How Would You Make a D&D Movie?

[Oni]

Based on what I've seen around these boards I'm sure this would be probably not be well received but I would ditch the live action and go 2d animation, specifically with an anime type flare. The reason being is that dnd is very flashy with all sorts of weirdness crammed in it, and when you start breaking out so many special effects in conjunction with live action the brain refuses to accept it. The kind of over the top action and strange cocktail of weirdness that dnd represents to me would simply go down easier with animation. The greater degree of seperation from reality makes this work better IMO. Everything can just be grander in animation and that's just what a dnd movie needs. In my head I'm picturing some kind of kind of weird love child of Princess Monanoke and the Forgotten Realms. Also I want the shades as the primary villians just cause I like them.

Actually I just recall someone did a small B&W short of a scene featuring Drizzt and company some years ago, that might provide just the tiniest glimmer of why dnd should be animated, that couple minutes of footage is cooler than all other dnd movies combined.




If I have to go live action I want Tim Burton directing and China Mieville helping write, set in Planescape.

 

[Switchblade]

If I have to go live action I want Tim Burton directing and China Mieville helping write, set in Planescape.

Now that sounds promissing!

 

[Jhaelen]

I wouldn't. I don't think you can create a D&D movie that's worth watching for anyone but diehard fans.

What might work, though, is a TV series. I'd prefer it to be animated for the reasons Oni mentioned.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

Give Homeland to a Director. Hire Christian Bale to play Drizzt. Done.

I can go with that one!

And make D&d *ADULT*. Fed up with fantasy being so damned, ahem, whimpy/gutless etc, in regards to D&D especially.

Look, you're having fights with medieval weapons...primitive or strange societies with very different outlooks on crime and punishment, social mores' that are NOT from Earth 21st century etc etc.

Folk will swear, half naked courtesans will abound (like it or not slavery, abuse etc are historical facts, never mind fantastical), sex (major past time of the human race), gnarly violence (avoiding the grotesque injuries of violence is bad IMHO, and hey, it's cool seeing a scumbag getting chopped on celluloid ), etc.

"Homeland" works better, because it is more adult.

See "Conan", or a David Gemmell book.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Let's see:

1) Use D&D's greatest assets: Use an established world, preferrably Eberron or Planescape, as both are intriguing and off-beat enough to avoid looking like a generic fantasy movie (unless you go for Drizzt, he has sufficient recognition).
2) Focus on the characters and the plot, not on D&Disms. Dropping some things like "Murlynd's Spoon" or "Mordenkainen's Sword" as quick lines or on a book title or something - yes, everything else: No.
3) Get a proper director.
4) Get good actors, though they dont need to be A-list. I'd completely happy with something like the "Heroes" cast.
5) Advertise the title and the story, not being D&D.
6) Produce tie-ins.

And make D&d *ADULT*. Fed up with fantasy being so damned, ahem, whimpy/gutless etc, in regards to D&D especially.

Make it adult, if the story demands it. Being adult for being adult's sake isn't worth it, especially, because you don't need being adult to tell a good story (but then, I'm not saying making it happy-fluffy land - Dark Knight-level is alright).

Cheers, LT.

 

[mac1504]

If I have to go live action I want Tim Burton directing and China Mieville helping write, set in Planescape.

My vote is for Terry Gilliam directing a Planescape movie. And I'd love it if he'd work in Morte from the Planescape:Torment videogame.

 

[Kzach]

For the record, Game of Thrones is being made into a TV series through HBO.

 

[Horatio]

Preferably Eberron
Sharn, the City of Towers
Murder mystery, leading to a far darker sinister plot

Write a good murder mystery story first and foremost. Gently apply it to a D&D world. Let the characters behave naturally, no "D&D" overacting.

Couple of main characters working together on that (Citadel Inquisitive, smart (ass) "police" counselor from Morgrave university, brother of the murdered woman who is also a key witness, etc.)
Use resources available in Eberron and Sharn in particular (e.g. chasing scenes where participants jump off the bridges / ledges, using the "featherfalling" tokens to land safely and proceed with running)

And pleeease, Tim Curry as Merrix D'Canith

 

[Kristian Serrano]

Preferably Eberron
Sharn, the City of Towers
Murder mystery, leading to a far darker sinister plot

Write a good murder mystery story first and foremost. Gently apply it to a D&D world. Let the characters behave naturally, no "D&D" overacting.

Couple of main characters working together on that (Citadel Inquisitive, smart (ass) "police" counselor from Morgrave university, brother of the murdered woman who is also a key witness, etc.)
Use resources available in Eberron and Sharn in particular (e.g. chasing scenes where participants jump off the bridges / ledges, using the "featherfalling" tokens to land safely and proceed with running)

And pleeease, Tim Curry as Merrix D'Canith

Or a Xen'drik adventure that starts in Sharn, goes to Stormreach, and then into the Jungles. It'd embrace both LotR/fantasy fans and Indiana Jones/Mummy/pulp action fans. In fact, you could use the famous George Lucas pre-story/mini-adventure that we've always seen Star Wars and Indiana Jones films by starting with something in Sharn.

 

[SavageRobby]

See "Conan", or a David Gemmell book.

You know, Morningstar, Waylander or even Legend would all make great D&D movies with the right script treatment and a decent cast.