D&D Movie/TV What's The Latest On The D&D Movie?

Last we heard about the D&D movie was that it was coming on July 23rd, 2021. That was back in December. Various outlets are now reporting that Chris McKay, who is currently working on the Nightwing movie, will be directing. Also, separately on 14th February, Dragonlance authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman posted a photo of themselves on a "secret mission" with actor Joe Manganellio, who at one point tweeted a photo of a Dragonlance script (Manganellio tweeted the same photo saying "With two of the architects of my childhood, the authors of the Dragonlance novels Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman").

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We've heard so many little rumours over the past few years. Repeating from a previous article I wrote: in the past we heard that the movie would be produced by the Lego Movie's Roy Lee, that it would be directed by Rob Letterman (Goosebumps, Monsters vs. Aliens, Shark Tale). Originally scripted by David Leslie Johnson (Wrath of the Titans), it's now being written by Joe Manganellio, might be Dragonlance and then again might feature the Yawning Portal, and will adopt a Guardians of the Galaxy tone. Oh, and that we should take everything I just said with a pinch of salt as the movie appears have jumped from WB to Paramount at some point in the process!

I think it's safe to say we know nothing at all. But we can have fun connecting the dots to see if we can make a picture!

 

[Von Ether]

I think it's safe to say we know nothing at all. But we can have fun connecting the dots to see if we can make a picture!

You, sir, win the internets today.

My unsolicited 2 cents: They need to position D&D as medium that has several franchises in it. As Marvel has done with it's separate heroes. Though at this point, saying the different movie franchises are unrelated maybe good way to avoid metaplot burn out. Start with a Waterdeep focused heist film in the Forgotten Realms, do a romance/rom-com in Dragonlance and then an action-adventure film in Eberron.

Then surprise the Holloween crowd with a one-night reveal and release of a Ravenloft horror flick.

 

[timbannock]

I gotta agree with the thought that Dragonlance is better as a TV show (even if it's an "event" series that specifically is only mapped out for 3-5 seasons), while some of the other stuff works better as a movie. I still think Drizzt is best for a movie because he strikes me as more of an "action hero" sort that can't really carry an entire TV show well, but...I'm just rambling now ;-)

 

[sstacks]

I feel like there are two different D&D related movie projects that often get assumed as one project in development. There's the major studio production WotC is working with Hollywood on, and then there's a project Joe Manganellio is working hard to make happen.

 

[Vanveen]

This looks like a giant steaming turd, especially if those hacks Weis and Hickman are within a country mile of it. Come ON.

Have they considered selling the property to Marvel/Disney? That might be a thing.

 

[Dausuul]

They turned it into a TV show and called it "Stranger Things."

 

[darjr]

I feel like there are two different D&D related movie projects that often get assumed as one project in development. There's the major studio production WotC is working with Hollywood on, and then there's a project Joe Manganellio is working hard to make happen.

The “other” movie is dead. Joes is what is left.

 

[Concretedog]

Check out the IDW D&D comics to see a great example of the “Guardians” feel. They’re great comics with a great team of characters. The adventuring party is the way they need to go. And the studios will probably create new characters they can own outright, so don’t hold your breath for a Drizz’t movie (as the first one, anyway.)

 

[timbannock]

Check out the IDW D&D comics to see a great example of the “Guardians” feel. They’re great comics with a great team of characters. The adventuring party is the way they need to go. And the studios will probably create new characters they can own outright, so don’t hold your breath for a Drizz’t movie (as the first one, anyway.)

Except for a couple anticlimactic scenes, the IDW comics have been stellar. Jim Zub really gets how to make it feel like a game of D&D: ridiculous anachronisms, one of the leads being a joke character modeled after the tick while most of the other characters are played by people who take the game *mostly* seriously, big events that a DM cooks up but the players just kind of run roughshod on...yet there's no element that breaks the wall suggesting there are players. I dunno how he does it so consistently, but it's just a really fun read.

(FYI, interspersing that series with the Rat Queens comics is like reading the best campaign world I'd ever want to run/play in.)

 

[Oofta]

Except for a couple anticlimactic scenes, the IDW comics have been stellar. Jim Zub really gets how to make it feel like a game of D&D: ridiculous anachronisms, one of the leads being a joke character modeled after the tick while most of the other characters are played by people who take the game *mostly* seriously, big events that a DM cooks up but the players just kind of run roughshod on...yet there's no element that breaks the wall suggesting there are players. I dunno how he does it so consistently, but it's just a really fun read.

(FYI, interspersing that series with the Rat Queens comics is like reading the best campaign world I'd ever want to run/play in.)

I assume you're talking about Minsc and his miniature giant space hamster Boo? He's not based on The Tick, he's based on the character in the old Baldur's Gate video games. The lead developer of the game came up with Minsc based on one of his player's character in a home campaign.

But be careful about calling Minsc a joke character - Boo may go for your eyes!

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I'm psyched to see Chris McKay lining up to direct. I though Batman Lego was awesome and I'm usually one to get all grumpy and curmudgeonly about the Ritalin-rapid-fire, hip-reference-dripping, movie-star-voiced crap that passes for most animation these days. Now if we could just get Will Arnett (the perfect Paladin), Michael Cera (awkward Rogue) and Ralph Fiennes (absent minded but channeling Voldemort just enough at key moments Wizard) to join in...