When you think of high fantasy, what comes to mind?
Orcs fighting humans? Gryphons swooping into battle? Wizards slinging spells of mass destruction?
How about dubstep? The latest trailer for Legendary's Warcraft film adaptation has all of that and more, and is just the latest example of how not to market an epic fantasy film.
That's not to say there isn't some good stuff to be seen in the trailer. There's plenty of new footage that fans will be excited to see, such as new glimpses of orc vs. human combat and the wizard Khadgar in action. However, the trailer's musical choice completely derails it all. Warcraft should be Legendary's Lord of the Rings, an epic fantasy saga that will span multiple films. Can you imagine Lord of the Rings being marketed with dubstep?
No, of course not. That's what's happening here. Legendary doesn't seem to know how to sell the movie it's made. The trailer is just the latest example. Though theatrical posters for the film have been promising, for the most part, other ads have left plenty to be desired.
It's beginning to look like Legendary isn't taking the film seriously, and each new trailer seems to reveal that the actors starring in the movie might feel the same way. It's a troubling sign when every non-CGI character in the film looks bored and in no way invested in what's going on around them, but that's the vibe recent footage from the movie has given off. Sure, the movie is largely CGI background and characters. Working with all greenscreen is likely a challenge for most actors. That, however, doesn't mean memorable performances can't be done without a real set. From what we've seen of Warcraft so far, the film's core cast of human characters doesn't seem up to the task.
Will the movie's lackluster marketing hurt it at the box office? Possibly. Thanks to Blizzard's wildly-popular game series upon which the film is based, it's likely the movie will be seen by millions worldwide regardless of its quality. However, Legendary isn't doing the movie any favors with its current marketing campaign, and the sooner it realizes it, the better.
