Dungeons & Dragons has millions of fans around the world. It's spawned countless adventures, books and video games over the years. It even inspired a not very good live-action movie back in 2000.
Hollywood isn't one to leave such a valuable property untapped — so Warner Bros. has partnered with Hasbro to bring a new D&D movie to the big screen.
Via Super Hero Hype, Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis of Hasbro (which owns Dungeons & Dragons), Courtney Solomon and Allan Zeman of Sweetpea Entertainment and Roy Lee (How to Train Your Dragon, The LEGO Movie) are set to produce the film, based off a script by David Leslie Johnson, whose previous work includes Wrath of the Titans.
No word yet on what exactly the film will be about, but as Greg Silverman, president of creative development and worldwide production at Warner Bros. points out in a statement, the D&D setting is open to countless storytelling possibilities.
"This is far and away the most well-known brand in fantasy, which is the genre that drives the most passionate film followings," Silverman said. "D&D has endless creative possibilities, giving our filmmakers immense opportunities to delight and thrill both fans and moviegoers new to the property."
It's those "endless creative possibilities" that have helped D&D endure for more than three decades as the premier table-top RPG, with players crafting their own unique characters, storylines and worlds to play in. In another statement, Hasbro executive vice president and chief content officer Stephen Davis specifically mentions the game's official "Forgotten Realms" setting will be brought to life on film.
By far the most iconic D&D character to come out of Forgotten Realms is the pure-of-heart dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden. If the film to take place in the Forgotten Realms and is not an original story, chances are that Drizzt might make an appearance. Even if it is an original tale, Hasbro has featured the character extensively in various video games and related D&D products, meaning he will likely make a cameo in some form or another.
The announcement of the movie comes after the settlement of a legal battle between Warner Bros. and Hasbro. Warner Bros. announced in 2013 that they were looking at rebooting the Dungeons & Dragons film franchise, but Hasbro countered the studio's plans, saying Warner Bros. did not have the legal grounds to develop a new film.
It looks like the two groups have put their differences aside in the name of huge potential profits. Surprise, surprise. The new D&D film currently does not have a release date.
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