Pitch me your ulitmate D&D movie

[Scott_Rouse]

The D&D computer game thread has got me thinking about D&D movies (I actually think about this a lot but the thread prompted to have some fun with it).

You have been given the once in a lifetime chance to pitch a studio on the D&D movie that is sure to be a block buster. The meeting will last ten minutes so you have to quickly and concisely sell the studio executive your idea. What would are the top-line elements you would present?

Consider:

Director (also tell me what they've done)
Storyline
Writer (also tell me what they've done)
Cast (also tell me their most notable role)
Format (eg live action vs CGI)
Producer (and why)
Effects house (eg ILM vs WETA)
Studio
Budget

Also provide a projected box office revenue and justify it by citing examples (eg 300 did $210,545,283 in box office returns)

Disclaimer: This is just for fun but WOTC is active in the film industry and we see a lot of actual pitches and often two ideas are the same or similar so if you think your idea is that good andor original don't post it here, it's the internet after all.

 

[Dykstrav]

So given the fact that you have an actual WotC connection, is this some sort of hint?

 

[Scott_Rouse]

So given the fact that you have an actual WotC connection, is this some sort of hint?

No this just for fun.

We get movie pitches all the time. Most come from aspiring screen writers with no connections to studios or funding.

I would love to see what people come up with for dream team approach to making a movie about something related to D&D.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I don't have the time at this moment to give a full pitch, so I'll just say something that I think is important in getting a good D&D movie made.

Most importantly - don't make a Dungeons and Dragons movie. Make a Dragonlance movie, or an Against the Giants movie, or a Desert of Desolation movie, or a Planescape movie, or heck, a Defenders of Daybreak movie, but not a D&D movie. What do I mean by that? Look at Marvel Comics. They're a brand, just like Dungeons & Dragons is a brand, but they don't make Marvel movies, they make Spiderman, Iron Man, and Hulk movies. Approach it in the same manner. Obviously there are some differences - D&D doesn't really have the characters like comics due, since the players are intended to craft the characters, so approach it by taking the modules and adventures and crafting movies based loosely on that.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

I don't have the time at this moment to give a full pitch, so I'll just say something that I think is important in getting a good D&D movie made.

Most importantly - don't make a Dungeons and Dragons movie. Make a Dragonlance movie, or an Against the Giants movie, or a Desert of Desolation movie, or a Planescape movie, or heck, a Defenders of Daybreak movie, but not a D&D movie. What do I mean by that? Look at Marvel Comics. They're a brand, just like Dungeons & Dragons is a brand, but they don't make Marvel movies, they make Spiderman, Iron Man, and Hulk movies. Approach it in the same manner. Obviously there are some differences - D&D doesn't really have the characters like comics due, since the players are intended to craft the characters, so approach it by taking the modules and adventures and crafting movies based loosely on that.

The execs assistant was a D&D player and understood your idea. They want to see a full treatment and will see you at the call back.

This is fun, I guess I should RP this a little.

 

[rkwoodard]

White Plume Mountain

Thank You, This is a great thread,

Title: White Plume Mountain

Syle: Live action, Action-Adventure Fantasy. Single main character (ala Laura Croft)

Director: Len Wise (he made Underworld for $40 million--no bashing underworld aloud).

Staring: Kate Beckinsale as a female rouge hired to steal back the artifacts from the evil Keraptis (played by Sam Neil)

Producer Peter Jackson,
Special Effects: Weta Workshop.

Keep elves dwarves etc in the background. Maybe a sidekick or mentor.

Play up the theft of the weapons and the angst of the importance of getting them back. Make the mountain 1/2 trap & 1/2 combat. Take out the silliness of the original module. Make the mountain more coherent.

Yeah, this is a horrible idea, but I can promise me and my wife would go see it. And if I win the Lottery, I will help fund it.

RK

 

[Dykstrav]

No this just for fun.

We get movie pitches all the time. Most come from aspiring screen writers with no connections to studios or funding.

I would love to see what people come up with for dream team approach to making a movie about something related to D&D.

Just for fun is good. I actually work in the independent film industry and I'm in the process of securing financing for my own picture (which is a whole other can of worms). And you're right, it's difficult to get backing and distribution without a big name even if people love the script.

I've actually had people try to steal my work, so that's why I'm a bit leery about making public pitches. But since this one is just for fun, I'll put one together soon.

 

[Doug McCrae]

If you had a typical D&D storyline - a wizard, an elf, a dwarf and a halfling confront orcs - people would say it was a Lord Of The Rings ripoff.

 

[RangerWickett]

No this just for fun.

We get movie pitches all the time. Most come from aspiring screen writers with no connections to studios or funding.

I would love to see what people come up with for dream team approach to making a movie about something related to D&D.

I really think D&D works better as a serial, so a cartoon on TV would be the optimal format if you want to capture the same sort of feel as having weekly D&D sessions. I mention cartoons particularly because I doubt you'd have the budget for really good costumes, make-up, and CG monsters in a live action series, whereas cartoons handle that problem easily.

Also, one of the producers at Cartoon Network's Adult Swim plays in my game, and he really liked the script I showed him. Have your guys call my guys.

 

[Catavarie]

...D&D doesn't really have the characters like comics due...

Sure D&D has characters that are well known amongst the D&D community, but they have no name recognition outside of the gaming community is all. But look at characters from Salvatore's books for example. Plenty of good high action movie potential in each of those and they are based within the prescribed D&D setting of Faerun. I'd love to see a full series of movies done on the Drizzt saga alone, just because visually it would be such an epic undertaking that I would watch them simply for the locations that would be filmed.