D&D Movie/TV New D&D Movie: July 23rd 2021

It's official - the new Dungeons & Dragons movie is coming, and it's coming in four years - July 23rd, 2021, as announced by Paramount.

We already know that the movie will be produced by the Lego Movie's Roy Lee, that it will be directed by Rob Letterman (Goosebumps, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shark Tale). Originally scripted by David Leslie Johnson (Wrath of the Titans), it's now being written by Joe Manganelio, might be Dragonlance and then again might feature the Yawning Portal, and will adopt a Guardians of the Galaxy tone. Oh, and that we should take everything I just said with a pinch of salt as the movie appears have jumped from WB to Paramount at some point in the process!

 

[LordEntrails]

......aaand...STILL talking......I knew that was wishful thinking when you first declared you were 'done!'

And you are still insulting and belittling me. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones. May the peace and joy of the season fill you with happiness.

 

[oknazevad]

And you are still insulting and belittling me. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones. May the peace and joy of the season fill you with happiness.

When you admit that you're having fun riling up other posters, you kinda forfeit your right to be indignent about some incivility.

That said, I actually think if there ever was a property that was suited to the anthology TV series format ala American Horror Story, it's D&D. After all, what else is it when a group of players switch storylines/campaigns but the same actors assuming different roles in the world. Have each, say, 10-episode season could be a self-contained story arc, with the actors taking on new roles the next season. It actually emulates play while still being a proven model for television. Best part is they can jump from one campaign setting to another between seasons for variety.

 

[robus]

When you admit that you're having fun riling up other posters, you kinda forfeit your right to be indignent about some incivility.

That said, I actually think if there ever was a property that was suited to the anthology TV series format ala American Horror Story, it's D&D. After all, what else is it when a group of players switch storylines/campaigns but the same actors assuming different roles in the world. Have each, say, 10-episode season could be a self-contained story arc, with the actors taking on new roles the next season. It actually emulates play while still being a proven model for television. Best part is they can jump from one campaign setting to another between seasons for variety.

I must admit I’m now quite intrigued by American Horror Story, I had no idea that was part of its premise!

 

[TrippyHippy]

Yes, thank you for agreeing with me and supporting my point. Financial success, including brand enhancement is the goal. And that critical acclaim is useless by itself, that the important objective is populous agreement that the movie is worth spending money on.

You don't appear to actually understand what the point is. The financial success of the movie is secondary to the enhancement of the brand itself. If they make a financially successful, but critically reviled movie it will not enhance the brand. A Michael Bay-style movie would damage the brand in the same way that just making a porn movie would. It needs to be well crafted, well directed and brand enhancing movie. They are not selling Transformer toys, they are selling Dungeons & Dragons which imparts a different set of specifications.

And you are still insulting and belittling me.

You reap what you sow.

Happy holidays to you and your loved ones. May the peace and joy of the season fill you with happiness.

Ah...thanks. And you too.

 

[ArchfiendBobbie]

I'm optimistic about this movie, to a degree. It can't be as soul-crushingly, mind-numbingly, body-wastingly terrible as it would be if Uwe Boll were directing it.

Now, if Michael Bay directed it, then it would resemble some of my group's campaigns.

 

[hopeless]

I'd like a fairly standard beginning adventuring party adventure introducing potential villains, heroes, an unconventional story where there's more going on than they realise but have actual character stories to keep it interesting.
Sort of a live action Critical Role!

 

[oknazevad]

Yep, every season is a different season-long story arc set in a different place and time, but with many of the same cast members returning each year. Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Sarah Paulson have all spent multiple seasons on the show. There is some hints that the stories are connected, but loosely. In many ways, it's the perfect model for a D&D tv series.

 

[LordEntrails]

You don't appear to actually understand what the point is. The financial success of the movie is secondary to the enhancement of the brand itself. If they make a financially successful, but critically reviled movie it will not enhance the brand. A Michael Bay-style movie would damage the brand in the same way that just making a porn movie would. It needs to be well crafted, well directed and brand enhancing movie. They are not selling Transformer toys, they are selling Dungeons & Dragons which imparts a different set of specifications.

I think that point keeps moving. But that's ok, it means the discussion is progressing.

I think we have a couple of topics. In general I see them as;
1) "theatrical quality" or "critical acclaim"
2) "Financial success"
3) "enhancing the brand"

So, are we agreed that the primary objective should be enhancing the brand?

 

[guachi]

Mission Impossible: D&D would be fun. Lots and lots of opportunities for Exploration and Social encounters (I'm thinking TV show not the movies, which I haven't seen).

Infiltrate evil bad guys, sabotage evil bad guys, slip out safely for another adventure. Lots and lots of opportunities for illusion and stealth. Fun!

 

[TrippyHippy]

So, are we agreed that the primary objective should be enhancing the brand?

Yes. But the point is a bad, critically panned movie would damage the brand regardless of how much it takes at the box office. We've already had bad D&D movies before. We now want a movie that gives D&D some respectability to a wider audience, confounds expectations and get's people thinking 'you know, this game isn't just for losers and nerds'.

This is why Guardians of the Galaxy is such a good model. It's an IP that many hadn't heard of or dismissed when it was mooted. but the good qualities of the movie (good, well paced story; likeable characters; interesting world creation; self effacing humour) made people take notice and created a new fanbase. The Transformers movies, by contrast, just reinforced viewpoints that people already had - 'it's just a puerile, loud, nonsensical, toy advert'. It may sell to it's own audience (teen-age boys), but D&D is trying to appeal to all ages, genders and present itself as a creative, imaginative, fun storytelling hobby.

If we have a movie that just reinforces existing negative stereotypes of D&D it probably won't make as much money as people might suppose as the existing fanbase is actually not that big in any case. If it expands the audience, then the fanbase will grow accordingly and the box office of the movie will look after itself.