D&D Movie/TV D&D Movie should follow the Deadpool model

[Paul Farquhar]

Hmm, I had forgotten about Jumanji.

Apart from the two Jumanji films (and a third coming), we have had three Narnia films relatively recently also in the portal subgenre.

There is nothing remotely original about transporting people from the real world to a fantasy world. Just ask the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

 

[Stormonu]

So perhaps a mix of the Gamers meets the Lord of the Rings?
Unknown to them their game is effecting another reality and the legend of their former characters results in them (not their characters) being recruited by a resident of that other reality to help when the enemy they defeated in their perceived fantasy game returns and they're the only ones who can turn the tide?
Something that insane, could it be any good?

Sounds like Galaxy Quest, honestly. That worked because it was spoofing the genre. I don’t think it should be done for an attempt at an initial movie where your trying to draw in interest instead of making fun of the game or fans (or parodying the game’s cliches). The prior D7D movies already did enough harm trying to play it straight and coming off as cheesy.

While mixing the “real world” and the D&D world could be done, I think that would be a better case for a tv series, not a movie. With only 2 hours or so to work with, flipping between realities is more likely to result in a confused, mixed mess instead of a good movie.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sounds like Galaxy Quest, honestly. That worked because it was spoofing the genre.

Thing about that is Star Trek had already had something like 10 movies done straight before Galaxy Quest spoofed them. And some of them where even good.

Before you can parody something you first have to play it straight.

 

[NotAYakk]

Thing about that is Star Trek had already had something like 10 movies done straight before Galaxy Quest spoofed them. And some of them where even good.

Before you can parody something you first have to play it straight.

See, you could treat D&D as a spoof on Lord of the Rings/Hobbit/Piles of Fantasy YA stuff at this point.

I wouldn't be able to write it, but ...

 

[Mort]

See, you could treat D&D as a spoof on Lord of the Rings/Hobbit/Piles of Fantasy YA stuff at this point.

I wouldn't be able to write it, but ...

I strongly suspect that the last thing Hasbro wants is to in any way biggy back of a different brand.

They don't want a spoof of some other success, they want to build a successful enough movie/set of movies that someone else feels is popular enough to spoof.

 

[GreyLord]

Just to bring up, IF they decided to do a portal from reality to another world, it has already been done with D&D and even sported the D&D name.

Making the D&D cartoon a live action adaptation could be a way to dig into the nostalgia, bring up some excitement from some international roots in the Americas (N and S America) while adapting the story to a more modern sensibility and audience.

Not that this is the route they would take, or that this is even being considered. I'm just pointing out that D&D actually has a background for such a story if someone ever decided to go that route.

 

[cavalier973]

My opinion is that the story should be set in Castle Greyhawk, and should be focused on a party of adventurers searching the ruins for treasure. There should be one, or maybe two dragons. Care should be taken to differentiate this from "The Hobbit".

For example, the story might involve a group of regular folk whose lives are disrupted (lost job, house burned down, money stolen, etc.) and when a mysterious stranger at the tavern tells them there is treasure in nearby ruins for the taking, they decide to go get some of it.

Turns out the mysterious stranger works for a dragon (or is a dragon, in disguise) that is trying to steal the treasure of another dragon, and has been luring adventurers into the ruins for several months. This dragon kills the parties when they emerge and takes what they retrieved from the ruins. Our main characters are the latest dupes, but they slowly figure out what is going on, and eventually must escape back through the ruins while being chased by the dragon and its cronies. This might be the main part of the movie--escape. Play up that the dragon is a scary creature, sort of like the dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park" or the Xenomorph in "Alien". The characters have to decide at multiple points whether to give up treasure, or leave behind a companion, else be caught by the dragon. Their end game might be something like finagling the two dragons into a confrontation.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

See, you could treat D&D as a spoof on Lord of the Rings/Hobbit/Piles of Fantasy YA stuff at this point.

I wouldn't be able to write it, but ...

Fish in a barrel.

Fantasy is easy to spoof because it is so inherently silly. It's treating it seriously that is difficult.

There are lots of fantasy spoofs already, and only one is good (The Princess Bride).

 

[hopeless]

Or reveal there's a third dragon involved and its become aware of the ruse and is using the opportunity to cause both dragons to fight each other.
But during the trek it begins to bond with the others that it feels obligated to help them even protect and defend them such that in a climatic moment it drops its disguise to fight the dragon telling them to flee as it tries to hold off the more powerful dragon.
You know make it more than a simple treasure hunt and more than just some bitter double cross or look upon things like dragons as just violent monsters.

 

[AtomicPope]

There's already a great D&D movie with gore and comedy:
Your Highness