My review of the D&D Movie.
Enjoy;
https://youtu.be/MaelKOjzA3o (https://youtu.be/MaelKOjzA3o)
Really enjoyed your video. Well-presented and thorough discussion.
Just a quick kick at the can.
Cheers.
Because WOTC had something to do with it?
Everything they touch turns to shit.
The one part of the video that I disagree with is the notion that the D&D movie does a bad job representing historical European fantasy. That's selling the movie short as it does a bad job representing ANY sort of recognizable fantasy at all.
If you look at Harry Potter, it combines the classic Merlin wizard of a pointy hat and wand with the broom riding and cauldrons of traditional witches, adds the uniforms of English schools and sets the whole thing in a castle. Every element shown in the movies is recognizable yet they arranged in a fresh, original way.
With the D&D movie, it's just a random mix of modern and ren fair clothing set in a generic sci-fi looking world. People who are familiar with the modern D&D aesthetic are used to this so they don't realize how ridiculous and corny it looks to anyone not immersed in that version of the game.
I'm not watching the movie because I do what I can not to give money to people who'd happily put me in a gulag.
Haven't and won't watch the movie itself because the trailers look so ridiculously awful. But my answer is simple: The target audience is D&D fanboys like J. Scott Garibay who will lap up anything with the D&D moniker on it. So the writing, plot, etc., are at a kindergarten level. Can't see how they expected to attract others with those trailers.
And therein rests my exact point.
Quote from: hedgehobbit on April 10, 2023, 09:15:05 AM
The one part of the video that I disagree with is the notion that the D&D movie does a bad job representing historical European fantasy. That's selling the movie short as it does a bad job representing ANY sort of recognizable fantasy at all.
If you look at Harry Potter, it combines the classic Merlin wizard of a pointy hat and wand with the broom riding and cauldrons of traditional witches, adds the uniforms of English schools and sets the whole thing in a castle. Every element shown in the movies is recognizable yet they arranged in a fresh, original way.
With the D&D movie, it's just a random mix of modern and ren fair clothing set in a generic sci-fi looking world. People who are familiar with the modern D&D aesthetic are used to this so they don't realize how ridiculous and corny it looks to anyone not immersed in that version of the game.
Quote from: hedgehobbit on April 10, 2023, 09:15:05 AM
With the D&D movie, it's just a random mix of modern and ren fair clothing set in a generic sci-fi looking world.
The look reminded me of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
After the first D&D movie, I just decided D&D isn't material to make a good film. How a silly elf game can become anything but a silly elf movie? The comparisons are not very favorable and, to me, I would always have in mind: "This isn't Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings."
Only when I learned it took place in the Forgotten Realms that I thought about watching it. I am not a FR fanboy. I never played or ran a game in the Realms before last year, but I played all Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights video games; and because of that I was curious. But I heard there isn't much of the Realms in the movie, not one recognizable NPC, it is back to "if it is on TV, I will watch it" (since I don't watch TV anymore...).
So, the one thing that could have sold the movie to me was to actually use D&D mythos and not make another generic B-movie fantasy thing, and they decided to go the generic B-movie fantasy route.
I am not going to watch it because I don't want to give money to people who hate me.
It is #4 this weekend, at the rate it's dropping it should disappear off the charts pretty quickly.
Good. Hope it doesn't make it's money back.
I refused to pay to see it on principle which I explained in the video.
But WokeC contradicts themselves too much to let it stand without comment.
I enjoyed their and it's definitely better than the early 2000s D&D movie.
You just damned it with faint praise, my friend lol
Haven't seen the new one, because I've eaten at this restaurant before and gotten food poisoning, metaphorically speaking.
The best D&D movies / shows are the ones that have no actual relationship to the game. The LOTR movies. GOT. Witcher. You get the idea.
I watched it and will buy it when it comes out on digital.
It is the perfect lazy Saturday movie to have on in the background will prepping.
90/94 Rotten Tomatoes, haters :)
That speaks to the stupidity of the writers, directors, and producers.
Thank you for all this salt. It'll go good on my popcorn.
Quote from: Persimmon on April 10, 2023, 09:36:15 AM
Haven't and won't watch the movie itself because the trailers look so ridiculously awful. But my answer is simple: The target audience is D&D fanboys like J. Scott Garibay who will lap up anything with the D&D moniker on it. So the writing, plot, etc., are at a kindergarten level. Can't see how they expected to attract others with those trailers.
I'm sure he took his kids, the neighbors' kids, and random strangers' kids to see the movie. Gotta be a WOTC fanboy, and grow the hobby.
