| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 02:25:25
Hollywood Reporter has an article (Link) about Hasbro inking a deal with 20th Century Fox for a Magic: The Gathering movie franchise. They've signed writer-producer Simon Kinberg (Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises) to lead the development.
I noticed the article said Hasbro, which means it's the head office making the movie decisions, not Wizards of the Coast. Makes sense as these are expensive efforts and they need the big shots calling all the shots. The potential benefits reach into the billion dollar range if they launch a successful movie franchise (and sell more Magic cards, novels, merchandise) and that's not even talking about LotR or Harry Potter numbers. I'm sure Hasbro is hoping for Transformer numbers or even GI Joe numbers (and not Battleship numbers).
The relevance to the Realms and D&D. Well it gives extra urgency to the lawsuit Hasbro has with the previous (current) D&D movie producer and the studio he's signed with, since Hasbro wants to launch its own D&D movie effort. It seems the Hasbro giant has awoken and is hungry for more big movie franchises made from its IP.
It's D&D's 40th Anniversary this year, and MtG's 20th Anniversary. Despite the card game doing better business, it's D&D that holds more cultural significance.
If Hasbro cannot get a generic D&D movie off the ground, do you think they would resort to using one of the settings to launch a movie instead, such as Dragonlance or Forgotten Realms? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| CorellonsDevout |
Posted - 30 Jan 2014 : 01:49:51
Not that interested in a D&D movie. I mean, in some ways it would be cool, but there are too many chances for it to go wrong. |
| Werthead |
Posted - 28 Jan 2014 : 13:54:25
For a D&D film, yes, the wisest thing to do is to go for Drizzt. The Drizzt books have sold substantially more copies than D&D itself has sold (across all editions) and he is the only D&D-related character who is well-known in the general SF and fantasy community (even Elminster is a very, very distant second).
Once you have established the FORGOTTEN REALMS as a setting for films, you can move away into having different characters, like Disney did for the Marvel characters and are planning to do so for STAR WARS. But to get to that stage, you need to bring out the commercial big guns first, regardless of how the character is received critically or amongst the hardcore fans. Hardcore TRANSFORMERS fans didn't want Michael Bay coming anywhere near the franchise and hate the films, but even they might have to acknowledge that TRANSFORMERS becoming a household name again and getting new comics, video games and cartoon series (some of them very good) out of it eventually made it worthwhile, and eventually we might still get a good film out of the franchise once Bay has moved on.
Sometimes you have to play the long game. And to be honest, as long as a half-decent writer and director are involved, you can turn THE CRYSTAL SHARD (and most of the early Drizzt books) into a perfectly enjoyable action-adventure popcorn movie.
quote:
Game of Thrones also has a living card game, though I don't know which came first: the RPG or the cards.
The card game from Fantasy Flight started coming out in 2002. The Guardians of Order RPG was 2005 and the Green Ronin one was 2009. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 27 Jan 2014 : 14:18:05
quote:
Originally posted by Madpig
I may be repeting myself, but only viable course is to do Drizzt movie. He is only character outside the FR-community who has enough popularity to gather large audiances. Secoind, althoug distant possibility is base the movie on BG-computergames. I understand that many scribes would see somekind of less well known hero, but thats just too risky for Hasbro.
Less risky than taking a game without any characters at all and making a movie out of it? Less risky than taking an existing book and making something practically unrecognizable out of it? Less risky than making yet another version of a movie that's already been made more than once? These are all things we've seen from Hollywood. |
| Madpig |
Posted - 27 Jan 2014 : 08:47:48
quote:
Originally posted by Entromancer
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Wizard
This calls for the skills of a veteran, award-winning actor stage-trained on Shakespeare with fantasy and period genre experience... what about Jeremy Irons, perfect candidate to bring some gravitas to the project.
Add another book/TV show to RPG license list:
- Game of Thrones has the Song of Ice and Fire RPG from Green Ronin. They re-released the game with an updated cover (the Game of Thrones Edition) after the TV premier and sales picked up. This is actually the second system for a GoT RPG, an earlier one was based on the d20 system.
Game of Thrones also has a living card game, though I don't know which came first: the RPG or the cards.
