It was announced today that a Dungeons and Dragons feature film is planned for production, and, while the news is fresh, it seems the plans have been in the works for some time.
“We are so excited about bringing the world of Dungeons & Dragons to life on the big screen,” said Greg Silverman of Warner Bros. Pictures . “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.”
Referring to statements made by representatives of the production companies involved in bringing Dungeons and Dragons to the big screen, it seems that the film will not only rely on the Dungeons and Dragons video games, but will also incorporate elements of the Dungeons and Dragons role playing board games.
“This is such an enormous opportunity to bring the rich fantasy setting of the Forgotten Realms to life and, together with the creative powerhouse of Warner Bros., use movies to tell the stories that have enchanted passionate D&D fans for decades,” said Stephen Davis, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer of Hasbro, Inc. “ D&D is the role-playing game that started it all and now we have the opportunity to ignite a franchise for its legions of avid fans in a way never done before.”
Interestingly, Dungeons and Dragons already has a script and the choice of screenwriters implies that this will be a thrilling, even haunting film adaptation of the Dungeons and Dragons games. The script was penned by screenwriter David Johnson and what makes this choice so compelling is that Mr. Johnson has almost exclusively written horror films and horror-themed scripts.
David is credited for writing the screenplays for Orphan (2009) and Red Riding Hood (2011), as well as having written episodes for AMC’s The Walking Dead . Johnson’s most recent project was to assist with rewrites on The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist , which is scheduled for a 2016 theatrical release.
If Mr. Johnson’s list of credits is any indication, fans can expect Dungeons and Dragons to be filled with haunting and macabre images, and may ultimately earn itself an “R” rating. It may be the producers’ intentions to create a franchise geared more toward adult fans, something with ambitions to replace the soon-to-be defunct Resident Evil film franchise.
[Featured image courtesy of dnd.wizards.com]