What does D&D mean to movie goers?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Adding the tavern is a serious cliched plus. Hackneyed as hell.

To D&D players. To first timers, it's new and fresh.

I've had great success using polished versions of tried and true tropes with D&D newbies and they never fail to love them, partly because, at this point, you have so many choices for each of them that you can pick true gems for each of them.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

This is a very wise comment. I do think a "serious" D&D movie is possible, but I agree that such a movie must omit many gonzo D&D tropes.

If you omit the D&D tropes what is there left to make it a D&D movie?

And it's not a matter of them being gonzo, it's a matter of the being familiar. And some have entered popular culture without people knowing the origin. Look at the things referenced in the D&D MtG cards.

If the audience response is "I understand that reference", then they are going to be amused. You have to make it clear that is deliberate, so they are laughing with you, not at you.

If you want to make a very serious fantasy film you need to use very serious literary source material. And that aint D&D.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

To D&D players. To first timers, it's new and fresh.

Meeting in a tavern is part of British culture. Before COVID we used to meet in a tavern to play D&D. It entered D&D via the Prancing Pony, which came from the Inklings, who used to meet in a tavern.

 

[Undrave]

If you want to make a very serious fantasy film you need to use very serious literary source material. And that aint D&D.

I don't get the fans who insist on a serious D&D movie... when is D&D ever serious? When is it not a Gonzo Goofy Farcical mess of dwarf tossing, horny bards, self-righteous paladins, edgy grim dark rogues and Boblin the goblin?! You try to make a LOTR story but you always end up back at Monty Python in one way or another.

To strip those D&D-isms is to strip D&D of its nature and make it bland.

I think the REAL difference, however, is if the characters treat it seriously. If it has to be funny, I want to be like the Naked Gun series, or Top Secret or Airplane! A story played completely straight, despite all the ridiculous elements. I don't want 'smirk at the camera' ironic comedies, or comedies that feel the need to have a character points out all the stupid jokes and decrying "That makes no sense!" every thirty seconds.

I want a script filled with silly gonzo D&Dism, but everyone is acting like they're in the best seasons of Game of Thrones.

 

[J.Quondam]

I don't get the fans who insist on a serious D&D movie... when is D&D ever serious? When is it not a Gonzo Goofy Farcical mess of dwarf tossing, horny bards, self-righteous paladins, edgy grim dark rogues and Boblin the goblin?! You try to make a LOTR story but you always end up back at Monty Python in one way or another.

I'm seeing a vision... of something... truly awful....

National Lampoon's Forgotten Realms Vacation
.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Meeting in a tavern is part of British culture. Before COVID we used to meet in a tavern to play D&D. It entered D&D via the Prancing Pony, which came from the Inklings, who used to meet in a tavern.

The Brits are a very small part of the potential audience for this film. And if any of the Inklings make it to a showing, it'll be big news.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

horny bards

Redundant.

 

[Undrave]

The Brits are a very small part of the potential audience for this film. And if any of the Inklings make it to a showing, it'll be big news.

Woomy?