WotC ICv2 Has A Theory That WotC Will Be Sold

[Oofta]

I'd also like to ask "Why is this community so obsessed with a D&D movie?" Seriously, it comes up way too often. Why is it a focus again in this thread?

You want to talk about expanding the D&D brand, talk about books. Talk about video games. Talk about tie-ins with kids TV shows. Talk about action figures, Happy Meal toys, and branded shampoo. Talk about t-shirts, Trapper Keepers, back packs, and under-roos. Talk about branded Renn Faire support, FLGS events, and sponsored podcasts. But move past this movie obsession. It's been done, it flopped, and the legal rights are stupidly complicated.

The rights for the movie were straightened out a while back. Any new movie would have nothing in common with the old movies.

Why the obsession with insisting that a new movie would automatically be a flop?

 

[billd91]

Why the obsession with insisting that a new movie would automatically be a flop?

Track record.

 

[Zardnaar]

The rights for the movie were straightened out a while back. Any new movie would have nothing in common with the old movies.

Why the obsession with insisting that a new movie would automatically be a flop?

Way movies are funded now.

 

[TheSword]

A group of young heroes from across the realms band together to find a powerful artifact in order to stop an ancient menace from destroying the world.

Ya know, like 90% of most D&D campaigns are once you remove the bard-jokes and Monty Python references. Its cliche, but D&D is the trope codifier for most of western fantasy gaming, this isn't the place to go too far askew of the lore (See: any of the previous D&D movies).

I'd stick to simple, cliche, and what works. Make an iconic group of 4-5 heroes (I'd maybe avoid halflings, but D&D has nine playable races in the PHB alone). Have them hit some classic adventuring spots (goblin warrens, forgotten crypt, dragon's den) and face some iconic monsters (goblins, orcs, beholders, undead, dragons, some combination). Use a little IP magic for names and places (like FR deities or whatnot). Have them win the day and move onto the next adventure. Toss in a little intra-party romance for the poster art, and away you go.

Hell, if you wanted a decent D&D movie based solely on an established story, I'd skip Dragonlance or Drizzt and go with Baldur's Gate. Hits all the iconic elements and has a damn fine plot you could distill.

The problem is, that moves based on cliche’s are... well... cliched. Which tends to go down like a lead balloon. You can’t make a movie that’s a knock off of the second half of fellowship of the ring and expect it to be successful.

 

[Remathilis]

The problem is, that moves based on cliche’s are... well... cliched. Which tends to go down like a lead balloon. You can’t make a movie that’s a knock off of the second half of fellowship of the ring and expect it to be successful.

Disagree. A well done cliche is better than a poorly done "innovation". Assuming we're not aiming for the next Star Wars or Avengers level blockbuster, you can ride a decent cliche to make back it's money assuming the script is good, the acting is fine, and the effects aren't laughable. Transformers did it for several movies on the most cliche writing imaginable.

Besides, we all know this ain't gonna be Oscar bait, so as long as it's fun and doesn't look and feel like a film school first project again, it should be fine.

 

[TheSword]

Disagree. A well done cliche is better than a poorly done "innovation". Assuming we're not aiming for the next Star Wars or Avengers level blockbuster, you can ride a decent cliche to make back it's money assuming the script is good, the acting is fine, and the effects aren't laughable. Transformers did it for several movies on the most cliche writing imaginable.

Besides, we all know this ain't gonna be Oscar bait, so as long as it's fun and doesn't look and feel like a film school first project again, it should be fine.

You are correct with your statement. However that isn’t enough. If you think remaking the second half of fellowship of the ring is enough, luck to you. I respectfully disagree. Nobody makes a film expecting it to be meh OK.

You make a film because you think it’s going to capture people’s imagination and gets them exciting. Because there is a story that needs to be told in a particular medium. What is it about D&D that needs to be told as a film?

D&D isn’t a story. It’s a framework for telling stories - most of which are amateur. That doesn’t make for great film making. A great story, combined with talent, great direction, cinematography, score and effects - make a good film.

I have zero interest in seeing the 4th, meh, fan fiction D&D film that only serves to confirm the worst the non D&D community thinks about D&D. We are just about getting to the stage where it’s cool. Go back and watch Wrath of the Dragon God and tell me you ever want to see that done again!

 

[Marc_C]

All conjecture at this point...

If Asmodée buys D&D it will be under EDGE, which is now responsible for Star Wars rpg instead of FFG. EDGE is their rpg studio. It would probably mean faster translations to French (Italian and German?).

If D&D is sold it doesn't automatically mean a new edition. 5e is doing very well. You don't kill the golden goose. 2024 is more likely for a new edition whether it is a 5.1e "50th Anniversary of D&D Edition" or 6e.

Anyhow, I'm done buying new editions of D&D. I'll stick with 5e. I have the AGE system to play with for many years. WoTC's (Hasbro) refusal to do a modern and sci-fi rpg has turned me away from them.

 

[Dimitri Mazieres]

D&D isn’t a story. It’s a framework for telling stories - most of which are amateur. That doesn’t make for great film making. A great story, combined with talent, great direction, cinematography, score and effects - make a good film.

I think this sums up pretty nicely the issues with creating a movie with the D&D moniker. You don't want to play a film about a stylized D&D game session. You want a good story with good character development that almost incidentally uses D&D's IPs. And I think in that regards maybe some of D&D's videogames, like Baldur's Gate or Planescape: Torment, might be the best places to mine for good storylines.

 

[Guest 85555]

The problem is, that moves based on cliche’s are... well... cliched. Which tends to go down like a lead balloon. You can’t make a movie that’s a knock off of the second half of fellowship of the ring and expect it to be successful.

the save the world by finding an artifact thing is just a framework. You can have a good movie, even a fresh and innovative one inside that framework. Road trips are cliche too but they are also just a framework: quality on them varies a lot. It all depends on the characters, The tone, the dialogue, and the details. Also I think the key is how they connect it to D&D as a concept would matter a great deal. It ultimately is going to boil down to things like who writes and who directs I think. I certainly can see another D&D movie not going well. On the other hand, with such a string of bad D&D movies, expectations being low, they might be able to take some risks (even within a very standard framework)

 

[Guest 85555]

The problem is, that moves based on cliche’s are... well... cliched. Which tends to go down like a lead balloon. You can’t make a movie that’s a knock off of the second half of fellowship of the ring and expect it to be successful.

the save the world by finding an artifact thing is just a framework. You can have a good movie, even a fresh and innovative one inside that framework. Road trips are cliche too but they are also just a framework: quality on them varies a lot. It all depends on the characters, The tone, the dialogue, and the details. Also I think the key is how they connect it to D&D as a concept would matter a great deal. It ultimately is going to boil down to things like who writes and who directs I think. I certainly can see another D&D movie not going well. On the other hand, with such a string of bad D&D movies, expectations being low, they might be able to take some risks (even within a very standard framework)