I think I am going to disagree with several of you guys. I do think a movie with a little known cast can succeed. It happens all the time. Problem is that it has to be a great story with excellent dialogue - not something that comes out of Hollywood with any regularity. Think Star Wars - none of those actors were big names (except AG).

I also think you need to stay away from existing AD&D stuff - other than campaign setting. Use Greyhawk if only for reference and backstory stuff. Do not reinvent the wheel.

I am also sticking to my guns with novice characters (1st level). It just makes everything easier to digest for nonD&D watchers. It also  must be party-based. Forget the Drizzt thing.

The story must be based on adventure and have a "problem" that must be solved. This gets the viewers involved and hopefully gets them attached to the story and the characters. With a standard size party you can reach out to various viewers who like different characters for different reasons.

We do not need lengthy character development or megolithic villians, but you do need good villians that audiences will love to hate and see sliced or blasted by a magic missile.

Then there is setting. Make it look interesting or have an exotic locale. That will make the move "feel" more like an adventure. Jungle, desert whatever - but no damn castle in middle europe, please.

The key is not to make a classic fantasy, middle ages type movie. They are boring and suck i.e. Dragonslayer.

Now these are just random thoughts, so I am not claiming the high ground anywhere. I just think a D&D movie needs to start at the roots of D&D.

To start out you will need to get some art house director with enough money and clout to back a lower budget movie with limited special effects. Next you hold open audtions not for actors but for role players. You might even use one of hte opens at GenCon or something. You grade the players not on performance but alos on role playing. Once you have selected say a party of six you take a classic intro module....one of the B series perhaps....and run them through it. Letting htem know as much as possible they stay in character. They video tape it (no not another Gamers DVD) and then have script writers convert it over. You then hire actors or if they are good enough you could use the role players. I can not think of a better way to capture the feel of D&D more so than actually capturing it.

DnDGeek wrote:

bbarsh wrote:no damn castle in middle europe, please.

bbarsh wrote:The key is not to make a classic fantasy, middle ages type movie. They are boring and suck i.e. Dragonslayer.

Blasphemer!

Sorry, I did not intend to offend you Dragonslayer lovers out there...Oh wait minute, yes I did.

That movie blows dog. Did then and still does today.

Well, I hear that Peter Jackson is making a movie version of WG6 Isle of the Ape.  :D

zhowar1 wrote:Well, I hear that Peter Jackson is making a movie version of WG6 Isle of the Ape.

yeha and apparently he's already gone way over budget

what do y'all think its gonna be like...any good?

I have a feeling he is going to do a great job with it. I have seen some screen shots and they look very good. I just want him to get done with King Kong and get rolling on The Hobbit.

John

"Everyone is entitled to Al's opinion."

beyondthebreach wrote:I should rephrase what I said earlier. I think that Drizz't would be the best idea for making a movie and the most likely to be done (with the possibility of still being done fairly well). I am not a particular fan of Drizz't (I can't even remember how to spell his damn name), but I am trying to think like a movie producer would . . .
.

That was my point also.  This subject has the best chance of being made into a quality feature instead of a straight to video B-grade travesty.  Not a huge fan of the novels, but it does have a gigantic fan base and that by itself is a drawing point for a producer.

Mike B.