hasbro ceo gets recognition from marketwatch

[Traycor]

D&D and its related brands could inspire the next Star Wars or Lord of the Rings from a sales point of view.

LotR's and the upcoming Hobbit are very similar to D&D. Really, even Star Wars is similar to D&D. Jedi have "magic" powers and spin around with glowing swords fighting the evil emperor and his "dark knight."

Harry Potter is basically a story where children are thrust into the world of magic. As is Narnia.

With the right minds (and funds) behind it, a WotC movie could be just as powerful as any of these stories that have become cultural phenomenons.

 

[Cadfan]

The biggest problem with a D&D movie is fan service. If you want the movie to actually be good, it can't try to be all of D&D at once. It needs to be the story of like ONE GUY, or maybe one small group of guys, facing a limited number of foes. It can't have dwarves, and elves, and halflings, and orcs, and humans, and all the stuff that it took the Lord of the Rings three lengthy movies to do well.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

A D&D movie needs to be a movie first and foremost. A good strong story and characters and D&D very much in the background. The D&D movie tried to be too D&D and sacrificed the story to it.

 

[Melba Toast]

The biggest problem with a D&D movie is fan service. If you want the movie to actually be good, it can't try to be all of D&D at once. It needs to be the story of like ONE GUY, or maybe one small group of guys, facing a limited number of foes. It can't have dwarves, and elves, and halflings, and orcs, and humans, and all the stuff that it took the Lord of the Rings three lengthy movies to do well.

Passion for the material is what defines a great movie.

The Lord of the Rings movies were a major gamble by the studio and everyone involved, but they all had a faith in the literary material. I think everyone involved in the financing of those films knew that they risked total ruin if they didn't succeed. But it was worth it to see the films realized. Some of the best craftsmen and FX people in the world actually travelled to New Zealand to work for free or at scale just because they wanted to participate in the films.


D&D novels are a purely commercial product, and the films will be commercial products too. When McG directs "Forgotten Realms: The Movie" (aka 4RTM) he'll cast Megan Fox as "the pouty-lipped warrioress" because he wants to redacted. Not, because he cares deeply about the mythology of Dritz.

 

[Cadfan]

Passion for the material is what defines a great movie.

Thousands upon thousands of horrible fanfics and films provide counter examples.

 

[Traycor]

Thousands upon thousands of horrible fanfics and films provide counter examples.

LOL!

Passion is very, very important, but skill and funding are needed as well. Typically a big film has 2 of the 3, but rarely do they all come together.

 

[El Mahdi]

A D&D movie needs to be a movie first and foremost. A good strong story and characters and D&D very much in the background. The D&D movie tried to be too D&D and sacrificed the story to it.

The same mistake DM's often fall prey to.

 

[Traycor]

Maybe you're right but I think The Crystal Shard would also make a fantastic movie in the right hands.

Agreed

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Thousands upon thousands of horrible fanfics and films provide counter examples.

Twilight proves they can still be financially successful

Also...hey. I LIKED the Transformers movie.

 

[The Little Raven]

I LIKED the Transformers movie.

Another place where you and I agree. It's almost creepy.

It was exactly as I remember Transformers from my childhood: massive product placement disguised as giant robot deathmatches with Peter Cullen's super-awesome voice spouting off cool lines like "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

This time, it had the added advantage of the super-hot Megan Fox.