Pitch me your ulitmate D&D movie

[Darth Shoju]

Ok I'll start with an easy one (some might say too easy) and see if I can figure out something more creative later:

The Crystal Shard

Director: Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; The Ice House)
Martial-arts Coreographers: Woo-ping Yuen (Fearless; Kill Bill) and Huan-Chiu Ku (Kill Bill; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Storyline: Based on RA Salvatore's The Crystal Shard, with sequels based on the rest of the Icewind Dale Trilogy if box office warrants and hopefully ending with The Legacy.

Writer: William Monahan (Kingdom of Heaven, The Departed)

Cast:
Drizzt Do’Urden-Mark Dacascos (Brotherhood of the Wolf)
Bruenor Battlehammer-Brendan Gleeson (Gangs of New York)
Regis-Patton Oswalt (Blade: Trinity)
Wulfgar-Alan Ritchson (Smallville)
Akar Kessel-Christian Bale (Batman Begins)
Cattie Brie-Laura Prepon (That 70's Show)

Format: Live Action

Producer: Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings)

Effects house: Weta Digital with Industrial Light and Magic; Weta Workshop

Studio: Wingnut Films

Budget: $120 Million

Projected Revenue (domestic and overseas): $240 Million
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-Worldwide: $213,525,736
Eragon-Worldwide: $249,056,540

My only concern would be the lack of a star actor that can open a movie (Christian Bale is close and having Peter Jackson and Ang Lee would help). Other than that I could see this being good (I hope )

EDIT: Perhaps Adrian Grenier as Drizzt might help the star power (although he wouldn't have the martial-arts experience of Mark Dacascos, he would have more drawing power I'd imagine).

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, the Dragonlance movie is apparently coming out this year (3rd Quarter 2007, they say, though I've seen no trailer or anything). I'm not really digging the animation style they have in the leaked images, but I imagine it'll grow on me.

If we were to adapt an existing property to movie format, Crystal Shard is definitely the way to go. For a TV series, Planescape Torment could be cool, but maybe not as a first foray. I'm not familiar with the Eberron novels either. I think FR or Greyhawk is best to start with, even if I'm not a fan of those foremost.

 

[Bayushi Seikuro]

I agree a few things I've read in here:

-- Don't make a 'D&D' movie. Make it based on something else; I'd love the concept of Against the Giants, etc. It saves on stigma from the first D&D movie - second wasn't so bad - and also like someone said, Marvel's doing good by making Iron Man movies and Hulk movies and Spidey, not Marvel -- I think that's one reason we haven't seen an Avengers movie. So many individual films to be made money off of first.

-- I'd prefer a weekly tv show. I'm sure there's a market; seems that Xena and Hercules and all the other knockoffs have done fairly well. By using a series approach, you also handle the issue of characters coming and going; a decent storyline will leave room and 'outs' for characters to leave or come back. Look at Babylon 5 -- you have Sinclair leaving and being replaced, and when the schedule gets better, he gets back in; you have Lennier 'gone for training'; the whole Lyta leaving after the pilot; etc. Like I said, the series, as opposed to film, gives a lot of flexibility.

Just my two cents.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I honestly think the problem with D&D movies is that nobody cares a god damn about a geeky game turned into a movie. If it's financially successful with that tag on it - then I'd call that more a matter of good luck than good management.

Game rules don't make for a good movie. Loveable and interesting characters, villains and settings make for a good movie. Characters are what sell movies - not "brands" and certainly not rules.

You don't need to turn the PhB into a movie - nor does someone need to write a story for White Plume Mountain . You need a movie to feature the best novels WotC has published in your leading campaign setting. And by "best" I mean the "best-selling".

If you are going to make a movie - you lead trump.

The best candidate is still your best seller overall and a no brainer. A movie based on the classic DragonLance series. Seeing as we have Dragons of Autumn on the way, albeit in animated form, I'll guess we'll see how that does. Given that it's animated, I'm not bullish.

But if the well is being turned to for the classic DragonLance trilogy, then surely the next place to turn to is Drzz't Do'Urden and the Forgotten Realms?

I can't say as I am a great fan of the iconic Drow Ranger - but it would certainly appear that millions of fans are. Millions of them are far more important than one of me. If you are going to roll the dice on Margaret and Tracy - the next throw is surely on Bob Salvatore.

Working title: Exile

Director: Peter Weir. A director who excels at action as well as drama, Peter Weir is never ordinary, never safe, and never boring. He also has something that few other directors have - instant critical credibility. Peter Weir is a heavy weight. Peter Weir does NOT make crappy films. Your movie will not only NOT be crappy, reviewers will assume it is NOT going to be instantly crappy and will give it a chance. You can't ask for more than that.