The Brotherhood of the Griffin is what I'd like to see adapted. It's got some grit with the Chessentan politics, Jheshri's backstory, and Tchazzar's insanity. Plus it has dragons. Two elements of Game of Thrones. Something else that distinguishes GoT from the other big fantasy franchises (Rings/Hobbit and Potter) is unique nonhuman races in the White Walkers and Children of the Forest. The Brotherhood novels deal with genasi and dragonborn, two types of fantasy races not really represented in cinema. Therefore, due to the popularity of Game of Thrones, I believe that the Brotherhood's tales are the best direction for WotC/Hasbro's next shot at a DnD movie.
I may be repeting myself, but only viable course is to do Drizzt movie. He is only character outside the FR-community who has enough popularity to gather large audiances. Secoind, althoug distant possibility is base the movie on BG-computergames. I understand that many scribes would see somekind of less well known hero, but thats just too risky for Hasbro. |
| Entromancer |
Posted - 24 Jan 2014 : 23:25:53
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Wizard
This calls for the skills of a veteran, award-winning actor stage-trained on Shakespeare with fantasy and period genre experience... what about Jeremy Irons, perfect candidate to bring some gravitas to the project.
Add another book/TV show to RPG license list:
- Game of Thrones has the Song of Ice and Fire RPG from Green Ronin. They re-released the game with an updated cover (the Game of Thrones Edition) after the TV premier and sales picked up. This is actually the second system for a GoT RPG, an earlier one was based on the d20 system.
Game of Thrones also has a living card game, though I don't know which came first: the RPG or the cards.
The Brotherhood of the Griffin is what I'd like to see adapted. It's got some grit with the Chessentan politics, Jheshri's backstory, and Tchazzar's insanity. Plus it has dragons. Two elements of Game of Thrones. Something else that distinguishes GoT from the other big fantasy franchises (Rings/Hobbit and Potter) is unique nonhuman races in the White Walkers and Children of the Forest. The Brotherhood novels deal with genasi and dragonborn, two types of fantasy races not really represented in cinema. Therefore, due to the popularity of Game of Thrones, I believe that the Brotherhood's tales are the best direction for WotC/Hasbro's next shot at a DnD movie. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 24 Jan 2014 : 14:39:27
I agree with Dark Wizard, personally I think such a show might do a lot to popularize the realms especially to the younger generation. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 22 Jan 2014 : 19:57:07
The silly show probably did a lot to sell the game (and increase the profile of the game/setting/franchise), just saying. People who look down on genre stuff will continue to look down in it regardless if it's Oscar winning. They will continue to think of it as childish and juvenile regardless of quality. And stuff like card games, RPGs, and superheroes were originally designed for children and young adults and should continue to be. It can also double up by offering enough sophistication for more mature audiences, but it need not be serious grim dark stuff to appeal. Just as many of the Pixar films are generally lauded for being accessible for kids while watchable and meaningful for adults.
The "meta-game" perspective has been a long running concept (D&D Cartoon with real world kids transported to the fantasy world via a theme park ride).
More recently along the same lines is Gundam Build Fighters (YouTube Link). An anime based around people building Gundam (toy) models (aka fandom) set in the "real world", at least a setting closer to the real world than any of the science fiction Gundam animes.
Then again, I'm not advocating for such, but wouldn't turn my nose at it by default either. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 22 Jan 2014 : 12:59:15
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Wizard
A cartoon about characters (overly dramatically) playing MtG in the vein of YuGi-Oh would be hilarious and probably become a cult classic, as YuGi-Oh has.
To each his own, I understand. But if they'd do something like this, I'd have to pass. And people who look down on anything D&D related (I know, MtG is not D&D, but they're run by the same "mother ship") would likely continue to do so. IMO, of course. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 21 Jan 2014 : 21:48:13
A cartoon about characters (overly dramatically) playing MtG in the vein of YuGi-Oh would be hilarious and probably become a cult classic, as YuGi-Oh has. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Jan 2014 : 12:13:59
Speaking of the M:TG movie... It's discussed in a recent Full Frontal Nerdity comic.  |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 18 Jan 2014 : 16:50:05
Though this scene is pretty awesome whilst being totally ridiculous.