Quote from: Gegilles on April 10, 2023, 09:54:30 PM
That speaks to the stupidity of the writers, directors, and producers.
No, it doesn't. It speaks to the fact that I took my family to see it, we loved it, and I'd watch it again...enough to buy it and even put it on in the background.
Quote from: Gegilles on April 10, 2023, 09:54:30 PM
That speaks to the stupidity of the writers, directors, and producers.
Greetings!
Greg Gillespie, great critique! I chimed in on your Film Post where you posted your video, as well.
Oh, and yeah, J. Scott Garibay, geesus. *Laughing* What a clown!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Who? Lol
Edit: ok. Missed the above on my phone.
Quote from: Jam The MF on April 10, 2023, 10:05:11 PM
Quote from: Persimmon on April 10, 2023, 09:36:15 AM
Haven't and won't watch the movie itself because the trailers look so ridiculously awful. But my answer is simple: The target audience is D&D fanboys like J. Scott Garibay who will lap up anything with the D&D moniker on it. So the writing, plot, etc., are at a kindergarten level. Can't see how they expected to attract others with those trailers.
I'm sure he took his kids, the neighbors' kids, and random strangers' kids to see the movie. Gotta be a WOTC fanboy, and grow the hobby.
Quote from: SHARK on April 10, 2023, 10:11:57 PM
Oh, and yeah, J. Scott Garibay, geesus. *Laughing* What a clown!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
I am not sure J. Scott Garibay is an actual clown or does the clown bit for attention and clicks.
Could go either way with him.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 10, 2023, 09:42:36 PM
I watched it and will buy it when it comes out on digital.
It is the perfect lazy Saturday movie to have on in the background will prepping.
90/94 Rotten Tomatoes, haters :)
(https://media.tenor.com/images/84aabb6c86cc0c18a39b636c787abc1d/tenor.gif)
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 11, 2023, 08:47:38 AM
Quote from: SHARK on April 10, 2023, 10:11:57 PM
Oh, and yeah, J. Scott Garibay, geesus. *Laughing* What a clown!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
I am not sure J. Scott Garibay is an actual clown or does the clown bit for attention and clicks.
Could go either way with him.
Why do people pay any attention to Garibay and literal dozens of viewers?
Quote from: Festus on April 11, 2023, 11:11:26 AM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 11, 2023, 08:47:38 AM
Quote from: SHARK on April 10, 2023, 10:11:57 PM
Oh, and yeah, J. Scott Garibay, geesus. *Laughing* What a clown!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
I am not sure J. Scott Garibay is an actual clown or does the clown bit for attention and clicks.
Could go either way with him.
Why do people pay any attention to Garibay and literal dozens of viewers?
I don't know. I watched part of one of his videos, saw he was a clown and never returned.
I would never recommend to anyone to watch his videoes.
Quote from: Festus on April 11, 2023, 11:11:26 AM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 11, 2023, 08:47:38 AM
Quote from: SHARK on April 10, 2023, 10:11:57 PM
Oh, and yeah, J. Scott Garibay, geesus. *Laughing* What a clown!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
I am not sure J. Scott Garibay is an actual clown or does the clown bit for attention and clicks.
Could go either way with him.
Why do people pay any attention to Garibay and literal dozens of viewers?
Greetings!
Yeah, I forgot how his videos showed up on my feed. I watched a few of his videos, to see what he's about. My take aways?
Huge SJW Woe Libtard moron
Hates the OSR
Is a total WOTC fan boi fanatic
Delusional, filled with smug self-importance and self-righteousness
Thus, a clown. ;D
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 11, 2023, 11:06:15 AM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 10, 2023, 09:42:36 PM
I watched it and will buy it when it comes out on digital.
It is the perfect lazy Saturday movie to have on in the background will prepping.
90/94 Rotten Tomatoes, haters :)
(https://media.tenor.com/images/84aabb6c86cc0c18a39b636c787abc1d/tenor.gif)
Haha, that made me laugh.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 10, 2023, 09:42:36 PM90/94 Rotten Tomatoes, haters :)
90+% Critic score, 90+% User score, and an A- on Cinema Score. Yet the movie is tanking and set to lose somewhere around $50 million.
There's gotta be some reason why people aren't interested in seeing it. Maybe it's the fact that everything about it looks safe, bland, and corporate.
Quote from: hedgehobbit on April 11, 2023, 09:28:58 PM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 10, 2023, 09:42:36 PM90/94 Rotten Tomatoes, haters :)
90+% Critic score, 90+% User score, and an A- on Cinema Score. Yet the movie is tanking and set to lose somewhere around $50 million.
