Discussion:Why Can't a Decent D&D Movie Be Made?

Why Can't a Decent D&D Movie Be Made?

Sledged-20080212112557

Sledged (talk) 2008 February 12 11:25 (MDT)

So they've made a third D&D movie. This time it's based on one of my favorites, the Dragonlance Chronicles (specifically, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, the first book of the four-book trilogy; Still doesn't be Douglas Adams' five-book trilogy). Unfortunately, the reviews I read for it have been less than encouraging. Despite the reviews, I'll probably still rent and watch it. What is it about D&D that makes it translate into sub-par films? Admittedly, I'm not expecting any D&D movies to be of the same quality as Lord of the Rings, but still... If this is the quality D&D films are going to be continuing to receive, I'd just be happy that they stop making them, and I'll just keep watching LotR, the Lodoss War series, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

There's no better laugh than the one that you're ashamed to share with your mother. —Stephen Notley, creator of Bob the Angry Flower A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof was to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. —Ford Prefect in "Mostly Harmless" by Douglas Adams

Sam Kay 11:44, 12 February 2008 (MST)

Perhaps it is because D&D does not transfer well into films. Perhaps it's like the first two Harry Potter films. Great book, not so great films (the next 3 where better, but still not anywhere near as LotR).

Why worry too much? LotR is a great film (though not as good as the books, as any LotR fan will tell you), and there are afew more films as well (Braveheart, though not a fantasy film, springs to mind).

Green Dragon 12:16, 12 February 2008 (MST)

Braveheart... *shudder*. Anyway, the reason D&D cannot make good films is most likely because no good actor wants to star in a D&D-related movie, and no good director wants to direct a D&D-related movie. It's just to nerdy :P. Just my thoughts.

Penske 20:00, 12 February 2008 (MST)

I heard/read once that there are successful actors out there that play D&D, so it's not as isolated as it may seem..I think Robin Williams might be one. I don't know, go check Wiki (might be where I saw it). Otherwise, I prefer watching over reading so I can't really complain about the books (simply because I haven't read them).

Hawk 20:40, 12 February 2008 (MST)

I think it's just because no one has written a good script, and the budget is probably really small. I could see it being adaptad in many movies really. it's just the people who have made them havnt done a good job.

Dsurion 19:12, 26 September 2009 (MDT)

A lot of it is guaranteed to be social stigma. No one wants to be associated with D&D because of its "nerdy" origins. Thus, no good actors, writers, directors, producers, etc. But that's not all. Even if a truly great film were to be produced, no one would want to see it for fear of being identified as a nerd. Of course, there are a few good actors that would fit in a D&D movie, Vin Diesel comes to mind. He'd be a pretty cool Barbarian sort, especially after seeing his performance in Chronicles of Riddick.

Sepsis 11:49, 27 September 2009 (MDT)

Gotta chime in on this one. The one simple reason they can't seem to make a good D&D movie is because you can't make a good D&D movie. Too many people think making a "D&D" movie is just as "easy" as turning a good fantasy novel into a film. It is not. While novels have a neat cast of characters, designed by a singular author to blend into a group, that will approach a very specific goal along a set path using fantasy/medievil knowledge, techniques and behaviors...D&D games only use some of that..and not enough to make a good epic story that translates into a film. D&D is a set of game rules that are played by hundreds of "authors" and very little continuity flows between them.

Really you can never make a D&D film unless you pick one adventure most of us know (ie. Ravenloft, Temple of Elemental Evil, etc.) then send a group of generic atypical "characters" into it, and if they used names we know it would help (ie. Lidda, Mialee, Tordek, Jozan, etc.). But please God avoid making those crappy D&D novels into films....get real writers to make the story,...at the moment WotC uses too many hacks for its "novels". The very heart of the film would be the writer, if someone can use a D&D adventure, with D&D stle characters and do it real well then you will get as close as you can to a "D&D movie". But even this will only be kinda like D&D, and I think fall flat for most fans, and it would be too niche for the general population, leaving us with yet another flop. Now if you want a real D&D film then we need others like "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising". Done with professional effects such a D&D story would work well I think for a much larger audience and allow real gamers to get a cinematic glimpse and some of thier favorite gaming moments.

  Hooper   talk    contribs    email   17:41, 27 September 2009 (MDT)

Quick fun fact: D&D movies have been forced by WotC to always be set in, around, or involve Izmer. So even though what Sepsis said above is true (about using established locations), it would not come about sadly.

Violation 18:44, 27 September 2009 (MDT)

i liked the second movie. mainly because of the look on their faces when the cleric up and died. that was priceless.

Chainer 10:58, 3 October 2009 (MDT)

I remember people at one time saying quality movies based on video games or comic characters were impossible. Professionalism, a serious, well-managed budget and a talented crew is all any good movie needs no matter the genre or basis. And when I say "good", I mean good to most people especially fans. Lol and when the sorc in the 2nd movie ported into stone my side was splitting.

Vrail 07:17, 15 July 2010 (UTC)

A good DnD movie to me would be a movie that doesn't seem like its a DnD adventure, or a game of any type for that matter. LotR would have been a perfect DnD movie, maybe it is one... :P

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