World of Darkness is also coming to TV!

It's not just Dungeons & Dragons, or this week's announced Scion TV show, that are getting the live-action treatment. The World of Darkness is getting a TV and movie franchise too!

According to Deadline, Paradox Interactive (owner of the World of Darkness) and The Witcher and The Expanse studio Hivemind.

Writer-producer Christine Boylan said "“The World of Darkness story universe is deliberately and unapologetically inclusive and diverse. It has always made a point of including equal gendered characters, protagonists and antagonists of every race, and representation of all creeds – bringing a female and diverse audience to gaming like nothing prior. Its games and fandom are a place where women, POC, and the LGBTQI community feel welcome and we are very proud to bring these stories to life.”

The developer, Eric Heisserer is the showrunner for Netflix's current Shadow and Bone series.

It's not WoD's first appearance on TV. Back in 1996, a short-lived 8-episode series called Kindred: The Embraced was broadcast.

 

[ART!]

I fear a John Carter scenario: it influenced so much that came later that a new adaptation can't help but seem old-hat. It's going to have to really stand out somehow.

That said, people's appetite for vampire stuff seems insatiable, so what do I know?

 

[Jaeger]

Basically Underworld is to World of Darkness as, say, World of Warcraft is to D&D, like, deeply, deeply inspired by it, but waaaaaaay dumber and shallow as a puddle.

Ahhh, the Forgotten Realms...

I agree, the bar was low but somehow World of Warcraft found a way.

 

[dave2008]

???!

Are we thinking about the same series? Because I coincidentally covered almost the exact same ground as the Wikipedia entry on Underworld.

I was going to do a more in-depth analysis, but then I realized I didn't really care that much. Basically, Underworld, IMO, is a two-fold Romeo and Juliet story. That is the driving force behind at least 3/4 of the movies. Regarding the larger lore, well that is note well defined, so I never put to much stock in it. Lore wise, IMO, th major things in Underworld are:

1. vampires and werewolves have the same ancestor.
2. until there rebellion, werewolves were the vampire's slaves.
3. werewolves were underground and basically not a threat for 400 years prior to the start of the first movie (so no large ongoing conflict to hide from humans).
4. Vampires have two covens and three elders. One elder sleeps will the other two elders rule the covens. They are however, essentially a single united coven.
5. Werewolves have no defined or unifying social structure that we know of.

Are any of those themes central to WoD?

 

[TrippyHippy]

I was going to do a more in-depth analysis, but then I realized I didn't really care that much. Basically, Underworld, IMO, is a two-fold Romeo and Juliet story. That is the driving force behind at least 3/4 of the movies. Regarding the larger lore, well that is note well defined, so I never put to much stock in it. Lore wise, IMO, th major things in Underworld are:

1. vampires and werewolves have the same ancestor.
2. until there rebellion, werewolves were the vampire's slaves.
3. werewolves were underground and basically not a threat for 400 years prior to the start of the first movie (so no large ongoing conflict to hide from humans).
4. Vampires have two covens and three elders. One elder sleeps will the other two elders rule the covens. They are however, essentially a single united coven.
5. Werewolves have no defined or unifying social structure that we know of.

Are any of those themes central to WoD?

That wasn’t the issue. The issue was that there was a pretty solid description of Underworld given that you said you didn’t think sounded like Underworld - it did.

There are differences between WoD and Underworld, as has been pointed out on this thread, but the influence of WoD on Underworld was palpable enough that it sparked a law case.

 

[dave2008]

That wasn’t the issue. The issue was that there was a pretty solid description of Underworld given that you said you didn’t think sounded like Underworld - it did.

It didn't sound like Underworld to me. As I noted I am not familiar with World of Darkness. I was stating what sounds like Underworld to me, how is that not the issue?

There are differences between WoD and Underworld, as has been pointed out on this thread, but the influence of WoD on Underworld was palpable enough that it sparked a law case.

That has no relevance with regard to a bad description of Underworld

 

[Azuresun]

Orpheus' apocalyptic storyline would make for a really good TV show, honestly.

My own it'll-never-happen adaptation dream would be Demon: The Fallen. This seems to be the really unloved latecomer among the original World Of Darkness, but I'd rate it as my second favourite, or absolute favourite if we're not counting the anniversary edition of Changeling.

Introduce the characters as regular humans living regular lives....who all die near the end of the first episode and then make a "miraculous" recovery. But they're changed somehow, and we see them pulling together fragments of memories from the demon that's now living in that body. Build things up slowly (who are these creatures, why are they here?) over the first season as they establish contact with each other, compare notes and realise who they are and what's happened while they were imprisoned in Hell, all while beginning to spread their influence, recruit thralls and deciding if they want to follow the tormented drives of their monstrous side or embrace the human life they inherited. Then bring in the Earthbound cult.....

 

[TrippyHippy]

It didn't sound like Underworld to me. As I noted I am not familiar with World of Darkness. I was stating what sounds like Underworld to me, how is that not the issue?

That has no relevance with regard to a bad description of Underworld

It has absolutely every relevance with the point that you couldn’t recognize an accurate description of Underworld. Everybody can read it for themselves.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I was going to do a more in-depth analysis, but then I realized I didn't really care that much. Basically, Underworld, IMO, is a two-fold Romeo and Juliet story. That is the driving force behind at least 3/4 of the movies. Regarding the larger lore, well that is note well defined, so I never put to much stock in it. Lore wise, IMO, th major things in Underworld are:

1. vampires and werewolves have the same ancestor.
2. until there rebellion, werewolves were the vampire's slaves.
3. werewolves were underground and basically not a threat for 400 years prior to the start of the first movie (so no large ongoing conflict to hide from humans).
4. Vampires have two covens and three elders. One elder sleeps will the other two elders rule the covens. They are however, essentially a single united coven.
5. Werewolves have no defined or unifying social structure that we know of.

Are any of those themes central to WoD?

I'm not sure those themes are even central to Underworld. That franchise exists to encase Kate Beckinsale in latex, give her big guns, and have her go to town on werewolves (and sometimes vampires). Why she's going to town is a lot less important than the fact that she is. (And that isn't meant to diminish Underworld or any of those attached to it -- I have happily paid to watch a latex-clad Kate Beckinsale go off on monsters with guns before and am prepared to do so again.)

I doubt that, without looking it up, the majority of people who've seen the movies could recite those five points from memory.

 

[dave2008]

It has absolutely every relevance with the point that you couldn’t recognize an accurate description of Underworld. Everybody can read it for themselves.

I disagree with and frankly find your posts rude. I really don't care to continue this conversation, I guess you win?

 

[dave2008]

I'm not sure those themes are even central to Underworld. That franchise exists to encase Kate Beckinsale in latex, give her big guns, and have her go to town on werewolves (and sometimes vampires). Why she's going to town is a lot less important than the fact that she is. (And that isn't meant to diminish Underworld or any of those attached to it -- I have happily paid to watch a latex-clad Kate Beckinsale go off on monsters with guns before and am prepared to do so again.)

Are these things relevant to WoD too then? I'm confused as you said they where the same and just listed something that seems very specific to Underworld.

Obviously, I disagree with you, but I think I have explained my position already.

FYI, the only thing I said was central to Underworld was the Romeo and Juliet theme. I assumed that was not the source of comparison to WoD, so I gave a list of lore that might be relevant to WoD, but IDK.

I doubt that, without looking it up, the majority of people who've seen the movies could recite those five points from memory.

I don't find that particularly relevant. Many people don't get to the lord or to the core of movie on the first pass.