The Human Target
Adventurer
Oh please no.
D&D Movie/TV D&D Movie should follow the Deadpool model
Warpiglet-7
Cry havoc! And let slip the pigs of war!
I love D&D. I will never love a D&D movie. I say this at the risk of being hated for it.
The game might make an OK movie for players. I don’t think a D&D movie will ever really please a D&D player
The game might make an OK movie for players. I don’t think a D&D movie will ever really please a D&D player
Zardnaar
Legend
I think you can maybe have a fun fantasy movie with the D&D label and some trimmings from D&D.
I don't think you can really do it.
Jack Daniel
dice-universe.blogspot.com
All of the D&D movies that have come out so far have been high fantasy (i.e. the story takes place entirely in a magical universe), and they've been total duds. "Generic D&Dland" doesn't work unless you use some kind of portal fantasy framing device like the D&D cartoon did (and the best idea I've heard so far is to just do that—make the movie version of the D&D cartoon, because that premise actually works and shows what's unique about D&D as a concept).
You can't really do a proper D&D-branded high fantasy movie unless you set it in a decently built world: Faerûn or Oerth or Krynn or Mystara or Athas or whatever. Pick any of those and you can make a movie there. Make up a new world for the movie and it's bound to sink like a stone, unless the screenplay is a fluke gem.
You can't really do a proper D&D-branded high fantasy movie unless you set it in a decently built world: Faerûn or Oerth or Krynn or Mystara or Athas or whatever. Pick any of those and you can make a movie there. Make up a new world for the movie and it's bound to sink like a stone, unless the screenplay is a fluke gem.
jgsugden
Legend
Look at Marvel.
For years we've seen studios afraid to be true to what made the comics great when they took them to the screen. They tried to twist what made the comics great into something movie audiences could enjoy. Then, Marvel said, "Nah, Brah, We're just making Iron Man." The took the essence of what made it great and preserved it. All the superhero movies that are true to the characters that are beloved have done well, while the ones that go tongue in cheek fail.
To make a great D&D movie, they need to be true to a great D&D story. There are hundreds of novels (some of them good), there are thousands of stories in the lore of the setting books, and there are infinite great epic stories from home games.
Find the essence of what made one of those stories great, be true to it and you can make a great movie.
For years we've seen studios afraid to be true to what made the comics great when they took them to the screen. They tried to twist what made the comics great into something movie audiences could enjoy. Then, Marvel said, "Nah, Brah, We're just making Iron Man." The took the essence of what made it great and preserved it. All the superhero movies that are true to the characters that are beloved have done well, while the ones that go tongue in cheek fail.
To make a great D&D movie, they need to be true to a great D&D story. There are hundreds of novels (some of them good), there are thousands of stories in the lore of the setting books, and there are infinite great epic stories from home games.
Find the essence of what made one of those stories great, be true to it and you can make a great movie.
Dragonblade
Adventurer
Yes, exactly!
Traditional high fantasy doesn't work. D&D is not Lord of the Rings. Anything they play straight is bound to be campy cheese. Which some people like, to be fair. But then to be successful beyond a niche audience it needs to lean into the Army of Darkness vibe and embrace the camp and go over the top. It must be willing to go hardcore with the comedy and the violence. Army of Darkness was Deadpool before Deadpool. Thats why it has become such a classic. And that's why I think that style is a good fit for a D&D movie. Its D&D, people! We always imagine we are playing Lord of the Rings but in reality we always end up playing Army of Darkness or Spaceballs. A great D&D movie will capture that vibe!
The original D&D move that came out almost 20 years ago now tried to play it straight and thats also a big reason it failed. It had comedy but it was in-universe comedy that mostly fell flat. Even Guardians of the Galaxy didn't take itself seriously for the most part.
You could do a Guardian's style D&D movie, but you need really sharp writing, James Gunn style direction, and A-tier special effects. Granted you need that regardless. But if they try to turn a D&D movie into Lord of the Rings style epic, its going to bomb. It will end up being a Uwe Boll level disaster like that awful Dungeon Seige movie, In the Name of the King. Shudder
If I'm going to laugh while watching a D&D movie, I want to laugh with the movie. Not at the movie.
Hating folks over movie preferences is a chump move.
Make a decent fantasy movie. Give it some D&D trappings. I'll be fine.
MichaelSomething
Legend
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Which right there means the odds of it being awful leap skyward.
The OP's really on to something here, and it's an idea that'll only work if you dial it to eleven.
Agreed, though any DM/player/metagame references would either have to be kept infrequent and subtle (so only D&Ders catch them as they go by) or made so obvious that non-D&Ders would get it; and doing the latter very much risks wrecking the whole thing.
Paul Farquhar
Legend
The one thing we do have confirmed about this movie is that they are aiming for GotG style. They would have to miss that target by a very long way to hit Grimdark!
Elements of Deadpool (that fit within a PG rating) might fall within that target though. Forth wall breaking. Pop culture references (the much-praised Baldur's Gate is full of pop culture references). Certainly possible.
Whatever, anyone expecting a serious take on D&D is going to be disappointed.
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