D&D Movie/TV Should the D&D Movie Been Serious or Not Called D&D?

[Zardnaar]

I wouldn't look to Wick as some kind of template. There are a thousand Joh Wick movies out there that never got buzz to get sequels.

More pointing out it started out small and grew from there.

You can also look st various game studios doing something similar eg Paradox Intractive, Bioware, CD Projekt Red.

D&D has been inconsistent with its editions, games, movies and is still fairly niche.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I wouldn't look to Wick as some kind of template. There are a thousand Joh Wick movies out there that never got buzz to get sequels.

Which raises the question of whether the movie should have been based around a kidnapped dog instead of a child.

 

[Zardnaar]

Which raises the question of whether the movie should have been based around a kidnapped dog instead of a child.

XYZ gets kidnapped very over played.

Pet gets killed hmmn.

 

[mamba]

That's not the point I was pursuing. My point was that the values (perhaps I should have said perceived values) of drop offs are not the same at the same percentages, in response to the potential implication that HAT had a good drop off.

I am not sure I understand this distinction

Drop offs are essentially universal, the much bigger variable is audience size of week one.

This brings us back full circle (or we never got anywhere in the meantime, also possible…)

 

[Storyteller Hero]

I am not sure I understand this distinction

Drop offs are essentially universal, the much bigger variable is audience size of week one.

This brings us back full circle (or we never got anywhere in the meantime, also possible…)

Movies have to make back what they cost to make and more. As such, the less they make in week 1, the smaller the percentage the studios will want the drop off to be in week 2, because movies have limited runs in theaters. As such, the movie studios want reduced drop off percentages to help offset the lower than desired earnings of the previous week, especially with time running out on the contracted run.

 

[mamba]

Movies have to make back what they cost to make and more. As such, the less they make in week 1, the smaller the percentage the studios will want the drop off to be in week 2, because movies have limited runs in theaters. As such, the movie studios want reduced drop off percentages to help offset the lower than desired earnings of the previous week, especially with time running out on the contracted run.

ha, can’t argue with that. My issue was more that it sounded like a weak week one somehow justifies expecting a lower than a average drop off rate, which imo it absolutely does not

Needing it is very different from being justified to expect it…

 

[GreyLord]

I keep saying this, but if there really were 25 million hardcore D&D fans playing today...the movie should have easily passed 250 million and probably could have hit 500 million.

The problem is several things. I don't think the title was what caused it to flop though.

The advertising wasn't broad enough. It just wasn't as widespread as it should have been.

The core audience it WAS appealing to is too niche. Despite what people want to believe...that D&D is what the popular kids play today...it's actually a very niche product still. Even with Stranger Things and other areas...the main appeal of those isn't D&D...it's the nostalgia, the horror, and the drama of these shows.

Some say it wasn't dark enough, that it focused too much on the humor. In what advertising there was, it appeared more as a comedy than anything serious in fantasy.

I hate to admit it, but there was probably backlash from the entire OSR thing. Dumb move on WotC's part.

Once again, it was too niche. When people think of Fantasy they do NOT think of Tieflings. They do not think of Owlbears and Dragonborn. They do not think of Kenku. They think of Wizards. They think of Elves. They think of Dwarves. This movie was trying to appeal to a small niche group of 5e and perhaps some 4e players. These are younger players, and many don't have the money of the older generations. This movie wasn't seen as a little kids movie and thus that kills some of the family audience. You have to appeal to the older fans AND the Fantasy fans who know nothing about D&D.

How many elves did you see in the commercials? How many Dwarves? The appeal was too niche.

It should have appealed more the Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings types. It did not.

I thought it was a good movie. It didn't have a broad enough appeal though. It didn't show things people expect of Fantasy. It showed D&D...but if people don't know about D&D and some D&D fans are boycotting because of OSR situations that occurred...then what use is it to simply focus so much on D&D tropes that only D&D fans recognize.

I've said this twice. I'll say it again. The movie was too niche in what it showed. They needed more general fantasy tropes and a darker tone in the advertisements to have a broader appeal to general audiences. (My opinion only...of course).

 

[CleverNickName]

I don't think the title was what caused it to flop though.

I'm still not convinced it "flopped." Paramount probably isn't either.

 

[GreyLord]

I'm still not convinced it "flopped." Paramount probably isn't either.

Flopped is what is used towards it in some articles today. Perhaps..."probably not good enough to get a sequel"...is a better wording?

 

[mamba]

I keep saying this, but if there really were 25 million hardcore D&D fans playing today...the movie should have easily passed 250 million and probably could have hit 500 million.

that assumes every player is ‘hardcore enough’ to see the movie in the cinema

I have no idea whether there are 25M players, but I see no reason to revise the number of players based on some movie not meeting expectations