Pter Weir's credentials: Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director

1985 Witness
1989 Dead Poets Society
1998 The Truman Show
2003 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World


Storyline: A young dark elf is exiled from his cruel homeland and must make his way through the Underdark to the sunlit world. Drizz't is forced to make a choice to defend his new world from the forces of the Underdark. (Essentially a blending of the novels Exile and Sojourn)

Cast: Avoid a large overpaid ensemble cast. Go smallish and pay less money for your "big" names, while putting the dough behind your star with star attraction power.

Everything I know about Drizz't says Will Smith is too tall and too charming for that role. Everything I know about movies tells me Will Smith puts asses in seats and sells tickets. I'll go for asses in seats and tickets every time.

Yes, I'm serious. In case you were laughing, I really am serious. Will Smith. If you can manage Alan Rickman he'll do too in a supporting role. Paul Bettany is good for a smile and is a critical favorite. He also knows and works well with both Peter Weir and Bruce Helgeland.

Writer: Frank Darabont. An accomplished screenwriter who works well in adapting novels as well as writing original material. Credits include: The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption. Took a pass and polished the scripts for Minority Report and Saving Private Ryan. Has worked on genre films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob and The Fly II. Small screen credits include the Young Indiana Jones.

Format: Live Action

Producer: Bruce Helgeland. A solid capable producer used to working on a budget. Experience in contracting in Eastern Europe as well as with genre films. Good scriptwriter as well as Director who can polish Darabont where he needs to and has a good eye for action. Film Credits include: A Knight's Tale, LA Confidential, Mystic River. Involved in two current fantasy/medieval genre films (The Serpent and the Eagle and Nottingham). He knows his props and contracting for same and knows the problems of shooting on location. And lets face it, without a location shoot for much of this film - it can't be made for the budget you want. Helgeland is your man.

Effects house (eg ILM vs WETA): Neither. Choose Imax based in Toronto and do the whole freaking thing in Imax 3D. All of it. Virtually every supposed Imax 3D movie is really a standard movie title with 15 to 20 mins in 3d. Let George Lucas and Peter Jackson make their own movies to make their money. Imax 3d has done Superman Returns, Several Spiderman pics, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix due out in a few weeks - rebuilt in 3d from scratch in CGI. They are capable, professional and, above all, Imax has their own screen deals which also opens up significant possibilities with their becoming involved in financing for something like this. Having a financing partner with a stake in both the effects and the film's distribution success seems a wise move to me. But what do I know?

Budget: 90 million, all-in. Projected revenues? 140 million domestic, 100 million foreign, 120 million DVD and 8 million in licensed toys and game products. Sequel possibilities? But of course.

Rating: PG-13

 

[I'm A Banana]

#1: Don't be afraid of animation. D&D would work well as an action-packed animated feast for the eyes, and you automatically get a free pass on elves and dwarves and all that noise.

#2: Be PG-13. There should be enough violence and scantily clad wandering prostitutes to put the kibosh on PG, but you can be high-action Explosions-And-Swordplay easy.

#3: Play with the fantasy stereotypes a bit. You may think this is done to death after Shrek ran it's single joke into the ground, but D&D has an opportunity to take a different approach. The ones saving the princess are hard-bitten addicts, selfish, greedy individuals just on the insane side of the law. They're maniacs with power who brave death every day for wealth and fame. The heroes should be sympathetic, not larger-than-life, but living in a world that is. For the human fighter, this is just another way to a night of drinking.

#4: Dare I suggest...iconics?

#5: I agree with RW that D&D would work better as a series than as a movie, but that individual movies could be made out of some of the modules and novels the way individual games have been made out of them.

 

[Kristian Serrano]

The Dreaming Dark

A film that blends noir and pulp action with traditional fantasy fiction to create a world that is a more familiar, modernized environment. The newest setting from Wizards of the Coast, Eberron is a world that borrows heavily from Hollywood classics such as Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, mixes in Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Mummy, Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Pirates of the Carribean, and adds a thin layer of darkness from films like From Hell and Sleepy Hollow.Imagine a world shattered by a one hundred year war and affected by thousands of years of epic events. Now a small group of war veterans struggle to survive in the aftermath of the destruction of their beloved nation.

Titles:
The Dreaming Dark I: The City of Towers
The Dreaming Dark II: The Shattered Land
The Dreaming Dark III: The Gates of Night

Cast: See the Eberron Casting Call.

Director: Christopher Nolan (The Prestige, Batman Begins, Memento)

Writer: David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, Dark City)

Story and characters: Keith Baker

 

[Glyfair]

I'm not familiar with the Eberron novels either.

