Fifteen years ago, there was a Dungeons and Dragons movie. And it sucked. Well now, Warner Bros. has cleared up the rights issues and announced they’re moving forward with a new movie not just based on the RPG, but on its immensely popular Forgotten Realms setting.


The fact that the film will be set in the Forgotten Realm, where most D&D novels and video games have been set, implies that WB is taking a much more serious attempt at bringing the hit RPG to movie screen that the previous film. There’s not only a wealth of stories to adapt, but the franchise’s most popular characters live in the Forgotten Realms, including the tragically noble dark elf Drow named Drizzt Do’Urden.

There are no other details on the plot, so there’s no telling if Drizzt will make his big-screen debut (we’d say the chances aren’t bad, however). We do know that the film will be written by David Leslie Johnson (The Conjuring 2, Orphan, Wrath of the Titans) which doesn’t seem optimal, but it sounds like WB has plans on making the D&D movie on par with the upcoming Warcraft film from Duncan Jones and Universal. In a press release, Greg Silverman, Warner Bros. president of creative development and worldwide production, said the following:

We are so excited about bringing the world of Dungeons & Dragons to life on the big screen. This is far and away the most well-known brand in fantasy, which is the genre that drives the most passionate film followings. D&D has endless creative possibilities, giving our filmmakers immense opportunities to delight and thrill both fans and moviegoers new to the property.


Will audiences be open to the kind of massive, open-ended, user-created fantasy world Dungeons and Dragons offers? We may not really know until next summer when Warcraft hits theaters. If that film is the success Universal hopes it is, you can be sure Warner Bros. will be even that much more excited for Dungeons & Dragons. The name recognition alone will pique the interest of millions.



[Variety]

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