit the audience. The biggest action movies these days are superhero stuff, which are like 70% melodrama, 20% plot nonsense, and 10% people punching each other. Maybe up to 25% punching for something like Aquaman. Its mostly very clean, fun action stuff where nobody's tongue is torn out of their mouth by a whip.

But the Legend of Drizzt stuff is like 60% hardcore R rated stabbing, 30% travelogue between stabbing locations, and 10% exposition and character development. Most of which is also exposition, instead of dialog - like 80% of the main characters have stoicism as a defining personality trait. It's perfect for adolescent boys (or reading during lockdowns if you're a mid-30s meganerd who remembers being 14), but this is not a setup with large, cross-demographic appeal.

This is without getting into the obvious landmine infested swamp of the main character coming from a race of hyper-evil matriarchal black skinned cave-dwelling BDSM murder-elves. Just wait until Twitter gets ahold of that.

[GravityEmblem]

I think it's a bit soon to be making assumptions, I suppose? I'm not sure how I'd express this, but we know nothing about the movie. The movie being "subversive" doesn't count for anything. Chris Pine doesn't count for anything (zing!)

I really love JadedDM's idea of an adaptation of real D&D, not the D&D official settings or some generic fantasy story with the D&D label on it. You know, the kind of crazy stuff players actually do. Though if that's the case, I'd be interested if it would use an actual D&D game as a framing device (think Darths and Droids/DM of the Rings), or just be a dense and wacky story where the heroes completely ignore the instructions of every authority figure they meet.

[Hopeless]

A Darth & Droids treatment or their version of the Lord of the Rings?

Either would be fine, but as its Disney they'd likely play it safe perhaps too safe for it to be a hit given how they handled Star Wars and Captain Marvel for instance.

[Rogar Demonblud]

We already know it's going to be set in the Realms so they can flog that horse some more, so set your expectations accordingly. Honestly, if they want me to watch it they'd pretty much have to drive a truck full of money to John Rogers' house and tell him to write a Fell's Five movie, as that is far and away the last D&D story arc I liked.

[Kitten Champion]

But this is Disney after all so who knows!

It's not Disney. Neither Hasbro or Paramount are Disney. Not yet at any rate.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Spiderswims
We need a faithful, mature, adult adaptation, treating the content seriously and not like it’s a teen CW.

I second this wholeheartedly.

Originally Posted by JadedDM
You are playing very different kinds of D&D games than I've ever seen before in my life.

I guess I must be playing in those very different games as well.

Originally Posted by Kitten Champion
Neither Hasbro or Paramount are Disney. Not yet at any rate.

This year isn’t over yet.

[Ajustusdaniel]

I guess I must be playing in those very different games as well.

Well, and there's the rub in making a movie out of a tabletop RPG. Even people who've played the same edition and the same settings are going to have very different experiences and ideas of what D&D is. This goes for any media adaptation, of course- meaning is generated by the interaction of reader and text- but especially with something fundamentally more interactive like an RPG.

[Hopeless]

Good point wasn't the first D&D movie basically advertising 3.0?

Is this movie going to advertise D&D 6.0?

If its still dealing with 5.0 it could easily be used to advertise a new setting maybe Mystara as very unlikely as that is or even Eberron.

The problem with Faerun is that so much has been done with that it would be easier and less likely to mess things up if they went with another setting to avoid screwing up continuity.

Is this me worrying too much especially as its still early days for this?!

[GravityEmblem]

I guess I must be playing in those very different games as well.

I mean...probably?

I've played in and ran very few games which could be called serious. One of my characters had an aspect of his backstory called the Cheese Shop Incident. Another was the frontman of a rock band called "We Fling T's," who threw T's (the letters) into the audience at shows. One of the members played the goat synthesizer (ie. a synthesizer that looked like a goat and made goat noises). In one of my current games, one of the players is a Dwarf named Dabbo Mac Lit who has a vendetta against people without beards.

Even more serious games can get off the rails. In one game I ran, the party left a town almost immediately after getting there, and ended up missing several shops and a fairly major sidequest. In another I played in, the party went the wrong direction while trying to rescue a hostage. By the time they returned, she had been rescued without them.

To me, crazy, unpredictable stuff is part of the appeal of D&D, and that you've never played in any games like that...I dunno, I kinda feel like you're missing out. I mean, it probably works for you, but in my experience, the only way to stop hijinks is to step in and forbid it, and that kind of takes the fun out of the game.

[Filibuster over]