The sweet sound of overacting |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 18 Jan 2014 : 16:43:06
Jeremy Irons is a good actor but after the Dungeons and Dragons movie fiasco and not to mention Eragon I think his reputation, at least when it comes to fantasy movies is rather stained. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 17 Jan 2014 : 22:21:12
This calls for the skills of a veteran, award-winning actor stage-trained on Shakespeare with fantasy and period genre experience... what about Jeremy Irons, perfect candidate to bring some gravitas to the project.
Add another book/TV show to RPG license list:
- Game of Thrones has the Song of Ice and Fire RPG from Green Ronin. They re-released the game with an updated cover (the Game of Thrones Edition) after the TV premier and sales picked up. This is actually the second system for a GoT RPG, an earlier one was based on the d20 system. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 17 Jan 2014 : 14:10:32
Fantasy is popular right now movies like LOTR, the Hobbit and Tv series like GOT have proved this so frankly I think they should strike while the iron is hot.
However since this is a franchise that most people are unaware of the first movie should at least be well made and have at least a little star power. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 16 Jan 2014 : 17:53:47
Cautiously hopeful. May they not mess this up. As for the plot, if it is a complete book adaptation, while I like the old stories (The Brothers War, Arena, etc.), I think it would be best if they go for those that are relatively new (Test of Metal, Agents of Artifice, etc.) or at least pick some from the new. I'd welcome a crossover too. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 22:52:14
quote:
Originally posted by Barastir
PS: Is D&D Next? No, but it will be this Summer, apparently. 
Glad someone pun-ished that title. 
quote:
Originally posted by Werthead
Yup. Hasbro sees the value of D&D: The Franchise, not just D&D: The Game. If the RPG doesn't do well, but the novels keep selling and the computer games keep selling (and NEVERWINTER has been reasonably successful and the BALDUR'S GATE relaunch has apparently done better than expected), Hasbro will focus more on those areas than the RPG. A situation where the RPG simply ceases to exist - if only for a few years - but books, comics and video games keep coming out is quite possible, if dismaying for RP fans.
Indeed, they mean D&D: The Franchise and not the RPG.
Thought that was a negative at first also, then I started looking at things happening outside of D&D. Major media (multimedia, transmedia) franchises have PnP RPG games both in the past with a long history stretching decades and many currently active games.
- Star Wars (currently with FFG, formerly WotC, formerly WEG)
- Star Trek (once FASA, LUG, Decipher, I'm missing a couple in between)
- Marvel (recently discontinued Marvel Heroic from MWP, formerly SAGA and Marvel Superheroes from TSR, Marvel published their own diceless system in between)
- DC Comics (currently with Green Ronin's Mutants & Mastermind system, previously with Mayfair and another one or two somewhere)
- LotR (several including the venerable MERP from Iron Crown, CODA system from Decipher, and now The One Ring from Cubicle 7)
- Doctor Who (currently with Cubicle 7)
- Firefly (current, Cortex system based from MWP who licensed a bunch of TV shows for their Cortex system, Smallville, Supernatural, Leverage)
- Everquest (previously d20 based, from Sword & Sorcery, a part of White Wolf)
- World of Warcraft (d20 based with a latter revision, also from S&S I think. I believe there were rumors of something happening with a WoW TTRPG)
- Diablo II (once licensed by TSR/WotC for 2E then 3E)
- Starcraft (once licensed by TSR/WotC for Alternity)
- TMNT (had one, based on Palladium Rifts I believe)
- Dresden Files (currently with Evil Hat Productions using FATE system)
- Dragon Age (currently the AGE system from Green Ronin)
- Conan the Cimmerian (several, including two different attempts from TSR, and the extensive d20 line from Mongoose)
- Solomon Kane (current, using Savage Worlds)
- Jack Vance's Dying Earth (current, from Pelgrane Press)
- Elric (with Chaosium games at some point, maybe still current)
- The Cthulhu Mythos (Call of Cthulhu (current and long standing), plus others)
- Judge Dredd (currently with Mongoose Games I think)
- The Black Company (once licensed by Green Ronin)
- Thieves' World (also once GR)
- Lankhmar/Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser (formerly TSR, then went somewhere else, I want to say Chaosium, could still be current.)