There's gotta be some reason why people aren't interested in seeing it. Maybe it's the fact that everything about it looks safe, bland, and corporate.
Bleh, not going to argue with you over this. You haven't seen it, and going off of previews which most people learn not to trust around the age of 11. You are obviously entrenched.
They lifted the review embargo two weeks before release. That only happens when you are confident in your film.
There is nothing woke in the movie. In fact, the main theme is fatherhood. It is the first fantasy movie or show I can remember that didn't go out of its way to virtue signal, at all. Shadow and Bone, Witcher, etc. cannot say that.
But then, as Geeky pointed out, Mario happened last week. Number one animated release ever. That certainly cut into the second weekend opportunity. But sitting at 125 million less than two weeks from release and, yes, it will make money. No amount of hope or putting your head in the sand will deny it. It is doing really well in China. Post digital sales, etc. Stop it.
It will pass the actual movie budget in about a week. You and others say to double that for marketing, but you don't know that. And you don't know what the toy sales are.
They will release a sequel and that will tell everybody whether this was a success or not. Spoiler alert, it is successful.
Well with such glowing praise now I HAVE to go see it!
Who to believe...nerds on the internet with axe to grind or bots creating fake, positive reviews. This is a hard one.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:41:56 PMBut sitting at 125 million less than two weeks from release and, yes, it will make money. No amount of hope or putting your head in the sand will deny it. It is doing really well in China. Post digital sales, etc. Stop it.
Do you not realize that the movie studio only gets about half of the money paid for tickets (and only a fourth of the total from China)? The other half goes to the theater. So this movie would need to collect $300 million just to cover the budget.
Quote from: hedgehobbit on April 11, 2023, 09:28:58 PM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 10, 2023, 09:42:36 PM90/94 Rotten Tomatoes, haters :)
90+% Critic score, 90+% User score, and an A- on Cinema Score. Yet the movie is tanking and set to lose somewhere around $50 million.
There's gotta be some reason why people aren't interested in seeing it. Maybe it's the fact that everything about it looks safe, bland, and corporate.
Maybe it's tanking because it's sandwiched between John Wick and Mario, the first appeals more to the men who want an action flick and the second to families, plus it's PG13 (because I bet there's lots of cussing, Hollyweird loves to cuss).
As for it being woke, no, I have seen reviews by people on OUR side of the culture war say it's not, people I trust enough to take their critics seriously. But they had to go open their mouth about emasculating the male leads...
Is it a good movie? That's subjective but the same people have said it's a little above meh.
It could also be suffering from GWotKKK alienating the grognards and the new players with their OGL BS.
It could also be suffering from not being GoT or from the fiasco of Rings of Power.
Or it could be a little of all of the above.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:16:28 PMHaha, that made me laugh.
You took your family to see it, and you're going to buy it on digital. So you're easily dropping $100 total on something with a quality of "to have on in the background while prepping."
And you don't think that's being a mindless consoomer, that will lap up any grey sludge a corporation pinches out?
It really doesn't feel woke by 2020-23 standards. What it does feel like is 5e D&D ca 2015, before WoTC went Full Retard. If you think the 5e PHB is Woke then I guess this film is, too. It has the Current Year 'random human races' thing in the casting. Although they filmed in Northern Ireland, so nearly all the background extras are white. The biggest fail IMO is that the world does not look lived-in at all. I agree with Gillespie re the Ren Faire look. I also thought the magic maze arena felt too high magic/too CGI, and also stupid, since it concealed most of the action from the audience.
My impression is that box office performance is mediocre considering budget & heavy advertising, it may break even but looks unlikely to make a lot of profit. It should do well enough for a D&D TV show, but likely not a D&D film franchise.
Yeah the claims the director/writers made were just outrage marketing.
WotC will not get another dime of my money, but I will watch the movie.
Not in a theater, probably at home on whatever streaming service is currently eating my paycheck. That way I can drink and then blame it on the alcohol.
Quote from: Omega on April 12, 2023, 05:57:16 AM
Yeah the claims the director/writers made were just outrage marketing.
Or pandering to the Elite Right-Thinkers, or both. I think it boomeranged on them, though.
Quote from: jeff37923 on April 12, 2023, 06:24:27 AM
WotC will not get another dime of my money, but I will watch the movie.
Not in a theater, probably at home on whatever streaming service is currently eating my paycheck. That way I can drink and then blame it on the alcohol.
