D&D Movie/TV D&D Movie Synopsis Namechecks Harpers, Red Wizards, and Neverwinter [UPDATED - MAYBE NOT?]

A précis of the Dungeons & Dragons movie has appeared as part of its copyright registration, confirming it's set in the Forgotten Realms.

The film stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Hugh Grant, and Rege-Jean Page.

An ex-Harper turned thief escapes from prison with his partner, a female barbarian, and reunites with a no-talent wizard and a druid new to their team in an effort to rob the cheating conman who stole all their loot from the heist that landed them behind bars, and used it to install himself as the Lord of Neverwinter. Only the traitor is allied with a powerful Red Wizard who has something far more sinister in store.

D&D Movie/TV - The D&D Movie Has Begun Filming!

Director Jonathan Goldstein tweeted "The campaign begins" with the following image! Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley will be directing the film which features "an ensemble cast and take a subversive approach to the game." The film stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith...

www.enworld.org

UPDATE -- Screenrant reported on the same story but has since posted: "Screen Rant has confirmed the below Dungeons & Dragons movie synopsis is not accurate." They haven't said any more or indicated how they've confirmed that.

 

[Oofta]

Maybe I'm squinting too hard, you're right. Doesn't seem kinda similar though? Of all the scenario plots you could do...

Comedy adventure made with trilogy in mind, a thief protagonist teaming up with adventuring party after a botched heist, mix of currently popular genre actors (Pine) and up-and-comers who've shown promise (Jurassic/Pikachu Justice Smith and Bridgerton's hot-right-now Rege-Jean Page). Antagonist is the only english actor (Grant) and he's someone in position of extreme power & conspiring with mages to do something even worse™.

I hear they're also going to have a producer, a director and writers. Talk about similarities, I bet it's going to be practically the same movie!

P.S. There was a plot to the old movies?

 

[Birmy]

Rooting for it, obviously, though I don't envy the needle the filmmakers are threading here.

I'm with those thinking Pine-Harper; Rodriguez-"female barbarian" (i.e. "the Michelle Rodriguez character"™); Grant-con artist; Page-Red Wizard; Smith-wizard; Lillis-druid. I can't picture much anything else.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Comedy adventure made with trilogy in mind, a thief protagonist teaming up with adventuring party after a botched heist

Again, this is pretty much general D&D. One of the campaigns I've run during the pandemic has centered on the two player characters robbing an NPC nemesis, immediately getting robbed themselves of the prize, and then having to steal it back again from the third party, because it turns out to be the key to pirate treasure (and, of course, they had to steal the map to it along the way).

When "rogue" is a big archetype in D&D, this is one of a handful of ways to use them.

Also, since this is just the first series in a hoped-for franchise, they have to start from somewhere. Even Gandalf started off in the movies as a dude whose magic was largely focused on blowing amazing smoke rings. Let the characters level up before demanding they're super-heroic and super-competent.

 

[OB1]

Sounds like D&D to me! Guessing that what starts as a heist will eventually lead to a dungeon and probably a dragon as well...
Agree with the general consensus on who's playing which characters, fun lineage speculation below!

Pine - Half-elf Thief/Bard (guessing he's a dual class given the Harper connection)
Rodriquez - Dwarf Barbarian (maybe goliath, maybe human)
Smith - Human Wizard (or Tiefling Warlock/Sorcerer posing as a Wizard? No-talent makes me think this character doesn't get their power from studying books)
Lillis - Elf Druid (not surprised they wanted to stay away from Cleric)

 

[pumasleeve]

At least we know for sure it is a Forgotten Realms film (maybe we already knew that, I did not) If they can show respect for the rich history of the Realms and show a world that feels lived in, it could be great.

 

[commandercrud]

Was there ever any doubt about it being set anywhere else?

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Side note the YV show might feature Drizzt. Live-action D&D TV show from John Wick creator could feature Drizzt Do’Urden

 

[R_J_K75]

Looked good until no-talent wizard.

Yeah that put me off too. Its very cliche, and just seems a bit lazy.

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

Wondering if Grant is playing Lord Neverember and who is going bald to be the Red Wizard feels presumptuous

WizCo has shown they'll happily rewrite the lore of their settings. For past settings and even for characters created this edition
Red Wizards in this movie might have long flowing locks. And the Lord of Neverwinter could be someone brand new
D&D isn't Marvel or a famous book series with lots of fans where the screen writes have to stick to lore
It's more like TRANSFORMERS where the movie can just do its own thing and borrow names
Heck, MORTAL KOMBAT is a hugely popular franchise bigger than some movie franchises and its new film rewrote the lore

Red Wizards could be a mage guild in Neverwinter, which could get its name from a magical shield generated by a glowing tower

 

[Prakriti]

Was there ever any doubt about it being set anywhere else?

Dragonlance was the best prediction for a while. Joe Manganiello even co-wrote a script for a Dragonlance movie, which got a lot of press coverage at the time.

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