Night of Long Shadows would make a good movie. The best part of the book is a strength of the movie format, a great buddy relationship.

I think Eberron has a lot of strengths to recommend it for a foray into cinema or TV. It has a more modern, pulpish feel that more people can relate to for a movie experience. Indiana Jones is coming out with a 4th movie in the series and people are excited. Pulp works well when approached with the right attitude by the creator.

That being said, it has its negatives. If nothing else, D&D players who have lapsed, but would see a D&D movie, would get something other than what they expect. That can lead to early bad word of mouth, which can hurt a movie before anyone sees it.

 

[Sketchpad]

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.

I've always had a few ideas for D&D based movies.

Eberron: The Houses of Sharn
Director: Brian Singer
Writer:Christopher Nolan
Cast: Hugh Laurie (Inquisitor Terik Pol), Tim Roth (Marius Slade), Ron Perlman (Sir Gaius Way), Ellen Page (Natalia Way), Shawn Ashmore (Renn)
Format: Theatrical Release Movie
Producer:Lauren Shuler Donner
Effects House: WETA
Studio: Fox
Budget: $56 million
Tag: After Sir Gaius Way's wife is brutally murderer, Inquisitor Pol is brought in to investigate. Entering a world of political intrigue within the houses of Sharn, he relies on a young man named Renn to uncover the truths about Lady Way's murder and what they have to do with an old friend, the wizard Marius Slade.

Greyhawk: Outlaws by Day
Director: Joss Whedon
Writer: Fran Walsh, Erik Mona, RA Salvatore
Cast: Nathan Fillion (Kellic the Bold), Alan Tudyk (Lyrronid "Lyrr" Findersfee), Jewel Staite (Esha Mordenfal), Marc Blucas (Sir Gaevun Reins), Kelsey Grammer (Mordenkainen), Vinne Jones[url] (Bohlg the Merciless), [url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000463/]Famke Janssen (Lady Seric the Dark)
Format: Movie (Theatrical Release), Television Series Follow-Up
Producer: Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi
Effects House: WETA
Studio: Warner Bros.
Budget: Movie = $70million, TV= $20million
Tag: Down on his luck fighter Kellic the Bold is recruited into an adventuring party to recover an artifact for Lady Syric (the Dark). Together with the elven Lyrr, the mage Esha, and knight Sir Reins, the party discovers adventure, danger and the true purpose of retriving the artifact.

 

[WayneLigon]

Everything I know about Drizz't says Will Smith is too tall and too charming for that role. Everything I know about movies tells me Will Smith puts asses in seats and sells tickets. I'll go for asses in seats and tickets every time.

Yes, I'm serious. In case you were laughing, I really am serious. Will Smith. If you can manage Alan Rickman he'll do too in a supporting role. Paul Bettany is good for a smile and is a critical favorite. He also knows and works well with both Peter Weir and Bruce Helgeland.

I'll agree he's a box office draw, but since drow don't resemble black people in, well, any way at all, I don't think he'd work.

Somehow Alan Rickman must be in a D&D movie; I'll give you that.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Ok I'll start with an easy one (some might say too easy) and see if I can figure out something more creative later:

The Crystal Shard

Director: Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; The Ice House)
Martial-arts Coreographers: Woo-ping Yuen (Fearless; Kill Bill) and Huan-Chiu Ku (Kill Bill; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Storyline: Based on RA Salvatore's The Crystal Shard, with sequels based on the rest of the Icewind Dale Trilogy if box office warrants and hopefully ending with The Legacy.

Writer: William Monahan (Kingdom of Heaven, The Departed)

Cast:
Drizzt Do’Urden-Mark Dacascos (Brotherhood of the Wolf)
Bruenor Battlehammer-Brendan Gleeson (Gangs of New York)
Regis-Patton Oswalt (Blade: Trinity)
Wulfgar-Alan Ritchson (Smallville)
Akar Kessel-Christian Bale (Batman Begins)
Cattie Brie-Laura Prepon (That 70's Show)

Format: Live Action

Producer: Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings)

Effects house: Weta Digital with Industrial Light and Magic; Weta Workshop

Studio: Wingnut Films

Budget: $120 Million

Projected Revenue (domestic and overseas): $240 Million
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-Worldwide: $213,525,736
Eragon-Worldwide: $249,056,540

My only concern would be the lack of a star actor that can open a movie (Christian Bale is close and having Peter Jackson and Ang Lee would help). Other than that I could see this being good (I hope )

EDIT: Perhaps Adrian Grenier as Drizzt might help the star power (although he wouldn't have the martial-arts experience of Mark Dacascos, he would have more drawing power I'd imagine).

I must say this is a pretty darn good pitch.