D&D movie sequel update.

[Ranger REG]

I'm extremely skeptical on this one. Like REG said, Arneson was a technical advisor on the first movie, though I doubt he got to add much, if anything, at all to the movie, and it still ended up as a steaming pile of poo. Charles makes my feel a trifle bit better about it, but the fact that they still didn't listen to many of the points of the WotC folks doesn't fill me with glee by any means. If the story is good and the characters are interesting, then even with a small budget it could still be worth to watch (though the FX may end up looking like something out of Hercules or Xena).

Here's hoping, but cautiously so.

Well, there is nothing subtle about D&D game's special effects. And I'm sure the technical D&D gamers as well as rule lawyers are going to analyze the effects on screen or possibly the tactics the movie characters used. Again it all boils down to the story, and the fact that I am so spoiled by The Lord of the Rings which used magic subtly or without additional flashing lights like the duel between Saruman and Gandalf inside the tower of Isengard.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

I would be happy with a competant movie.

I was recently watching Conan the Destroyer. That is a fun, 'D&D style' movie that worked on a relatively small budget. Admittedly a touch light-hearted compared to 'Barbarian', its still an enjoyable romp. It keeps the viewers attention firmly on the party and doesn't require a cast of thousands (virtual or otherwise).

I just hope the D&D movie sequel doesn't try to over-reach itself, doesn't try to mimic 'Lord of the Rings' scale.

 

[reveal]

Three Letters........D.V.D.

Just because a movie is released straight to DVD does not mean it will be a bad movie. I've seen many movies whose creators couldn't afford to put it into theaters and try to advertise it. These movies, while not always great, were not necessarily terrible.

With that, that does not mean I'm going to be running to the store to get this movie, that's for sure.

(Oh who am I kidding, yes I will! We all know we will, if nothing else so we can compare it to the first movie. )

 

[Space monkey]

Plot Summary for
Dungeons & Dragons 2: The Elemental Might <small>(2005)</small>

Based on the phenomenally successful role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons 2 takes you deeper into the dark and fantastical world of this fantasy epic. When the evil sorcerer Damodar braves a perilous whirlwind vortex to steal the elemental black orb he declares a sinister plan of vengeance against the kingdom of Ismir. Berek, a decorated warrior, and Melora, an amateur sorceress join four heroes representing Intelligence, Wisdom, Honor and Strength to battle against Damodar's growing army of gruesome creatures, flying harpies and an ice dragon to reach a vault room holding the orb. Together, they build their own army to retrieve the orb using elemental forces to defeat Damodar before he summons the sleeping black dragon whose omnipotent evil powers could lay waste to the entire kingdom.

Ok This has interesting ideas but to me it still looks like a linear story with no real plot.

Why don't WotC Get Ed Greenwood or Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. or any of the other great authors they have write out a story with great movie ideas and then work with a screen writer to turn it into a movie that actualy blows the D&D community to the edge of the seat or gaming table.

Because the above is not promising.

 

[Ranger REG]

I just hope the D&D movie sequel doesn't try to over-reach itself, doesn't try to mimic 'Lord of the Rings' scale.

Nah. They'll save that epic scale for Dragonlance, unless the second film bombed.

Personally, I would be satisfied if they give me as much enjoyment as The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I wish the talks of a Forgotten Realms show had actually seen fruition.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

The synopsis sounds like a D&D adventure though, so you can't really criticise it for being too 'D&D'.

One good point about the sequel is this - if its straight to DVD, that means the producers will be targeting the movie towards those likely to buy the dvd...ie. D&D players. So surely we are at least going to get something that doesn't make you cringe this time.

The funny thing is, all the producers have to do is create a half way decent fantasy film and they'll have upwards of a million D&D players buying the dvd worldwide...and thats a fact.

In the long term, the D&D franchise could be bigger than Lord of the Rings, not only because D&D is an open book as it were, but there are also many worlds out there to explore that the fans are already familiar with: Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, Eberron, etc. Each of these could begin their own mini-franchise, aslo each could add their own unique flavour: Ravenloft = Horror Fantasy, Dragonlance = Epic Fantasy, Eberron = Pulp Fantasy etc.

So in the same way that Superhero movies are now in vogue, fantasy movies could find favour over the next decade.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Because the above is not promising.

And if a marketing person sat down at your game table to write a single, all-encompassing paragraph length blurb describing what your campaign was all about, so that as many people as possible would be interested enough to come and see, how promising would that be? Would there be a bunch of other gamers sniping at how "unpromising" it was?

 

[Henry]

A few points:

They weren't willing to lay out the huge budget of the first film, but they were willing to make a moderately-budgeted film for DVD release.

The first movie had a budget of 30 million dollars. In Hollywood, this is not huge, it's the budget for the snack food table.

We must have a Dragonlance movie. LOTR was nothing. Dragonlance must be and will be the be all end all of Fantasy movies. Was that too much?

Speaking as a Dragonlance fan from the mid-1980's, I doubt a Dragonlance movie would be made because it would now be accused of being too derivative of Lord of the Rings because, basically, it is. Heroes start being chased from town by bad guys, Quest centered around an artifact, White-bearded wizard who dies heroically from a great fall and is reborn in his true power, Trip through a huge ruined city, trip through a Dwarven Delve (in LOTR these were combined), Fight against a big scaly creature with horns, gigantic war scenes, noble personage trying to bury his past and love with an elven woman, some heroes of moral ambiguity, etc.

There are plenty of variations, mind you (and I'd LOVE to see Xak Tsaroth on screen), but the basic story borrows so heavily from LOTR the comparisons would be instant and merciless.

 

[Ranger REG]

There are plenty of variations, mind you (and I'd LOVE to see Xak Tsaroth on screen), but the basic story borrows so heavily from LOTR the comparisons would be instant and merciless.

Meh. That's why I'm a genre fan than a mainstream. Fat Ebert and "Gay-not-Gay?" Roeper can pan the DL film but I still would go. In fact, I can't wait for them to review Narnia.