Henadic Theologian
Hero
I'd like to see a completely R rated DC universe.
I would love to see multi adventureing groups in the same world... with some 'npc' support actors being the tie that binds them. Could they do a big 'avengers style' team up sure... but I think I would rather if multi groups 'took off' they run 2 movies the same year that had the two interacting more in the background... something like "OMG Orcus is invading and 1 group is in waterdeep stopping part of it and the other is in Icewinddale stopping part of it"The creators of the D&D movie (Directors?) said that this movie was the beginning. We also know about TV shows being worked on. Maybe with tie ins to each other and the Movie.
What could a cinematic universe of D&D look like? Will it be character focused like Marvel and DC or more like lots of stories based in it's world (words?).
I wonder if they'll try and track the Multiverse idea that D&D the game is going with now. Was it mistake to use the term Multiverse seeing that it's associated so much with Marvel now?
If you listen to the Dragonlance movie I’ve heard that it fares much better.I’m in agreement with “make a good movie first”, then worry about expanding. DC’s and the Monsterverse problems were trying to force it before they got viewer buy-in.
Though I’d like to see an extended series covering Dragonlance, but I fear we’d get the story/acting quality of the animated version, if not effects.
In that case, I’d rather listen to the (dramatized) Audio Book.If you listen to the Dragonlance movie I’ve heard that it fares much better.
I haven’t the heart to try even that.
That's a great point. The villains in D&D are central to the experience, and if you cast that right (I think Hugh Grant was a stroke of casting genius for the first film) the rest may fall into place easier. And this dovetails with how 5e runs APs anyhow.I think characters like Themberchard are inspired. Maybe the bad guys and adventure locations are D&Ds “characters” for a DCU.
Yep. Everyone wants to have the MCU’s success without laying the groundwork Marvel Studios did to get there. If I have one hope for a potential “D&D Cinematic Universe,” it’s that they don’t fall into this trap.Quite right.
The desire to launch into a "cinematic universe" is always doomed unless the base is solid.
Let's assume HAT is very successful and popular. The next step would be to either make a sequel, or do another Forgotten Realms-set D&D movie, following different characters (perhaps with some minor crossover/link). If that too is successful and popular, you've got a fairly solid place to go from, but you need some seriously solid thinking about where the franchise is going to go, and to not move too fast. You can't expect to become the MCU, but you might well become something like Fast & Furious.
Basically though they need to land this one, then land another one set in the FR, then probably a sequel to this one, before anyone can even start talking "cinematic universe".
The only other settings which are likely to become relevant in the first few movies would be Spelljammer and Planescape, both of which would potentially work extremely well cinematically and are traditionally closely linked to the FR.
But the main thing would have to be to keep the quality of the movies up. If you wanted to cross over to another D&D world, Tal'Dorei would probably be a better bet than any WotC setting, at least initially. I could definitely see a movie where they ended up Sigil and then going through a few Prime Materials as part of a heist or scheme or the like, with brief visits to places like Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Greyhawk, and so on (carefully avoiding showing any key characters so you have casting freedom later).
Also, it would be really good if they could get an FR TV series or two going (as they'd been thinking) and ensure that they have "aesthetic compatibility" with this. The only slight concern I have about HAT is that the aesthetic isn't quite what I'd expect from "The Forgotten Realms" and is a little bit more "Generic Fantasy" (needs more oversized cabochon-cut gems!), but that's a key part of what's made both the F&F movies and the MCU work, and what's made the DCU have problems. Aesthetics. Kevin Feige is famous for becoming obsessed with a slightly horrible colour-grading scheme and forcing it on a bunch of MCU movies, but that plus other choices did give MCU movies (and later series) a fairly consistent aesthetic until they had a firm enough base to play with it in more recent stuff (but even, say, Ms. Marvel's more outre aesthetic is till MCU-ish). So they need someone in that Kevin Feige roll to be pulling everything together. That would be Mike Mearls, given he's "Franchise Creative Director". Hopefully he's up to the task and can avoid future scandals.
An Eberron TV series would be cool. Investigation typeI just want Eberron, and eventually a Dragonlance premium tv series.
Agreed on the idea of a Kevin Feige role (see also Dave Filoni and Star Wars for a similar role) overseeing the "big picture" for a shared universe, but I don't know if Mike Mearls is the right person for the job. Not sure who I would nominate in his stead, though.So they need someone in that Kevin Feige roll to be pulling everything together. That would be Mike Mearls, given he's "Franchise Creative Director". Hopefully he's up to the task and can avoid future scandals.