D&D storylines for a movie?

doctorbadwolf · Mar 22, 2019

Hollywood and the general populace absolutely does not remember the Dragonlqnce animated feature.

It having been done once before has absolutely no bearing on how well it would work as a movie now.

LuisCarlos17f · Mar 22, 2019

Do remember transformers movies were a blockbusters but the first movie was for a public who didn't know anything at all about these, they were watching the XXI version of the War of the Worlds.

If there is an adaptation of Dragonlance saga there is risk of an accidental retcon and controversy about some change is canon or not. Kenders may have been fun time ago, but now they could be as annoying as Jar-Jar-Binks.

Enevhar Aldarion · Mar 22, 2019

Considering we are now getting official D&D versions of MtG worlds, I would not be surprised if a movie were set in one of those and not in a traditional D&D world. Then they could get two groups of fans, instead of one. It could follow the adventures of a young Planeswalker who, over the course of several movies, gathers other Planeswalkers and heroes around him (or her) in order to defeat some multi-dimensional Evil that is trying to conquer all realities.

Hussar · Mar 22, 2019

ClaytonCross said:
I think part of the problem is the PG mass audience lines they keep going for. They should stop trying to make a movie of mass appeal and find a true niche. Deadpool proved that due to lack of other targeted options when you give one it can draw big crows.

I feel like if they just did a rated R Curse of Strahd Ravenloft campaign related side story following a different path of adventures who … well.. don't win to introduce the concept and prove a D&D story can be good. Then if successful they can follow up with an R rated series or trilogy following the campaign of a group that follows the actual campaign and ...might... succeed if with a few loses.

That provides a basis of testing the waters without commitment and a more powerful better story arc treated with as something valuable instead of a self contained short story with a low budget and no plan forward.

Why would D&D find it's niche in R rated? It's not like the game is R rated, nor is it even remotely meant to be. The game is very, very much PG.

Curse of Strahd is just warmed over Dracula. It's been done to death. What would differentiate a Strahd movie? Confusing people because your obvious Dracula stand in complete with bog standard Dracula plot (Strahd's lost love) has a funny name?

Paul Farquhar · Mar 22, 2019

LuisCarlos17f said:
Kenders may have been fun time ago, but now they could be as annoying as Jar-Jar-Binks.

Kender where ALWAYS as annoying as Jar-Jar binks. I expect you might have been too young to notice!

Sadras · Mar 22, 2019

Agree with @Ralif Redhammer's and @Hussar's suggestions
Curse of the Azure Bonds or the Baldur's Gate storyline would be a perfect fit. The War of the Lance story I feel is much too big in scope as a first feature.

S'mon · Mar 22, 2019

If looking to do the 'cinematic universe' thing, I'd think using Forgotten Realms and adapted versions of some of the FR novels would be the way to go, treating the books as a buffet of options. The early novels both stand on their own and can tie in to later stuff. You can do versions of both Crystal Shard & Azure Bonds, then have protagonists team up later to fight another BBEG (Szass Tam, say). D&D is not short of strong BBEGs!
I would probably keep Elminster to cameo appearance only; likewise for other super high
level good-guy spellcasters like the Seven Sisters and Khelben Arunsen. Non-casters like Driz'zt are more suitable as protagonists unless the magic level is heavily nerfed.

pemerton · Mar 22, 2019

I'm not familiar with the FR stuff [MENTION=463]S'mon[/MENTION], [MENTION=22779]Hussar[/MENTION] et al have mentioned. To me DragonLance seems obvious and far-and-away better movie-fodder than anything else D&D-ish that I'm familiar with.

Another option would be to try for a sci-fantasy vibe that tries to ape some aspects of Dr Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy etc and do Dark Sun - but the relative suckage that was the John Carter movie might put producers off swords-and-planet type stuff.

I'd add - the fact that setting purists might get irritated by this or that change is as relevant to a D&D film's commercial prospects as the changes made by Peter Jackson to canonical LotR ie not relevant at all!

DND_Reborn · Mar 22, 2019

I think the biggest challenges would be:

1. not seeming like a LotR/Hobbit rip-off (in a lot of ways, we already have hugely successful D&D movies right there... however unfaithful they might seem to some)
2. creating something unique enough and broad enough to appeal to the greatest possible audience
3. not coming off as cheesy and a cliché (oh, look, ANOTHER dragon movie... *yawn*, oh, and another ax-wielding dwarf speaking in Scottish accent... *sigh*)
4. developing the characters and plot to a meaningful level in less than 3-4 hours
5. making something that will promote the D&D franchise, possibly expanding it, and not hurt it

I think a simpler, not quite-so-epic, story with a deeper plot that can show the rest of the world D&D isn't just about fighting stuff on adventures.

Now, if they plan to make a 3-movie franchise (also sort of "expected" nowadays... another *yawn*), then they could make something larger in scope I suppose. But I agree with some others, that a mini-series would better serve the game than a single movie (or even three).

Dausuul · Mar 22, 2019

Morrus said:
If you were a Hollywood producer and gig had access to D&D’s entire catalogue of novels and adventures since 1974, and you had to pick one novel (or novel series) or adventure (or adventure path) to get the movie treatment...

... what do you pick?

Dragonlance Chronicles, no question.

It was successful as a story, not just as a D&D product tie-in. Lots of folks loved, and love, Dragonlance who have never played D&D.
The story is deep and complex enough that you could make a LotR-style trilogy out of it, and filler would not be required. Even with three movies, your problem would be what to take out instead of what to put in.
It has a large and varied cast, with fleshed-out personalities and a tangle of relationships. Fantasy movies often suffer from cardboard characters; Dragonlance need not have this issue.
It does not require grappling with the Drow Problem. (The cartoonishly evil race of elves has all-black skin and is a matriarchy; it's fairly appalling, actually. It's only accepted in D&D because it was grandfathered in from 1E, but you can't use that excuse in a movie.)
For fans of the game, it is still very recognizably D&D, including Vancian magic. And there are plenty of dragons.
If the trilogy is a smash hit and a sequel is called for, Dragonlance Legends is ready to go.

The Drizzt books would also be good candidates, but they miss on several of the above points. (I admit that I'm prejudiced because I don't like Drizzt, but I really do think Dragonlance would work better anyway.)