Same for me. Though from what I saw in the trailers I don't have high hopes for it. Looks really campy.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:41:56 PM
But then, as Geeky pointed out, Mario happened last week. Number one animated release ever. That certainly cut into the second weekend opportunity. But sitting at 125 million less than two weeks from release and, yes, it will make money. No amount of hope or putting your head in the sand will deny it. It is doing really well in China. Post digital sales, etc. Stop it.
It will pass the actual movie budget in about a week. You and others say to double that for marketing, but you don't know that. And you don't know what the toy sales are.
They will release a sequel and that will tell everybody whether this was a success or not. Spoiler alert, it is successful.
Where are you getting this? According to IMDB the gross is sitting at $61.7 Million And with the movie costing $150 Million to make plus probably another $100 million for marketing it still has a long way to go before breaking even.
Edit: I have seen places where it says it made $75. With all the new movies coming out and Box office wise its already dropped to 4th place, I think its going to slow down because people who wanted to see the movie already have.
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 11:37:53 AM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:41:56 PM
But then, as Geeky pointed out, Mario happened last week. Number one animated release ever. That certainly cut into the second weekend opportunity. But sitting at 125 million less than two weeks from release and, yes, it will make money. No amount of hope or putting your head in the sand will deny it. It is doing really well in China. Post digital sales, etc. Stop it.
It will pass the actual movie budget in about a week. You and others say to double that for marketing, but you don't know that. And you don't know what the toy sales are.
They will release a sequel and that will tell everybody whether this was a success or not. Spoiler alert, it is successful.
Where are you getting this? According to IMDB the gross is sitting at $61.7 Million And with the movie costing $150 Million to make plus probably another $100 million for marketing it still has a long way to go before breaking even.
Edit: I have seen places where it says it made $75. With all the new movies coming out and Box office wise its already dropped to 4th place, I think its going to slow down because people who wanted to see the movie already have.
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 11:37:53 AM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:41:56 PM
But then, as Geeky pointed out, Mario happened last week. Number one animated release ever. That certainly cut into the second weekend opportunity. But sitting at 125 million less than two weeks from release and, yes, it will make money. No amount of hope or putting your head in the sand will deny it. It is doing really well in China. Post digital sales, etc. Stop it.
It will pass the actual movie budget in about a week. You and others say to double that for marketing, but you don't know that. And you don't know what the toy sales are.
They will release a sequel and that will tell everybody whether this was a success or not. Spoiler alert, it is successful.
Where are you getting this? According to IMDB the gross is sitting at $61.7 Million And with the movie costing $150 Million to make plus probably another $100 million for marketing it still has a long way to go before breaking even.
Edit: I have seen places where it says it made $75. With all the new movies coming out and Box office wise its already dropped to 4th place, I think its going to slow down because people who wanted to see the movie already have.
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
In other words they've made $125 million, and probably have to make another $335 million just to break even.
(https://c.tenor.com/jXqhGOiQqlsAAAAC/tenor.gif)
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 12:53:54 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
In other words they've made $125 million, and probably have to make another $335 million just to break even.
True, but also note that movie theater tickets are only part of potential profits from a movie. Streaming deals, VOD, merchandising, and others also make a lot of money. Given that Honor Among Thieves is a marketing tie-in movie, merchandising and effect on the D&D brand is particularly important. It's hard to know how much money a movie makes overall.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp
Quote from: jhkim on April 12, 2023, 01:23:51 PM
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 12:53:54 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
In other words they've made $125 million, and probably have to make another $335 million just to break even.
True, but also note that movie theater tickets are only part of potential profits from a movie. Streaming deals, VOD, merchandising, and others also make a lot of money. Given that Honor Among Thieves is a marketing tie-in movie, merchandising and effect on the D&D brand is particularly important. It's hard to know how much money a movie makes overall.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp
Sure, so when the movie finishes at maybe 160 million, netting them $80 mil, they just need to make twice that from tie-ins, and they'll be sitting pretty on a tidy break-even. Truly a success story in the making.
Quote from: jhkim on April 12, 2023, 01:23:51 PM
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 12:53:54 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
In other words they've made $125 million, and probably have to make another $335 million just to break even.
True, but also note that movie theater tickets are only part of potential profits from a movie. Streaming deals, VOD, merchandising, and others also make a lot of money. Given that Honor Among Thieves is a marketing tie-in movie, merchandising and effect on the D&D brand is particularly important. It's hard to know how much money a movie makes overall.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp
True, but note that we have ALWAYS measured a movie's success by what they make in theaters, the rest follows from that, the more people liked the movie the more people who will buy the physical media/rent it on streaming, buy the merch, etc.
