D&D General How you would have done the Dungeons and Dragons' movie - 80's edition

[payn]

I think the latest D&D movie was a victim of people still being hesitant to go back to theaters after COVID. There weren’t a whole lot of blockbuster movies at the time. I think Spider-man had come out in Dec and then don’t recall anything big after that. Just bad timing IMO.

I dont think so. I think that was the summer of back to normal as far as most theater goers were concerned. John wick 15 made a boat load. Mario smashed all kinds of records. Right in between them was DADHAT.

 

[TiQuinn]

I dont think so. I think that was the summer of back to normal as far as most theater goers were concerned. John wick 15 made a boat load. Mario smashed all kinds of records. Right in between them was DADHAT.

It’s still an unknown commodity against a known franchise and an animated movie which tends to operate under their own set of rules at times.

 

[Zardnaar]

I think the latest D&D movie was a victim of people still being hesitant to go back to theaters after COVID. There weren’t a whole lot of blockbuster movies at the time. I think Spider-man had come out in Dec and then don’t recall anything big after that. Just bad timing IMO.

John Wick and Mario don't support that theory.

D&D was released between those movies.

Bad launch window and bad tone I think. D&D isn't the blockbuster name people think it is at least in movies.

I think they probably have to go serious/mature to get bums on seats. Eg LotR, GoT, BG3.

If HaT launched at a different time it probably would have done better but not double which was where it needed to be.

 

[payn]

John Wick and Mario don't support that theory.

D&D was released between those movies.

Bad launch window and bad tone I think. D&D isn't the blockbuster name people think it is at least in movies.

I think they probably have to go serious/mature to get bums on seats. Eg LotR, GoT, BG3.

If HaT launched at a different time it probably would have done better but not double which was where it needed to be.

Well, that didnt take long. Yeah I dont think anybody wants a bored of the rings serious tone version of D&D with a plethora of other options at the ready. House of Dragon, Rings of Power, Wheel o Time, Blood and bone or whatever netflix deal was. etc..

 

[TiQuinn]

John Wick and Mario don't support that theory.

D&D was released between those movies.

Bad launch window and bad tone I think. D&D isn't the blockbuster name people think it is at least in movies.

I think they probably have to go serious/mature to get bums on seats. Eg LotR, GoT, BG3.

If HaT launched at a different time it probably would have done better but not double which was where it needed to be.

I think they’re making a mistake in not following up on that movie.

 

[mamba]

D&D has no recognizable IP outside of the fact that its a game

that might have been different in the 80s

We here know Drizzt, and Raistlin and Strahd (why wouldn't we, were adults commenting on message boards during work hours) but would the average movie goer? I'd be willing to bet that there are people who are fairly big fans of Salvatore and Hickman who have never played the game at all.

sure, but you do not need to have played the game to be interested in a DL or Drizzt movie

It’s not like the last D&D movie is all that different from generic fantasy, you lean into the world / fiction, not into the game

 

[KYRON45]

lol, i'm sure I was one of them. I think this idea really depends on the timing. Then, it would look derivative of Princess Bride, now, it would look derivative of Jumanji. Of course, you have a whole host of folks who take their D&D very seriously, and want a Lord of the Rings type seriousness and tone., which would bomb too. I think the recent flick chose the right tone, but got clobbered by a bunch of blockbusters released around it. The story of D&D media is one of constantly getting its lunch eaten by other properties.

Everything is derivative of everything else. It all comes down to getting the next thing right for the next audience.

There have been a few “D&D movies” now and the thing they all have in common is they have nothing to do with what D&D is.

Since I have no funding or talent to bring my version to market we’ll just have to keep trying with the same ole strategy I guess.

 

[KYRON45]

that might have been different in the 80s



sure, but you do not need to have played the game to be interested in a DL or Drizzt movie

It’s not like the last D&D movie is all that different from generic fantasy, you lean into the world, not into the game

How has leaning into the world been doing so far? I’m just a guy with an opinion but what is it they say about doing the same thing over again expecting different results?

 

[TiQuinn]

How has leaning into the world been doing so far? I’m just a guy with an opinion but what is it they say about doing the same thing over again expecting different results?

If at first you don’t succeed, try try again?

 

[mamba]

How has leaning into the world been doing so far? I’m just a guy with an opinion but what is it they say about doing the same thing over again expecting different results?

not great, but it is also at least 30 years since there was any hype around a D&D world / series of novels. Doing something with it then might have yielded a different result, doing something with it now is an uphill battle