D&D Movie/TV Chris Pine To Star In D&D Movie

The long, slow process towards a modern take on D&D movies took a large step forward with the announcement of a huge star signed to the project. Considering that filming is set to start soon a cascade of announcements should be revealed in initiative order imminently. Filming begins in Q1 2021.

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley will be directing the film which features "an ensemble cast and take a subversive approach to the game."

Chris Pine In Talks To Star In ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ For eOne And Paramount; Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley Direct

Chris Pine To Star In 'Dungeons & Dragons'

deadline.com

Chris Pine has closed a deal to star in Dungeons & Dragons, the live action film based on Hasbro’s massively popular role-playing game from Wizards of the Coast. Hasbro/eOne and Paramount are jointly producing and financing, with eOne distributing in the UK and Canada, and Paramount the rest of the world.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley will be directing the film which features "an ensemble cast and take a subversive approach to the game."

I don't think I like the sound of that last phrase, but...I'll try to remain cautiously optimistic.

I despise the ideas some folks have floated of cutting between people playing dnd and the in character action of the game. That isn't a valid movie premise, IMO, it's a skit show gag.

Hopefully it's not just a stupid comedy with nothing to take seriously. That may be some folks' DnD, but it bears no relationship whatsoever to what I get out of DnD, nor what I see reflected in most social media engagement related to DnD.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

no commentary on the real world.

So, worthless trash media?

Well, no, nevermind, even the most garbage sharknado garbage has some level of unintentional commentary on the real world.

If it's a good story, it will touch on the human experience in some way that resonates with modern people, which inherently means it will comment on the real world.

 

[Wishbone]

I for one think Chris Pine will make a great Carlos the Dwarf.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It depends on what you are trying to subvert. The fantasy genre itself is too easy a target - it's obviously silly, so taking it seriously is itself subversive!

You can use fantasy to be subversive about real world stuff though - Pratchett did a lot of that.

 

[Marandahir]

This is cool. Just don't make it a movie about a US military troop getting thrown into a fantasy world, Hasbro.

 

[John R Davis]

What do they mean by subversive?

Yeah. Worrying

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well he had a good run.
Bye, bye career.

que!?

lol yeah Jeremy Irons sure hasn't done anything of note since the DnD movie...oh wait.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I'm pretty sure "subversive" is in reference to making it more about the story than the game elements. I.e., the mechanics. Which is a good thing. No one wants to watch a movie where they keep making references to the mechanics in some weird 4th wall way

 

[TheSword]

A ‘straight’ D&D movie would be tripe. Like the others were ‘straight’. Making a movie about a party of adventurers defeating evil would bomb. The general public don’t want to see those stories, they too cliched, full of jargon, and formulaic. Of course it needs to be subversive, that’s how it plays on the game and the theme.

There’s lots of ways of stepping outside the typical fantasy novel. Neverending story for instance. I wouldn’t advocate the style for a modern film, but it’s an example of what can be done to subvert the typical fantasy sword and sorcery film.

 

[squibbles]

In D&D terms, he's a +1 Chris of Movies.

DM: You find a +1 Chris of Movies!!!
me: Ooooooh, does he glow with magical power?
DM: Nope
me: Does he have any special properties?
DM: Nope
me: Does he have an important background that's relevant to the campaign?
DM: Nope
me: Does he--
DM: Look, he's just a generic +1 Chris, do you want him or not?
me: Yeah, I guess... at least he's better than the direct-to-DVD Chris I bought with my starting gold.