Say the Disney Wars trilogy, the toys are still collecting dust in some bargain bin, did the movies made money or not?
They did BECAUSE we measure that from the theatrical release box office not from the merch, that the toy makers sold them to stores who got fucked with toys nobody wants is irrelevant.
Did you know those rights get sold BEFORE the movie is released?
Is GWotKKK gonna sell more books thanks to the movie? Doubt it
What about toys? Doubt it (hope Hasbro is manufacturing those so they get fucked by the sales but it mainly hurt the stores)
What about other merch?
All of those depend on how much people watched the movie, which in turn depends on how much people liked the movie. From the reviews I have seen it's nothing to write home about.
I'm not expecting a huge boom for GWotKKK on book sales.
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 01:31:00 PM
Quote from: jhkim on April 12, 2023, 01:23:51 PM
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 12:53:54 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
In other words they've made $125 million, and probably have to make another $335 million just to break even.
True, but also note that movie theater tickets are only part of potential profits from a movie. Streaming deals, VOD, merchandising, and others also make a lot of money. Given that Honor Among Thieves is a marketing tie-in movie, merchandising and effect on the D&D brand is particularly important. It's hard to know how much money a movie makes overall.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp
Sure, so when the movie finishes at maybe 160 million, netting them $80 mil, they just need to make twice that from tie-ins, and they'll be sitting pretty on a tidy break-even. Truly a success story in the making.
Make twice that NET, meaning after expenses, taxes, etc.
If they sold the rights to some merch they already got their money, and I doubt it's near 160 million NET.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
OK, I stand corrected. Still has a bit to go before it reaches break even.
The worst part is that it really isn't a bad movie. I mean, it's no Casablanca -- I give it a B average. But considering some of the tripe peddled, I have seen oh so much worse.
But because WotC and Hasbro are run by phenomenal idiots, they managed to hack off the demographic -- gamers -- that would've gone back to see it again and again.
I mean, nobody mistook Mortal Kombat for high cinema, but at least Midway didn't go out of its way prior to film release to piss people off.
Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 12, 2023, 01:52:45 PM
I mean, nobody mistook Mortal Kombat for high cinema, but at least Midway didn't go out of its way prior to film release to piss people off.
Are you joking? Mortal Kombat should have won Oscars!!!!
Kidding.
Saw both in the theater. Would have been better to just set my money on fire instead.
Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 12, 2023, 01:52:45 PMI mean, nobody mistook Mortal Kombat for high cinema, but at least Midway didn't go out of its way prior to film release to piss people off.
Are you talking about the forgettable garbage released a year or two ago, or the 'this movie is wwaaayyy better than it has any right to be' fun-fest from the 90's?
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 02:00:35 PM
Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 12, 2023, 01:52:45 PMI mean, nobody mistook Mortal Kombat for high cinema, but at least Midway didn't go out of its way prior to film release to piss people off.
Are you talking about the forgettable garbage released a year or two ago, or the 'this movie is wwaaayyy better than it has any right to be' fun-fest from the 90's?
The 90's movies. Sorry, I forgot they remade them and did origin story movies.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 01:40:54 PM
Quote from: jhkim on April 12, 2023, 01:23:51 PM
True, but also note that movie theater tickets are only part of potential profits from a movie. Streaming deals, VOD, merchandising, and others also make a lot of money. Given that Honor Among Thieves is a marketing tie-in movie, merchandising and effect on the D&D brand is particularly important. It's hard to know how much money a movie makes overall.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp
True, but note that we have ALWAYS measured a movie's success by what they make in theaters, the rest follows from that, the more people liked the movie the more people who will buy the physical media/rent it on streaming, buy the merch, etc.
I would broadly agree, though there's been a lot of shake-up of assumptions because of the changing streaming markets in the last two years.
To be clear - whether a film makes money has nothing to do with my opinion of it. I don't think that my tastes in either movies or gaming reflect worldwide audience preferences. Two of the biggest moneymakers of 2022 were Avatar: The Way of Water and Jurassic World Dominion, neither of which I have any interest in. There are movies that I love that flop, and movies I hate that make a ton of money.
I will neither "watch for free" nor pay to see this movie, the circle has come around again and it is time for D&D to fall, again, and WoTC to fall as TSR did.