- Street Fighter the RPG (once from White Wolf, using the Storyteller system, believe it or not)
- Various Sci-Fi shows had an RPG (Babylon 5, Farscape, Stargate SG-1). BSG had a board game, but I think there may have been a Cortex-based rpg at once point.
Some of those are getting very niche, in particular the novel and pulp characters. They're known within the genre but not as well known as the major movie franchises. Yet billion dollar franchises such as Star Wars and LotR still license their IP for PnP RPG, which produce dollar amounts worth less than rounding out a few zeroes compared to their main money generators (movies, toys, merchandise, video games, even novels). They still give RPGs the time of day because no one is allergic to money.
On the flip side, we have smaller tabletop RPGs or (wargames) other than D&D making headway into other media.
- Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K and WH Fantasy spawned numberous video games, a big budget MMO, board games, and a novel line.
- Paizo's Pathfinder has an MMO in progress.
- The roots of Wasteland 1 and the upcoming sequel is a modified version of Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes, itself a modification of Tunnels & Trolls. Nothing is really happening with that link yet, but if someone wanted to stir the pot, it's a heck of a decent jumpstart.
- Monte Cook's Numenera is the setting for the next Torment (as in Planescape: Torment) game. This one is significant because Monte created and published Numenera after he left the 5E development team, then signed a deal for an old school isometric CRPG (marketed as the spiritual successor of one of the most venerable and highly rated D&D-based CRPGs no less), all before 5E announced a solid release date. This is the CRPG D&D should have put into production to launch on the heels of 5E, thus converting fans of the CRPG to the setting and possibly the tabletop game (this gamer and Realms fan was a BG convert).
- Cyberpunk 2077 is based on Cyberpunk 2020 (designed by Mike Pondsmith, from R. Talsorian Games) from the makers of the Witcher CRPG series using next-gen (well, current gen now) technology. This is probably one of the best examples of a tabletop RPGs turned A-level (or even Triple-A level) video game. Mike Pondsmith is working closely with the team at CD Projekt Red. If this leads to a new edition of the TTRPG, there's a good chance the video game will inspire people to check out the pen and paper version. Basically, this is the video game D&D wished it has in the works.
And they may yet, Hasbro/WotC has the clout and connections to work this out. Around 4E, they pulled (or didn't renew) all their outstanding licenses (Dragonlance and Ravenloft in particular). Recently Bruce Heard (one of the designers of Mystara/Known World) wanted to license that setting. WotC refused. The makers of Torment, inXile Entertainment, wanted to license Planescape for the next Torment game. WotC declined. They're holding tight to their settings (probably the most valuable IP Hasbro obtained from WotC other than D&D and Magic). While this may seem obtuse to us, it could just be the standard NDA type of hold while they're negotiating rights and agreements with partners.
What does this mean for D&D as an RPG? Well, let's take a look at the number suggested in the Dancey article I linked early, he said D&D does something like $25-30 million annual (sans licensing income for video games), 4E was a plan to push them to $50 million sustained on just the PnP RPG and DDI alone.
We don't know that 4E failed (as in went in the red). I have a feeling if it did, there wouldn't be a D&D Next. My guess is it simply didn't make the $50 million mark and in corporate/business terms, it means the managers failed on their projected goal (and thus let go).
What if 4E & DDI brought us to $35-40 or $45 million? Or if the old edition reprints were literally like printing money for WotC? And Hasbro realized there's a lot of unclaimed potential in the D&D franchise, such as the contested movie rights for one, and the debacle with the video game licenses with Atari/Infogrames.
If Hasbro can consolidate all the D&D rights into one entity, D&D could easily bust $100 million. Even at $250 million, the RPG side at $25 million would be 10% of their business. If billion dollar franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, or LotR have RPGs (probably generating less than 1% of their annual sales), then D&D will certainly have an RPG, especially since they're not licensing it to anyone. The RPG is their IP generator, just like the comics are for Marvel. In the transmedia concept, the big corporations want to saturate your eyeballs (and senses) with their franchise; movies (in progress), books (check), comics (check), games (check), toys (see Kre-Os, check).
