UPDATE: Hasbro files lawsuit - Warner Bros. to make a D&D Movie. AICN

[darjr]

Warner Bros. to make a D&D Movie. AICN

well where's my popcorn

 

[Nytmare]

Isn't Chris Morgan the guy who was going to redo Highlander except with gun fights instead of sword fights, and during car races, and without anyone actually being immortal?

 

[Quickleaf]

My understanding is Solomon has the rights to any "D&D" movie with the caveat that certain IP can't go in it. Hasbro has the rights to that IP and could put it in a movie but the movie couldn't be called "D&D". That about sums up the contract I believe.

Username "Foamy" over at Deadline gives a longer explanation...

This HAS come up before. They HAVE previously had a decision. This is Hasbro Studios being out of the loop and not paying attention to the past history of the case of their subsidiary.
Both sides’ lawyers have commented on this previously. Courtney Solomon has the indefinite rights to make a generic fantasy movie using the trademark “Dungeons and Dragons”. He doesn’t have access to any of the previously generated stories affiliated within the sprawling property, but as long as it’s set in “his” universe he’s free to do as he likes.
Hasbro, on the other hand, are free to make any movies based on anything else within the Dungeons and Dragons property as long as they don’t use the title “Dungeons and Dragons”. So all the Dragonlance/Forgotten Realms/Whatever stories that Hasbro owns as part of Dungeons and Dragons can be adapted for movies by Hasbro.
They’re distinct and separate properties in terms of copyright, and because there was no rights return clause in the original agreement Solomon has indefinite use of the trademark for movies.
Comment by Foamy — Thursday May 9, 2013 @ 6:50pm PDT REPLY TO THIS POST

 

[Kaodi]

How in Gods name did WotC get wrangled into completely selling the rights to a "D&D" movie anyway? Did someone lie to their face and say, "This is just the way it is done?" Did they need the money that badly? Because I do not see how anyone in their right mind could just surrender a potentially important part of their IP like that.

 

[jonesy]

What if Hasbro made a movie under the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" title? Do they have the rights for that? What if they used something like "Official D&D"?

 

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

How in Gods name did WotC get wrangled into completely selling the rights to a "D&D" movie anyway?

I believe that deal was made before WotC got TSR, and thus before Hasbro got anything involved in D&D.

 

[cavalier973]

"Dungeons & Dragons: Acquisitions, Inc."

Begin the story where the last podcast left off--with the AQI hurtling through space inside the remnants of Darkmagic Manor.

The characters take the time to describe their attacks before doing them.
Omin Drann: "I'm going to launch Lancing Faith at that hobgoblin, and blind him with holy light." The character then makes the appropriate motion, light flares out, and misses. "Son of a #$&@!!!"

Edit: I didn't realize that there was a 2012 session. I'll need to watch that asap.

 

[jonesy]

"Dungeons & Dragons: Acquisitions, Inc."

Begin the story where the last podcast left off--with the AQI hurtling through space inside the remnants of Darkmagic Manor.

The characters take the time to describe their attacks before doing them.
Omin Drann: "I'm going to launch Lancing Faith at that hobgoblin, and blind him with holy light." The character then makes the appropriate motion, light flares out, and misses. "Son of a #$&@!!!"

That's brilliant! They could just film all of the AQI adventures all the way from the beginning.

 

[Empirate]

How in Gods name did WotC get wrangled into completely selling the rights to a "D&D" movie anyway? Did someone lie to their face and say, "This is just the way it is done?" Did they need the money that badly? Because I do not see how anyone in their right mind could just surrender a potentially important part of their IP like that.

What do you think anybody with an interesting bit of content is supposed to do if they're interested in the movie thing, but don't have the resources to make a movie of their own? They sell the rights, that's what. Any given non-movie company is basically stuck with that option if they want movie dollars at all. It's not as if you're "surrendering" anything: you're basically just shifting responsibility and risk to somebody who might actually have a clue how to pull off a movie. For doing that, you get a bucketful of money. Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me.
And if the D&D movie blows? If it bombs at the box office? Not WotC's problem, but Warner Bros.'

 

[Kaodi]

And if the D&D movie blows? If it bombs at the box office? Not WotC's problem, but Warner Bros.'

I believe they call it "brand" .