Quote from: jhkim on April 12, 2023, 02:43:34 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 01:40:54 PM
Quote from: jhkim on April 12, 2023, 01:23:51 PM
True, but also note that movie theater tickets are only part of potential profits from a movie. Streaming deals, VOD, merchandising, and others also make a lot of money. Given that Honor Among Thieves is a marketing tie-in movie, merchandising and effect on the D&D brand is particularly important. It's hard to know how much money a movie makes overall.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp
True, but note that we have ALWAYS measured a movie's success by what they make in theaters, the rest follows from that, the more people liked the movie the more people who will buy the physical media/rent it on streaming, buy the merch, etc.
I would broadly agree, though there's been a lot of shake-up of assumptions because of the changing streaming markets in the last two years.
To be clear - whether a film makes money has nothing to do with my opinion of it. I don't think that my tastes in either movies or gaming reflect worldwide audience preferences. Two of the biggest moneymakers of 2022 were Avatar: The Way of Water and Jurassic World Dominion, neither of which I have any interest in. There are movies that I love that flop, and movies I hate that make a ton of money.
The shakeup was during the plandemic, not true anymore.
Agreed, the quality of a movie has exactly ZERO to do with it making money, especially with regards to Avatar and Jurassic World.
But we were talking about HaT making money in the box office, it doesn't look likely. Hopefully this signals the beginning of the end for GWotKKK.
Quote from: Banjo Destructo on April 12, 2023, 02:59:15 PM
I will neither "watch for free" nor pay to see this movie, the circle has come around again and it is time for D&D to fall, again, and WoTC to fall as TSR did.
Seconded, thirded, forthed, fifthed and sixed.
In English, I agree with your statement. :)
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 02:00:35 PM
Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 12, 2023, 01:52:45 PMI mean, nobody mistook Mortal Kombat for high cinema, but at least Midway didn't go out of its way prior to film release to piss people off.
Are you talking about the forgettable garbage released a year or two ago, or the 'this movie is wwaaayyy better than it has any right to be' fun-fest from the 90's?
Sorry, the 90's one. I should've specified.
(To be honest, I completely forgot about the recent remake, which should tell you something.)
My kid wanted to see it, and I haven't seen a fantasy film in theatres since LOTR, so it met the expectations I had built up to seeing it. The plot-running trick with the staff and the thing was the highlight of the film. That reminded me of a classic D&D session. They needed more of that in the film.
The film represented WotC's modern interpretation of D&D perfectly: it's a bit fantasy kitchen-sink bland but fine. I didn't take it seriously enough to consider it had enough merit for a break-down dissertation to the level Gillespie's video critique gave it.
It's so far off the neo-medieval scale it's gone, but that's well within WotC's range of what product they churn out these days. Why would anyone be shocked by them sticking true to form?
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 02:56:27 AM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:16:28 PMHaha, that made me laugh.
You took your family to see it, and you're going to buy it on digital. So you're easily dropping $100 total on something with a quality of "to have on in the background while prepping."
And you don't think that's being a mindless consoomer, that will lap up any grey sludge a corporation pinches out?
No, I thought you were being funny and we were having a jest. I originally took it as good humor. Benefit of the doubt and all. Lesson learned.
I will commonly put on something in the background while reading or prepping. It was entertaining. So it would make my library. I also watch Goonies and Interstellar and tons of other films in the background while prepping.
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 01:44:05 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
OK, I stand corrected. Still has a bit to go before it reaches break even.
No, it doesn't. It is less than 30 million from budget. The people claiming 400 million are pulling that number out of their ass. Yet while they are reaching into their gaping brown button, they refuse to reach further to make allowances for merchandise, digital sales, etc.
This leads one to the obvious conclusion that this is more about hatred of Hasbro than anything else.
This movie has been objectively well-received by the people who have seen it. Period. It is not a flop.
And I fucking hate WotC and Hasbro and Jeremy Crawford, and all of their bullshit. I'd service your little ninja in the Macy's window display on Christmas Eve before I'd buy another product with Crawford's name on it.
But I have made a living off of calling balls and strikes. And I won't be blinded by that hatred. This is a good movie and a good time.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 07:27:22 PM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 01:44:05 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
OK, I stand corrected. Still has a bit to go before it reaches break even.
No, it doesn't. It is less than 30 million from budget. The people claiming 400 million are pulling that number out of their ass. Yet while they are reaching into their gaping brown button, they refuse to reach further to make allowances for merchandise, digital sales, etc.
This leads one to the obvious conclusion that this is more about hatred of Hasbro than anything else.
This movie has been objectively well-received by the people who have seen it. Period. It is not a flop.
And I fucking hate WotC and Hasbro and Jeremy Crawford, and all of their bullshit. I'd service your little ninja in the Macy's window display on Christmas Eve before I'd buy another product with Crawford's name on it.