A strong D&D franchise means the RPG has a better chance to stay active. |
| BEAST |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 17:30:42
Sign me up for (a) Drizzt flick(s)! I'll help with the script, art department, and serve ye up one bad-arse Bruenor. |
| Werthead |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 17:30:01
quote:
I don't think Hasbro has it out for D&D (maybe that was the case in the last days of TSR). The executives at Hasbro have every reason to get successful franchises producing greater and greater numbers. Otherwise they wouldn't spend the lawyer fees on the D&D movie lawsuit. I think Hasbro understands the value of D&D, they just have a different definition of value from us gamers. I'm okay with that considering the alternative (and the current state of D&D movies).
Yup. Hasbro sees the value of D&D: The Franchise, not just D&D: The Game. If the RPG doesn't do well, but the novels keep selling and the computer games keep selling (and NEVERWINTER has been reasonably successful and the BALDUR'S GATE relaunch has apparently done better than expected), Hasbro will focus more on those areas than the RPG. A situation where the RPG simply ceases to exist - if only for a few years - but books, comics and video games keep coming out is quite possible, if dismaying for RP fans. |
| Barastir |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 13:23:15
quote:
Originally posted by Caolin
I personally do not want to see any form of live action Realms movie. There just isn't enough interest from the general public to insure that it will be taken seriously by any film makers.
(...)
I'm also highly skeptical that a high-fantasy movie can ever be done right.
I agree, in part. Even LoTR and the Hobbit movies sometimes disappoint me, but in general fantasy movies got way better than they were some years ago. Maybe some B-movies are part of the process, and in the future better movies will be made. See the Marvel and other superhero movies: the ones made until the 90s were awful, but today we have nice movies.
PS: Is D&D Next? No, but it will be this Summer, apparently. |
| ZeshinX |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 01:17:30
quote:
Originally posted by Caolin
I personally do not want to see any form of live action Realms movie. There just isn't enough interest from the general public to insure that it will be taken seriously by any film makers. It would be a slapped together "let's catch the GoT wave" type movie. Magic may get better treatment due to it's widespread popularity.
I'm also highly skeptical that a high-fantasy movie can ever be done right. Most screenwriters and directors don't get the subject matter and so they tend to make fun of it rather than treat it as a serious vehicle for story telling. LotR and GoT differ in that they are a much more muted form of fantasy compared to Magic or the Realms. Just look at that gods awful DnD movie from 2000. It was a straight up joke.
Indeed. I got up and left when they distracted the beholder, a creature with prehensile eyestalks...with a thrown rock.
Still, if you think that one was bad, hoo boy, check out the two follow ups! Every once in a while I watch them with buddies, just to laugh at the immense terribleness of them all. |
| ZeshinX |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 01:14:22
I hereby stand well rebuked by Dark Wizard. |
| Caolin |
Posted - 15 Jan 2014 : 01:03:58
I personally do not want to see any form of live action Realms movie. There just isn't enough interest from the general public to insure that it will be taken seriously by any film makers. It would be a slapped together "let's catch the GoT wave" type movie. Magic may get better treatment due to it's widespread popularity.
I'm also highly skeptical that a high-fantasy movie can ever be done right. Most screenwriters and directors don't get the subject matter and so they tend to make fun of it rather than treat it as a serious vehicle for story telling. LotR and GoT differ in that they are a much more muted form of fantasy compared to Magic or the Realms. Just look at that gods awful DnD movie from 2000. It was a straight up joke.
|
| Markustay |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 23:25:24
quote:
Originally posted by Werthead
If Hasbro lost the court case, they could in theory still do, say, a Drizzt movie, but they'd have to remove any D&D-specific elements from it (no Melf's Acid Arrows or beholders, for example). Things which are generic fantasy tropes - fireballs, elves, dwarves - should be okay. It's unclear where drow fit into the equation.
Doing a Drizzt movie without any Drow would be just a tad bit hard.
