D&D General Movie plots for your D&D game

[R_J_K75]

Im running an adventure where I blatantly stole the premise of "Snakes on a Plane". It was basically the PCs on a boat carrying cargo where there are snakes stowed away inside the crates and a Yuan-Ti is shapeshifted as a member of the merchant consortium who owes the cargo being transported.

 

[atanakar]

Books: The Black Company (Glen Cook) was a great inspiration for my most successful 90s (2e) campaign.

TV Series: I often see ideas for D&D while watching tv shows. I steal a plot, sub-plot or just a situation and rewrite it to fit in the campaign. Any type of show will do.

Movies: I can't recall any movie that inspired my D&D campaigns except the animated Beowolf with Angelina Jolie

 

[R_J_K75]

the animated Beowolf with Angelina Jolie

Wasnt that live action or are there two?

 

[atanakar]

Wasnt that live action or are there two?

There is only one. Animation: «the film features human characters animated using live action motion capture animation»

 

[R_J_K75]

There is only one. Animation: «the film features human characters animated using live action motion capture animation»

Got ya, I was thinking that might've been what you referring to. I knew I saw it but it was a while ago, just didn't realize it was 13 y/o by now.

 

[Draegn]

Older films that "flopped" have been inspirational.

Flesh and Blood (1985 film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[aco175]

I managed a decent campaign arc from The Count of Monte Cristo. The PCs were caught up in a NPCs quest on revenge. They attended a ball of intrigue and a bandit attack chase scene like in The 3 Musketeers. In the end, the NPC died leaving them a map to his hidden treasure hoard- which was guarded by a water elemental.

 

[Cleon]

Well it's not based on a movie, but I once ran an adventure based on an episode of the Dad's Army TV series that I remember being good fun.

No-one realized where the plot and characters came from but that wasn't very surprising, since the location was shifted from Walmington-on-Sea on the English coastline to a town in a fantasy campaign that's basically a potage of Indian/Chinese/Mesoamerican folklore, media tropes and history. It's not like I had the village bank manager shouting out "Don't tell him, Pike!", which would be a dead giveaway.

However I find literature a far more useful source of inspiration for RPG sessions.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Wasnt that live action or are there two?

Try this:Outlander

 

[cmad1977]

Jaws. A simple one really. Maybe more or a side quest that one could easily blow up into a larger adventure but...

While traveling the heroes see up ahead, in a haze of mist/fog/dust... wagons/caravan that’s wrecked and there’s someone on top of one of the caravans. The person that is waving their arms at the party in distress and as the heroes approach they realize that the person is yelling at them and waving at them in an attempt to prevent them from approaching... “DONT try and help! GO BACK!” Too late!
The Bullette attacks!

I like to do this to low level groups where the Bullette is really nasty. “Fortunately” is he caravan was transporting something flammable/explosive and if the Bullette can be led to that area
“Smile you son of a bleep!”

Also good for a solo adventure I found.