But I have made a living off of calling balls and strikes. And I won't be blinded by that hatred. This is a good movie and a good time.
Greetings!
Imagining you performing in Macy's Christmas display window! Fucking hilarious! I know that you despise WOTC and the degenerate clowns like Jeremy Crawford. I understand that you enjoyed the film. That's ok, my friend!
I have friends that somehow like Broccoli, or even terrible abominations like "Hawaiian" style pizza. I forgive them for their heresy of even believing that "Hawaiian" style "pizza" is somehow actually pizza. It is a heresy that needs to be denounced everywhere. Call it something else, but it is not traditional Italian-style pizza. ;D
Just like with Broccoli, or "Hawaiian" pizza, I must reject the movie. I shall not see it. Yes, yes, even if I must be like an Old Testament Prophet, or a crazed monk wearing nothing but a Goat-fur tunic, preaching out in the desert wilderness! ;D
Repent! Repent from thy sins! ;D
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 07:27:22 PM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 01:44:05 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
OK, I stand corrected. Still has a bit to go before it reaches break even.
No, it doesn't. It is less than 30 million from budget. The people claiming 400 million are pulling that number out of their ass. Yet while they are reaching into their gaping brown button, they refuse to reach further to make allowances for merchandise, digital sales, etc.
This leads one to the obvious conclusion that this is more about hatred of Hasbro than anything else.
This movie has been objectively well-received by the people who have seen it. Period. It is not a flop.
And I fucking hate WotC and Hasbro and Jeremy Crawford, and all of their bullshit. I'd service your little ninja in the Macy's window display on Christmas Eve before I'd buy another product with Crawford's name on it.
But I have made a living off of calling balls and strikes. And I won't be blinded by that hatred. This is a good movie and a good time.
Nope, we're not pulling numbers out of our arses:
Production budget + Marketing budget - Theater cut = Number to break even.
In this case 150 million for production, the standard is about 50% that for marketing so 75 million, = 225 million total budget.
That means 450 million to break even because theatrical cut is 50% of box office (at first, the longer it stays the bigger their cut IIRC), except in China where their cut is 75%. So, depending on how much of your box office total is China you could need way more than double your total budget (production + marketing).
Many often use 3 times the total budget because the theater cut increases over time. Screenrant (hardly a rightwing rag) uses 2.5 times it's production budget to allow for marketing AND distribution. https://screenrant.com/how-much-dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-cost-to-make/ (https://screenrant.com/how-much-dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-cost-to-make/)
So 150 times 2.5 = 375 million dollars. Which is way closer to my estimate than to yours.
Edited to add:It has nothing to do with any "hatred", I have stated that critics I trust have said it was a fun and non-woke movie.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 07:12:26 PM
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 02:56:27 AM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:16:28 PMHaha, that made me laugh.
You took your family to see it, and you're going to buy it on digital. So you're easily dropping $100 total on something with a quality of "to have on in the background while prepping."
And you don't think that's being a mindless consoomer, that will lap up any grey sludge a corporation pinches out?
No, I thought you were being funny and we were having a jest. I originally took it as good humor. Benefit of the doubt and all. Lesson learned.
I will commonly put on something in the background while reading or prepping. It was entertaining. So it would make my library. I also watch Goonies and Interstellar and tons of other films in the background while prepping.
I'm not judging you as a person, please don't think that.
Dropping $100 for something that is at best blandly entertaining, which benefits a company that regularly craps all over everyone that frequents this site, is equal parts mystifying and annoying to me though.
I'm not trying to tell you how you should spend your money even, I'm sure you work hard for it, and you can damn well make your own decisions on spending. Especially as you sound like casual spending isn't an issue for you.
What I'm actually trying to do is encourage you to choose not to feed money in to the machine that hates everything about you. You can, it's your right, but it's a bad play. If people who hate you, create a masterpiece, that's one thing, but for a popcorn flick?
Quote from: SHARK on April 12, 2023, 08:00:51 PM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 07:27:22 PM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 01:44:05 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
OK, I stand corrected. Still has a bit to go before it reaches break even.
No, it doesn't. It is less than 30 million from budget. The people claiming 400 million are pulling that number out of their ass. Yet while they are reaching into their gaping brown button, they refuse to reach further to make allowances for merchandise, digital sales, etc.
This leads one to the obvious conclusion that this is more about hatred of Hasbro than anything else.
This movie has been objectively well-received by the people who have seen it. Period. It is not a flop.