A big studio would probably want to play-up 'the race card' anyway - you know, the 'Forbidden Romance', like in Twilight. In fact, they'd probably focus it for that sort of audience (and the Hunger Games crowd, etc). 'Young Adults' are the demographic to shoot for these days.
So young, angsty characters led by a gruff, old dwarf. Sounds about right. They have to kill-off Bruenor, though, to get the formula right. The mentor has to die for the others to get all, "We can do this!". If they do the script correctly, they can even bring him back in the end (cut his way out of the dragon's belly?) |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 22:40:59
quote:
Originally posted by ZeshinX
Oh I'm not suggesting it's impossible, just unlikely. The holders of the D&D brand, Hasbro, seem to treat it with a casual disdain, like it's the unwanted baggage that came with the WotC acquisition. Of course that's just a feeling, not fact. If there's any truth to that feeling, I wouldn't expect to see much in the way of support for a D&D movie.
I wouldn't say Hasbro treats D&D with disdain, at least no more than any other property under their control (which is to say, none at all).
Linking an article (Here) from a couple of years ago right at the cusp of 4E's (premature) waning days and the announcement of D&D Next. It provides a brief history of Hasbro's relationship with WotC throughout the 3E era and into the transition to 4E. More importantly it reveals why WotC went about 4E the way they did.
How does the old adage go? Don't attribute to 'malice' what can be attributed to 'greed'. In this case it's not even greed. As a for-profit company, Hasbro/WotC has to make money or wither away, it's simple capitalism (and even more basic than that, pure general economics).
Toys aren't the business the used to be (even before there were ups and downs). Manufacturing costs are rising (material and labor costs are rising in Asia where everyone contracts or built factories) at the same time physical/analog toys are declining in popularity due to the popularity of electronic/digital toys and games.
The execs at Hasbro noticed the trends and saw the success of Marvel (in the similarly declining business of comicbooks) converting their IP into successful, big budget (with big box office intake) movie franchises. Ergo Transformers and GI Joe, and Battleship (well, they can't all be winners, right?). They're basically doing the best thing they could right now, turning toys into transmedia phenomenon. The alternative is to let IP sit fallow until they have a plan to redesign/refresh/reactivate it for the next generation.
The Core Brands ($50 million annual sales with plans for $100 mil growth) and the Non-Core Brands (sub-$50 mil properties) may seem arbitrary to us, but it's simply a company focusing its limited resources on the furthering its success. More success actually means they can afford to expand the other IP in their control, just as Marvel is expending their cinematic (also, television & digital streaming) universe with more heroes. They're moving into second and third tier characters now (characters who wouldn't get the light of day in other environments).
Magic the Gathering is a Core Brand and the movie deal is likely going to further the brand (and its prospects for sales & profit), whether the movie is good or bad (it's a giant advertisement on the silver screen). As long as the movie delivers some passably satisfying fantasy action, most people will probably be satisfied enough and keep buying Magic cards (or try the game if they haven't before).
D&D doesn't have the numbers of a Core Brand and in that light, the actions of the WotC team to do something different with 4E (rules innovation, shake up for the Realms, the push towards DDI) makes a lot of sense. I disagree with their execution, but I don't fault them for trying. If they were successful with pushing 4E past $50 million annual, it means they would have put D&D on the radar of Hasbro, which means more access to funds and promotion. Success builds success. It was a bit of a gamble sure, but if they did nothing, under Hasbro's policies and business model at the time, D&D may well be one of those brands shelved for a decade.
Fortunately, corporate memory is only as long as the guys who failed to reach goals and quotas is on the job (most of the 4E team is gone now, either let go or left on their own). While not a fresh start, 5E is a second chance.
I don't think Hasbro has it out for D&D (maybe that was the case in the last days of TSR). The executives at Hasbro have every reason to get successful franchises producing greater and greater numbers. Otherwise they wouldn't spend the lawyer fees on the D&D movie lawsuit. I think Hasbro understands the value of D&D, they just have a different definition of value from us gamers. I'm okay with that considering the alternative (and the current state of D&D movies).
quote:
Originally posted by ZeshinX
Though to inject something more positive instead of just being a dark cloud, I would have much greater enthusiasm and hope regarding a D&D TV and/or mini-series (like Once Upon A Time or Game of Thrones).
