D&D Movie/TV D&D Movie Moves Forward With Deal With Former Marvel Exec Jeremy Latcham

[Bohandas]

I expect what they would like is to kick off a fantasy cinematic universe.

You mean Planescape-Spelljammer, yes? With all the campaign settings crossing over?

 

[Parmandur]

I never understood why movies cost so much, like, even the ones that don/t have a lot of effects or outlandish sets cost multiple millions of dollars, that doesn't seem right.

Look at a movies credits sometime, and recall that everyone mentioned got paid Union wages for months, if not years, of work.

 

[Parmandur]

I expect what they would like is to kick off a fantasy cinematic universe. So it won't be meta.

Exactly, something similar to what they had going with the old novel line.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

Exactly, something similar to what they had going with the old novel line.

They could go both meta and have the running storyline.

It's not a mutually exclusive thing, and general audiences aren't that dumb

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Making a heart-felt movie is not mutually exclusive with a "money-grab" movie. Name a big movie you thought was heart-felt and I am willing to bet it can also be fairly described as a "money-grab".

Quite. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is pretty clearly a heart-felt movie on the part of the writer/director. It's also ludicrously CGI-heavy (but really good CGI, I must admit!) movie about a bunch of dumb supers punching each other in the face, part of a massive, heavily-merchandised "IP", and a not-totally-necessary sequel to a successful movie, so could certainly be easily argued to be a "money-grab".

Re: the whole notion of having both players and characters in the movie, I think that's a tricky thing to do well. I really hope they don't try that unless they're absolutely and completely confident in pulling it off. I think it could be done - but I'd expect someone who was really good at narrative and characters to do it, rather than two relatively new writer/directors. You also probably need to make it primarily a comedy to even consider that.

I mean, one recent film did do it very well - the Jumanji remake. But that had a really simple and effective idea (the people were literally put inside the game), and one that derived directly from the original Jumanji. You just don't want to really get too "It's a Dungeons and Dragons ride!".

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

Quite. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is pretty clearly a heart-felt movie on the part of the writer/director. It's also ludicrously CGI-heavy (but really good CGI, I must admit!) movie about a bunch of dumb supers punching each other in the face, part of a massive, heavily-merchandised "IP", and a not-totally-necessary sequel to a successful movie, so could certainly be easily argued to be a "money-grab".

Re: the whole notion of having both players and characters in the movie, I think that's a tricky thing to do well. I really hope they don't try that unless they're absolutely and completely confident in pulling it off. I think it could be done - but I'd expect someone who was really good at narrative and characters to do it, rather than two relatively new writer/directors. You also probably need to make it primarily a comedy to even consider that.

I mean, one recent film did do it very well - the Jumanji remake. But that had a really simple and effective idea (the people were literally put inside the game), and one that derived directly from the original Jumanji. You just don't want to really get too "It's a Dungeons and Dragons ride!".

I've seen some silly internet things that have done the idea of it essentially being a bunch of people playing a D&D game (it's what gave me the idea in the first place) and they do it pretty well.

If some dorks on the internet could make a compelling story doing that kind of thing, then I think people who make their life writing can pull it off.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

If some dorks on the internet could make a compelling story doing that kind of thing, then I think people who make their life writing can pull it off.

In theory, I'd agree. But practice of these things has been mixed.

Plus what works for you, with a bunch of fun dorks on the internet, is not necessarily going to work for a general audience coming to a Hollywood movie. I agree that it can be done. It's just tricky to do right, and can ruin an entire movie if you frame it wrong.

 

[Parmandur]

They could go both meta and have the running storyline.

It's not a mutually exclusive thing, and general audiences aren't that dumb

Totally doable, and I'd be down. Pretty sure they've said they are not doing that.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

In theory, I'd agree. But practice of these things has been mixed.

Plus what works for you, with a bunch of fun dorks on the internet, is not necessarily going to work for a general audience coming to a Hollywood movie. I agree that it can be done. It's just tricky to do right, and can ruin an entire movie if you frame it wrong.

That's also true.

Really this is just me asking for what I think would fit a D&D movie the most, if they don't do it this way, I'll be sad, but I'll take whatever they give as long as it's an entertaining product and I have no reason to doubt that to be the case at this point in time.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

Totally doable, and I'd be down. Pretty sure they've said they are not doing that.

oh well then rip.

still though, they could be lying or misdirecting like for Cabin in the Woods.