First look at the new Dungeons & Dragons film

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I think the D&D property will always be fodder for B-movies, which is capable of creating satisfying movies, just not the same experience we would expect from some AAA production and IP.

Which makes me wonder, how is my opinion any different from many of the sources for D&D, which seems full of pulpy B-grade fantasy fiction? Am I underestimating the artistic impact of Appendix N?
 
:blah: This time it'll be different, Charlie Brown! :yawn: Especially in this 2015-2025 pop culture era, it'll be all new & improved! :quiet: This is a triumph of hope over experience; just think of all the talented writers nowadays!
 
The trailer makes the movie look like a Guardian's of the Galaxy/MCU style of film. It looks Much better than those chara ter shots and at a minimum, better than previous movie attempts.

I hunted down the trailer. It does look Much better than the character shots. I don't know how well it will do, but at least it won't be downright embarrassing like the first one.

 
I gotta admit I like the look of it too, and not just because of the Zeppic soundtrack.
 
So I think she is a barbarian. The little icons in the lower right of their pics seem to be class indicators.
 
I thought teifling, but it might just be the lighting in those shots (she's not the only one who's . . . reddish).
I wasn't basing this on hue, she's just looking angrily, so I immediately thought "barbarian":grin:!
 
Stranger Things showed them D&D (and Vecna, even!) still has pop culture cachet.

Movie’s not going to win any Oscars and very likely will bomb at the box office, but can still be fun.

Chris Pine as the Bard - good casting. Michelle Rodriguez as the Barbarian - wouldn’t be my first (or tenth) choice but I can see the logic. Huge Grant as the Rogue - that could actually work. The others, never heard of ‘em.

If they go the James Gunn or Taika Watiti route, which they seem to be, they might pull off a movie that doesn’t suck. Best route for a D&D movie IMHO.

Trailer-wise it checks all the right boxes. At least one dungeon and two dragons. Main cast are affable rogues rather than big damn heroes. Owlbear, mimic, gelatinous cube. Boomer rock soundtrack. Yeah, I’m paying attention.
 
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I wasn't basing this on hue, she's just looking angrily, so I immediately thought "barbarian":grin:!
Well, you guessed that.
Chris Pine as the Bard - good casting. Michelle Rodriguez as the Barbarian - wouldn’t be my first (or tenth) choice but I can see the logic. Huge Grant as the Rogue - that could actually work. The others, never heard of ‘em.
I think the wizard is the guy that played the nerdy computer expert in the Jurassic World sequels, which is the oddest bit of typecasting I've ever seen.
 
Looks like another fun throw-away film, much like what happened last time just over 20 yrs ago.
Is this set in Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Greyhawk, or just generic fantasy movie setting?
I dig the Led Zepplin soundtrack, and there's a light-hearted nod to the more light-hearted elements of D&D (trap monster, owl bear etc)
I think the cast will hold this much better than the other film, but at the end of the day it looks like its made for adolescents and they will end up being the ones who will flock to it at the cinema (but only if there are no MARVEL releases at the same time).

I'll just wait until this gets a streaming release, and even then I'll likely watch this with my kids.
With limited viewing time these days, in truth I'm probably more likely to re-watch Game of Thrones or The Witcher episodes before investing too much streaming time in this film.
 
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Ok seriously, what would make you hopeful for a D&D movie? What do you want to see?
In all reality, a good D&D movie should contain the elements of a good fantasy movie with the setting, characters, and story hearkening back to D&D, rather than trying to make a 'D&D' movie. This doesn't look like a good movie or premise to me- at least not from what they're showing there.
 
Ok seriously, what would make you hopeful for a D&D movie? What do you want to see?
Well, I'ld like to see Forgotten Realms presented a bit more seriously.
It's certainly not Game of Thrones, The Witcher, or Middle-Earth; but all the same, it can be presented just a little more substantive.
In the later TSR era, Forgotten Realms felt like it sat around the same space as Raymond E. Feist's Midkemia setting, and that hits the spot for me.

Since WotC hyped it up, Forgotten Realms feels different.
I guess it was sort of okay in the D&D 3.5E era, but it wasn't the same for me. I went on to feel quite distant from it during the whole D&D 4E era, it felt like an entirely different setting. I don't mind the D&D 5E era presentation of Forgotten Realms, especially when D&D 5E first came out. It was a good attempt to feel a little more linked with to the TSR era, and that spoke to my tastes. However since since then it's been edging back towards high octane mmo territory, or almost a trading card setting in some ways.
Which is unfortunately what Hollywood is reflecting.
 
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A film for adults and not children.
It's like they have forgot an entire market of people who have been into trpgs for the last thirty or more years
The properties WotC inherited certainly don't need to be just aimed at early to mid adolescents
They have forgotten our wallets as well, so their loss I suppose
 
You know, I actually like the look of this. Think it'll not take itself too seriously and just be a daft adventure yarn.

I'm in.
I am cautiously optimistic as well. I like how well they depicted some of the monster. Although after checking 5e Monster Manual jumping into the Gelatinous Cube to escape a Displacer Beast wasn't a optimal move.
 
A film for adults and not children.
"Truth be told"
"We helped the wrong person to steal the wrong thing"
"We didn't mean to unleash the greatest evil the world has ever known".
"But we are going to fix it!"

"So how do we pull that off?"

"Uh?"

"Figure it out over a drink?"

"Probably best"

(walks to the tavern)

Sorry but that sounds like half of the groups I refereed and I run my stuff pretty straight laced.
 
"Truth be told"
"We helped the wrong person to steal the wrong thing"
"We didn't mean to unleash the greatest evil the world has ever known".
"But we are going to fix it!"

"So how do we pull that off?"

"Uh?"

"Figure it out over a drink?"

"Probably best"

(walks to the tavern)

Sorry but that sounds like half of the groups I refereed and I run my stuff pretty straight laced.
I think they are catching the right tone, a gritty movie wouldn’t sell tickets like a light hearted Marvel CGI fest will. This movie doesn’t look like any D&D game I have ever played in but I think it has the potential to pull in non gamers.
 
I think the winning strategy is the same one Marvel showed with Iron Man 1. A movie that appeals to all ages not just one segment. I saw Iron Man with a 70 year old, 7 year old, 35 year old. All had fun.
 
I think they are catching the right tone, a gritty movie wouldn’t sell tickets like a light hearted Marvel CGI fest will. This movie doesn’t look like any D&D game I have ever played in but I think it has the potential to pull in non gamers.
Compress your 5 year campaign down to 2 hours and it will look more like it.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I will go see it at the Alamo Drafthouse so I can eat semi real food and drink adult beverages during the film and I will walk away with a smile on my face. I hope it does great, it sure won’t hurt the hobby although it might further raise the prize of older, oop products.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I will go see it at the Alamo Drafthouse so I can eat semi real food and drink adult beverages during the film and I will walk away with a smile on my face. I hope it does great, it sure won’t hurt the hobby although it might further raise the prize of older, oop products.
I'll take that hit if it means I get to see my kids enjoy it and not have their friends/peers go "Ugh. Dork!"
 
The trailer makes the movie look like a Guardian's of the Galaxy/MCU style of film. It looks Much better than those chara ter shots and at a minimum, better than previous movie attempts.

That was my reaction too after I watched the trailer (after my initial post, which was just a reaction to the pictures). Doesn't look like it will be a great film necessarily, but it might be entertaining enough, and yes, certainly better than the last one.
 
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