We can only hope.
I think it's more feasible if they produce an animated TV series, since Hasbro partly owns Hub Network, a children's channel that also airs Transformer, GI Joe, and My Little Pony cartoons.
If the MtG movie is successful, even mildly, I think we'll see a Magic cartoon show. |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 20:59:07
meh..... they should just do what they did with the pc game license. Just license it per movie.
let the other guy do generic dnd, let universal do setting specific movies......
besides.. Warner Brothers wont stick their names on next film if they think the first one is crap. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 20:50:44
Basically anything that has been removed from the 3.5 SRD site is off the table. If you notice, it's a few monsters (Beholders, Mindflayers, etc) and the wizard's names removed from spells (Melf's Acid Arrow to just acid arrow). Basically anything on the SRD is open content and thus, allowed to be features in some way in the movie (meaning using the terms of the classes such as Barbarian or Paladin, Drow, and even magical items).
|
| Werthead |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 19:10:40
Hasbro WERE attempting to do this. Unfortunately, it all blew up because Sweetpea Entertainment - the company run by Courtney Solomon that made the three live-action D&D movies (the Jeremy Irons one, WRATH OF THE DRAGON GOD and BOOK OF VILE DARKNESS) - disputed Hasbro's attempt to use the rights.
http://thewertzone.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/d-movie-rights-battle-escalates.html
The argument runs that Sweetpea failed to uphold their end of the bargain - by making a theatrical or straight-to-video/DVD movie once every five years - because the third film was a TV movie (it aired on SyFy before hitting DVD). Sweetpea are disputing that. Both companies have film studios backing them: Warner Brothers were working on a new film with Solomon and Sweetpea, whilst Universal are in talks with Hasbro and WotC.
The matter is going before judges and there will be a legal ruling in March in LA to determine who actually has the rights. Quite a lot of money is riding on this.
Complicating matters more is what the rights entail. Sweetpea/Solomon's rights only cover the core D&D rulebooks and the various creatures, spells etc in them. He certainly does not have the rights to FORGOTTEN REALMS, DRAGONLANCE or any of the individual novels. If Hasbro lost the court case, they could in theory still do, say, a Drizzt movie, but they'd have to remove any D&D-specific elements from it (no Melf's Acid Arrows or beholders, for example). Things which are generic fantasy tropes - fireballs, elves, dwarves - should be okay. It's unclear where drow fit into the equation.
Anyway, if and when we get a new D&D movie is dependent on the aforementioned legal battle getting sorted out. |
| SirUrza |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 16:35:22
I think the problem is that as long as it's treated as "Dungeons & Dragons" we'll see generic crap fantasy. The movie has to have a focal point. Existing and recognizable branding BEYOND Dungeons & Dragons that guide the creative forces.
Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall remain our best chance for a "good" movie.
Magic the Gathering as a movie could be a visual spectacular of spellslinging littered with MTG troupes and lore that people can reference right back to the flavor text of the original sets and themes of the modern game or it'll be generic crap fantasy. |
| ZeshinX |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 15:21:52
Oh I'm not suggesting it's impossible, just unlikely. The holders of the D&D brand, Hasbro, seem to treat it with a casual disdain, like it's the unwanted baggage that came with the WotC acquisition. Of course that's just a feeling, not fact. If there's any truth to that feeling, I wouldn't expect to see much in the way of support for a D&D movie.
Though to inject something more positive instead of just being a dark cloud, I would have much greater enthusiasm and hope regarding a D&D TV and/or mini-series (like Once Upon A Time or Game of Thrones). |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 14 Jan 2014 : 14:41:39
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ZeshinX
D&D has had four chances being made into a movie (three live-action ones and the animated Dragonlance one). They have all been abject crap. If there is a fifth attempt, I'm going to make the prediction that it will also be utter garbage and not worth anyone's money. I'm sorry if that's a defeatist or negative attitude, but the track record speaks for itself.
There were multiple attempts at making movies from The Lord of the Rings, too. Pretty sure the last attempt proved that the prior attempts can be ignored.
without saying.
many of them had bad animation or varied off from the novel ..... |
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