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

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Outside of combat, yeah, they would be pretty boring. It would be difficult to portray them as anything other than big scary monsters, no matter how smart they are in their stat blocks.

If they're smart in the stat block . . . make them smart outside of the stat block. Give Vecna and Asmodeus evil schemes that trick the party for most of the movie. Have Tiamat be convinced that she's justified in trying to destroy the world because it was stolen from her by the gods. Focus on Strahd's obsession with Tatyana and how his obsession with her is impacting his entire domain of dread. I could go on.

Interesting fight scenes + interesting personalities. Sounds like the recipe for a good movie villain. The Tarrasque would be boring as a villain just like Godzilla would be. But Tiamat, Vecna, Orcus, Asmodeus, Lolth, Acererak, and maybe Demogorgon could be good movie villains.

 

[Scribe]

As for D&D, I think they need to identify is as a shared franchise, not a shared universe. They need to get away from sequelitis, character cameos, and "you must have seen this to understand that". They need to do an Eberron movie, a Ravenloft movie, with no connection to Honor Amongst Thieves apart from the banner heading

This please, so hard.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

If they're smart in the stat block . . . make them smart outside of the stat block.

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

Give Vecna and Asmodeus evil schemes that trick the party for most of the movie.

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

Have Tiamat be convinced that she's justified in trying to destroy the world because it was stolen from her by the gods

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?

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

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

That does matter, but I also feel that there are other things that can make a villain seem smart. Their henchmen, their scheme, and their impact on the world around them can all make them good villains without them even needing to appear on the screen.

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 is the one she favors the most, so probably that one. Or all of them, depending on which one she's speaking through at the moment.

I really don't think that would be as big of a problem as you think it would. I don't think "which head does the audience look at" is a major concern.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Their henchmen

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

The red one is the one she favors the most, so probably that one. Or all of them, depending on which one she's speaking through at the moment.

I really don't think that would be as big of a problem as you think it would. I don't think "which head does the audience look at" is a major concern.

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.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

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

I specified that showing the henchmen could be used together with the BBEG's acting. And even if having the henchmen somehow makes the BBEG just a living nuke . . . that doesn't stop them from being a good villain.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I specified that showing the henchmen could be used together with the BBEG's acting. And even if having the henchmen somehow makes the BBEG just a living nuke . . . that doesn't stop them from being a good villain.

If the MCU has taught us anything, it's what makes a good villain is great acting, not lots of heads and a sack of hit points.

You can have Tiamat, CGI monster, in your movie, but the real villain is her henchman Venger, played by Hugh Laurie.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

If the MCU has taught us anything, it's what makes a good villain is great acting, not lots of heads and a sack of hit points.

And a good/relatable/understandable plan (Thanos, Killmonger, Vulture), a connection to the characters (Killmonger to T'challa, Thanos to the Guardians and Loki, every Spider-Man villain to Spider-Man), and enough time on screen, and quite a few other things. There is not just one thing that will make a good villain. There are a lot of things necessary to make a villain good. Great acting is definitely important in that. But there are other parts necessary for it, too.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And a good/relatable/understandable plan

Well, demons have a plan that is easily understandable: destroy everything. It's just not very interesting.

a connection to the characters

Nah, this one is a tired superhero cliche, the sooner it dies the better.

 

[MNblockhead]

Outside of combat, yeah, they would be pretty boring. It would be difficult to portray them as anything other than big scary monsters, no matter how smart they are in their stat blocks.

I don't know. This may be a strange example, but The Beast in Krull was far more interesting OUTSIDE of the battle scene. I think a similar approach of having the big bad not fully revealled but communicating with minions etc. could work. The problem with demogorgon is that I don't know how you would portray him, regardless of budget, that wouldn't look kinda silly.

 

[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.