The D&D Movie Finds Its Director

The Dungeons & Dragons movie has found its director - Rob Letterman (Goosebumps, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shark Tale). The Warner Bros. movie, scripted by David Leslie Johnson (Wrath of the Titans), is being produced by Rob Lee (The Lego Movie, How To Train Your Dragon) and others after the longstanding legal dispute involving Sweetpea Entertainment and Hasbro was resolved. The script is based on Johnson's script Chainmail, itself based on D&D's precursor and will be taking cues, stylistically, from Guardians of the Galaxy.

There's more information on the Guardians of the Galaxy inspiration here. We know it is set in the Forgotten Realms, is an ensemble piece, and is hopefully the first in a franchise spanning multiple worlds. "This new Dungeons & Dragons will be a Guardians of the Galaxy-tone movie in a Tolkien-like universe. Because when you think of all the Hobbit movies and The Lord of the Rings, they have an earnestness to them, and to see something fun, a Raiders romp inside that world, I feel is something the audience has not seen before."

This latest info comes from Tracking Board. The other tidbit in that article is that "sources say that producers are eyeing a Vin Diesel-type for the film’s lead characters". Additionally, WotC staff has indicated occasionally that they have some involvement in the movie.

 

[Nytmare]

Anyway, there's probably a saying that "hope is the last one to die" (at least in Portuguese there is !)... so... there's still hope...

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blessed:
The soul, uneasy and confined from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

– Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man

"Hey Vin, would you mind taking a 20 million dollar pay cut to be in a movie that will probably tank your career?"

 

[Onslaught]

He could try some kind of arrangement in that VD has some say in the project - he is, in a way, part of the taget audience.

Anyway... it's gonna be a Warner movie, right? Lately I haven't had much faith in them when it comes to action/hero movies... well... time will tell... but I reeeeeally hope it end up great. Brand does need a good movie, 'cos there's such a huge ammount of interesting lore and stories to tell

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I bet his agent would love him for that!

Sometimes, that works out for all involved. Sin City had a lot of named talent, and most of them took substantial pay cuts to be in the film.

 

[Queer Venger]

Well , I would have liked to see George Miller at the helm here, (Mad Max Fury Road was the best film of 2015). Guess we'll have to see what this team puts out. Im happy its set in the Realms though, a recognizable setting will only help increase viewership.

 

[Zaran]

My guess is Vin Diesel probably would want a lot more money that the budget would allow.

I don't know. They got Liam Neilson for Battleship.

 

[Consona]

(Mad Max Fury Road was the best film of 2015)

That's debatable...

Im happy its set in the Realms though, a recognizable setting will only help increase viewership.

How many people around the globe actually know what FR is?

 

[Nytmare]

He could try some kind of arrangement in that VD has some say in the project - he is, in a way, part of the taget audience.

I worked on The Last Witch Hunter. That film was exactly what you're describing. He was a producer on a 100 million dollar movie that was his D&D character playing D&D, and it was a train wreck throughout production and in the box office.

Also he didn't take a pay cut.

 

[Halivar]

Please be April Fool's.
Please be April Fool's.
Pleeeeeeaaase be April Fool's.

 

[Onslaught]

Please be April Fool's.
Please be April Fool's.
Pleeeeeeaaase be April Fool's.

Forgot that mightbe an option!

 

[Morrus]

Please be April Fool's.
Please be April Fool's.
Pleeeeeeaaase be April Fool's.

It wasn't posted today.