The D&D Movie Finds Its Director

The Dungeons & Dragons movie has found its director - Rob Letterman (Goosebumps, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shark Tale). The Warner Bros. movie, scripted by David Leslie Johnson (Wrath of the Titans), is being produced by Rob Lee (The Lego Movie, How To Train Your Dragon) and others after the longstanding legal dispute involving Sweetpea Entertainment and Hasbro was resolved. The script is based on Johnson's script Chainmail, itself based on D&D's precursor and will be taking cues, stylistically, from Guardians of the Galaxy.

There's more information on the Guardians of the Galaxy inspiration here. We know it is set in the Forgotten Realms, is an ensemble piece, and is hopefully the first in a franchise spanning multiple worlds. "This new Dungeons & Dragons will be a Guardians of the Galaxy-tone movie in a Tolkien-like universe. Because when you think of all the Hobbit movies and The Lord of the Rings, they have an earnestness to them, and to see something fun, a Raiders romp inside that world, I feel is something the audience has not seen before."

This latest info comes from Tracking Board. The other tidbit in that article is that "sources say that producers are eyeing a Vin Diesel-type for the film’s lead characters". Additionally, WotC staff has indicated occasionally that they have some involvement in the movie.

 

[Psikerlord#]

If they can make a D&D version of guardians of the galaxy - that would be terrific.

But... wrath of the titans scriptwriter? And goosebumps director? Hmm. I have a bad feeling about this.

 

[S'mon]

[That should be "David Leslie Johnson", not "David Leslie Jones".]

Based on the director & the writer's past work, I'm guessing this is going to be terrible. Mind you, "terrible" might still mean "lots of fun for 10-13 year-old kids", which wouldn't necessarily be bad for the brand.

I know I shouldn't judge before it's even made, but I'm trying to set my expectations to a reasonable level. :/

My son should be 9 when this comes out, I bet he'll love it.

 

[firstkyne]

"to see something fun, a Raiders romp inside that world, I feel is something the audience has not seen before." Erm...did any one see Pirates of the Caribbean?

The "Ernestness" of LOTR wasn't massive, was it? I mean Legalos slid down some stairs on a shield whilst firing a bow. If this film is less earnest, I anticipate a lot of comedy: this strikes me as likely to fail. Surely you need some earnestness to get the huge suspension of disbelief required from the audience?

Vin Diesel would not make this a better proposal. Lovely D&D proponent though he is.

 

[arjomanes]

Jack Black would be a great bard.

 

[Kaodi]

If they want to make this thing like Guardians of the Galaxy then who is their music director? One thing that I do not think we have discussed much but that really counts is the score: can a D&D movie have a score that could actually buoy the movie? What existing songs or groups would work great in a D&D movie? Something by Epica?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Depends on what you want from your score. If you want neoclassical orchestral, that's one set of composers. If you're fine with modern ambient stuff, that's different people. And so on.

 

[Caliburn101]

Between childish cartoons, popular parodies of the game and poor B-movies, the scope and depth of drama that can come from a game run with mature, experienced players with a good GM who knows how to craft a great story is entirely lost on most people.

The game is still seen a something of a joke by those unexposed to it.

Warner Brother's are complete idiots if they think a GotG formula is going to get them measurable success, and there is one exemplar of the approach they SHOULD take to make it vastly popular.

Game of Thrones...

Serious plot, depth of characterisation, non-pastiche/clichéd evil that everyone can understand would instil real fear if it existed, and dragons that NO-ONE equates with childish fantasy.

It is entirely, blaringly, ridiculously obvious that a Game of Thrones approach with sensitively applied well-balanced amounts of extra 'D&D fantasy factor' is the way to go with this.

That's the only way this isn't going to fall flat on it's face.

Moreover - Game of Thrones is STAGGERINGLY popular, and if WoTC want the game to be enhanced and increase sales off the back of a movie franchise, then there are very obvious lessons here.

Someone with at least half a brain needs to be engaged to redirect efforts on this. I am sure some of the writers on Game of Thrones would look favourably at a D&D movie proposal promising a more serious approach to this subset of the genre - and those people can write...

A group-dynamic based, character-led, gritty but D&D fantasy story with elements of GoT (without the explicit gore) would be fantastic.

I love Guardians - it's very well done space-opera with the right mix of music, jokes and over the top pseudo-science... but the first Star Lord quip from a Paladin or massively over the top Hobbit-style Goblin King antagonist will have me walk out of the cinema - it just doesn't fit...

Frankly I'd much rather see $50 million and top-flight AAA movie company support given to the producers of the Mythica films so they could realise the vision of their world as they would really like to - the tone of which already suits the D&D drama tropes far better than anything produced so far under the D&D banner. Plus, the idea of a Barbarian who says 'Groot' all the time 'because all Barbarians have Intelligence as a dump stat... right?' and that will be something 'audiences haven't seen before' is just crass.

Anyway - I've indulged in too many post edits at this point - I need to get off my soapbox and stop shaking my head and trying to type at the same time...

 

[Ryujin]

"Mythica" or "Chaldea" would both be good candidates. The first "Mythica" movie played right to the 'building the party meme, right down to the tavern.

 

[ccs]

but the first Star Lord quip from a Paladin or massively over the top Hobbit-style Goblin King antagonist will have me walk out of the cinema - it just doesn't fit...

Doesn't FIT? Fit what? D&D???
I've got some bad news for you. Our favorite game has been a brew of continuous B-movie/serial/pulp action level over the top stuff, plots, quips, one-liners, inappropriate comments, etc for a looong time. Probably since about 5 minutes after its inception....

The trick is translating this onto the screen.

 

[Ryujin]

Jack Black would be a great bard.

There is only one bard and his name is Scott C Brown. OK, two if you include Andy D.