D&D Movie/TV D&D Cinematic Universe. What would it be like? What do you want to see?

[MNblockhead]

What matters is the actor's ability to emote through the FX, not the complexity of their plot.

Vecna and Asmodeus are fine. No problem for the actor's performance.

But Tiamat? Even if you CGI the actor's mannerisms onto the model, which head it the audience supposed to be looking at whilst she monologues?

The red one. Its her favorite.

 

[MNblockhead]

Then the henchman is the main character, from the performance perspective. The monster is just a nuke.

What then are the heads that aren't talking doing? Hanging around looking lame, or distracting the audience from the head that is speaking?

There is a reason why the D&D cartoon had humanoid Venger do most of the interacting with the party, rather than his boss.

They would all be staring down the supplicant or the doomed hero while the redhead talks. I think, if done well, it would be awesome and mesmerizing.

 

[OB1]

I'm really tired of "save the world/universe/multiverse" type stories. I much prefer a localized focus -- defend the village, the barony, or a small realm. I prefer personal stakes to global/universal/multiversal stakes. Those kinds of over the top stories make it harder for me to fall in love with the characters... just because I start out annoyed by the main premise underlying the script.

I realize that I'm probably part of a small minority that feels that way.

I'm actually with you, especially in regards to getting to know the characters early. What I like about what we've seen from the first trailer for HaT is that the stakes are personal. Fighting the 'greatest evil the world has ever known' is tied in with the personal responsibility that they accidentally helped unleash it.

My comment about the Tier IV story was a way to tie together a bunch of different characters in an event film, like Avengers did, against a much bigger threat.

Keanu Reeves isn't - flexible enough for Asmodeus. And everyone knows Asmodeus is British.

Idris Elba was my other thought for Asmodeus. But I'm much more interested in what other setting/genre/villain/actor combos everyone else might come up with

 

[Oofta]

I'm really tired of "save the world/universe/multiverse" type stories. I much prefer a localized focus -- defend the village, the barony, or a small realm. I prefer personal stakes to global/universal/multiversal stakes. Those kinds of over the top stories make it harder for me to fall in love with the characters... just because I start out annoyed by the main premise underlying the script.

I realize that I'm probably part of a small minority that feels that way.

You aren't the only one. Even when my PCs get to upper levels, the campaign threats are still relatively local.

I don't do world ending campaigns because the PCs can always fail and I don't want to come up with a new campaign world. That and I want people fighting for something, be that family, neighborhood, city or even region. Save the world is just too big.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

And in a perfect world, he gets to play Verminaard or voice a dragon.

Agreed.

Whatever adjustments need made, let Joe Mangienello have his dream!

An increasingly important skill for modern actors. Not every actor has to deal with acting in funny suit with dots all over their faces, but it's become such a part of movie-making, especially genre work.

What matters is the actor's ability to emote through the FX, not the complexity of their plot.

 

[Irlo]

What then are the heads that aren't talking doing? Hanging around looking lame, or distracting the audience from the head that is speaking?

I'm not a big proponent of Big Monsters as adversaries in action movies, as I prefer stuff that's more down to earth and personal, even in a D&D movie. But competent cinemtography can make it clear which head the audience should pay attention to at any particular moment.

 

[Steampunkette]

Under A Dark Sun?
Echoes from the Forgotten Realms?
Tales From the Yawning Portal?

Dungeons and Dragons: Under a Dark Sun

Introductory Narration, Conan Style. Get someone with a beautiful and strong voice that people can recognize pretty easily.

The initial narration includes the idea of Vile Sorceries, Psionics, and a world ravaged by dark Sorcerer Kings whose madness and genocides have left little behind save squabbling city-states ruled by those same villainous madmen. Too powerful to oppose they ruled for centuries without real challenge, until the Heartblood Spear pierced Kalak and toppled the Sorcerer King of Tyr. Some notes about the Fragile Freedom of the city-state, and how Kalak's death has been a rallying call to Preservers and those who wish to be free.

Whole movie about fascism, climate change, and the rise of anti-authoritarian forces told through a Hopepunk story in a bleak world where the heroes fight against and use some of the colorful local beasties (Braxats Thri-Kreen, Mellikots, Half-Giant companions, etc) and work to unseat a Sorcerer King. Mostly non-white cast. In a desert, Lily Whiteness is a bad thing. Tall pointedly not-white elves? We need more of it!

Ditch the rest of the Prism Pentad, though. Just have the Kalak death thing be canon and write the film as "In the wake of" type stuff.

I would watch it.

 

[Stormonu]

Dungeons and Dragons: Under a Dark Sun

Introductory Narration, Conan Style. Get someone with a beautiful and strong voice that people can recognize pretty easily.

The initial narration includes the idea of Vile Sorceries, Psionics, and a world ravaged by dark Sorcerer Kings whose madness and genocides have left little behind save squabbling city-states ruled by those same villainous madmen. Too powerful to oppose they ruled for centuries without real challenge, until the Heartblood Spear pierced Kalak and toppled the Sorcerer King of Tyr. Some notes about the Fragile Freedom of the city-state, and how Kalak's death has been a rallying call to Preservers and those who wish to be free.

Whole movie about fascism, climate change, and the rise of anti-authoritarian forces told through a Hopepunk story in a bleak world where the heroes fight against and use some of the colorful local beasties (Braxats Thri-Kreen, Mellikots, Half-Giant companions, etc) and work to unseat a Sorcerer King. Mostly non-white cast. In a desert, Lily Whiteness is a bad thing. Tall pointedly not-white elves? We need more of it!

Ditch the rest of the Prism Pentad, though. Just have the Kalak death thing be canon and write the film as "In the wake of" type stuff.

I would watch it.

Yeah, needs that sultry Conan narration voice, have it turn out to be the Dragon whose been observing the unfolding events (though, as you said, ditch the majority of Prism Pentad).

Doesn't have to be a non-white cast though (though I do think a diverse cast would do the movie better) - Fury Road got away with it, and was damn good.

 

[Steampunkette]

Yeah, needs that sultry Conan narration voice, have it turn out to be the Dragon whose been observing the unfolding events (though, as you said, ditch the majority of Prism Pentad).

Doesn't have to be a non-white cast though (though I do think a diverse cast would do the movie better) - Fury Road got away with it, and was damn good.

Sure. It got away with it. But...

1) More representation is good.
2) Nonstandard Elves/Dwarves are part of the world.
3) There's not a whole lot of minority-led fantasy films and that should be changed.

Plus there's -tons- of BIPOC and Latinx and Southeast Asian actors and actresses who should get their shot in a big beautiful franchise film. Why not do it in Dark Sun, where it would earnestly make the most sense?

Also, I said "Mostly" nonwhite. Not "Entirely" nonwhite. Which would be by definition a diverse film, right?

... how would you define a "Diverse Cast" otherwise? White-Lead with minority members as supporting cast?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Dungeons and Dragons: Under a Dark Sun

Introductory Narration, Conan Style. Get someone with a beautiful and strong voice that people can recognize pretty easily.

The initial narration includes the idea of Vile Sorceries, Psionics, and a world ravaged by dark Sorcerer Kings whose madness and genocides have left little behind save squabbling city-states ruled by those same villainous madmen. Too powerful to oppose they ruled for centuries without real challenge, until the Heartblood Spear pierced Kalak and toppled the Sorcerer King of Tyr. Some notes about the Fragile Freedom of the city-state, and how Kalak's death has been a rallying call to Preservers and those who wish to be free.

Whole movie about fascism, climate change, and the rise of anti-authoritarian forces told through a Hopepunk story in a bleak world where the heroes fight against and use some of the colorful local beasties (Braxats Thri-Kreen, Mellikots, Half-Giant companions, etc) and work to unseat a Sorcerer King. Mostly non-white cast. In a desert, Lily Whiteness is a bad thing. Tall pointedly not-white elves? We need more of it!

Ditch the rest of the Prism Pentad, though. Just have the Kalak death thing be canon and write the film as "In the wake of" type stuff.

I would watch it.

Hell yes.