And I fucking hate WotC and Hasbro and Jeremy Crawford, and all of their bullshit. I'd service your little ninja in the Macy's window display on Christmas Eve before I'd buy another product with Crawford's name on it.
But I have made a living off of calling balls and strikes. And I won't be blinded by that hatred. This is a good movie and a good time.
Greetings!
Imagining you performing in Macy's Christmas display window! Fucking hilarious! I know that you despise WOTC and the degenerate clowns like Jeremy Crawford. I understand that you enjoyed the film. That's ok, my friend!
I have friends that somehow like Broccoli, or even terrible abominations like "Hawaiian" style pizza. I forgive them for their heresy of even believing that "Hawaiian" style "pizza" is somehow actually pizza. It is a heresy that needs to be denounced everywhere. Call it something else, but it is not traditional Italian-style pizza. ;D
Just like with Broccoli, or "Hawaiian" pizza, I must reject the movie. I shall not see it. Yes, yes, even if I must be like an Old Testament Prophet, or a crazed monk wearing nothing but a Goat-fur tunic, preaching out in the desert wilderness! ;D
Repent! Repent from thy sins! ;D
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
And you rock, sir, we would be fast friends irl. And a top five thing in this hobby would be for me to play in one of your games.
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 09:08:34 PM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 07:12:26 PM
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 02:56:27 AM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 11, 2023, 09:16:28 PMHaha, that made me laugh.
You took your family to see it, and you're going to buy it on digital. So you're easily dropping $100 total on something with a quality of "to have on in the background while prepping."
And you don't think that's being a mindless consoomer, that will lap up any grey sludge a corporation pinches out?
No, I thought you were being funny and we were having a jest. I originally took it as good humor. Benefit of the doubt and all. Lesson learned.
I will commonly put on something in the background while reading or prepping. It was entertaining. So it would make my library. I also watch Goonies and Interstellar and tons of other films in the background while prepping.
I'm not judging you as a person, please don't think that.
Dropping $100 for something that is at best blandly entertaining, which benefits a company that regularly craps all over everyone that frequents this site, is equal parts mystifying and annoying to me though.
I'm not trying to tell you how you should spend your money even, I'm sure you work hard for it, and you can damn well make your own decisions on spending. Especially as you sound like casual spending isn't an issue for you.
What I'm actually trying to do is encourage you to choose not to feed money in to the machine that hates everything about you. You can, it's your right, but it's a bad play. If people who hate you, create a masterpiece, that's one thing, but for a popcorn flick?
Good, and I get it. And your post brings me back to what I originally assumed. Thank you.
My thing is this. I love this hobby, warts and all. I raised my kids in a TTRPG environment. I converted my wife, naturally, into loving this hobby too.
Over 10+ years I've watched my son go from just learning the hobby to leading his middle school D&D club to sitting next to me, howling with nerdy laughter at a legitimately good movie.
This fall he goes off to college with an academic ride at a school that doesn't racially profile or ask for pronouns. I couldn't be prouder of the skinny, nerdy man he has become.
So while I paid $50 bucks, half of which will go to a company that hates me, I have the memory that will last me forever, and I will not be sending a dime to an Ivy League school.
Trust me, I am way ahead. If we don't pick and choose, we couldn't function in society. Amazon is woke as fuck. So imagine avoiding any site that AWS hosts. You will drive yourself mad.
So yes, I will give the $100 but not the $150,000. And I will get to keep that memory forever.
Here is a clip from the movie (spoilers) with a fun (for me) cameo:
https://youtu.be/DrAfMjQLSJM
Quote from: cavalier973 on April 12, 2023, 09:56:59 PM
Here is a clip from the movie (spoilers) with a fun (for me) cameo:
https://youtu.be/DrAfMjQLSJM
If only the movie had the main cast eaten, and switched to the kids saving the day. Although I'm sure they'd make Hank a doofus, and have Diana as the leader.
Well, this film performed weaker in its second week than I had initially predicted. I had thought it was on track to break even, but it now looks like that isn't the case. Maybe Super Mario is to blame for that, or maybe the generally positive reviews didn't do enough to sway people who feel betrayed by these weirdoes and their cringy marketing tactics. Whatever the reason, it does seem DnD HaT will be a technical flop.
Personally, I don't care since I was never going to give my money to Hasbro anyway (fyi -Entertainment One, who shouldered most of the budget costs, is a subsidiary of Hasbro). However, I WILL watch this film through alternative means one of these days, since the clips I've seen look very entertaining and evoke a sense of "familiarity" from my own play experiences. Just because you want to boycott the movie, that doesn't automatically make it a "bad" film. Making such a claim is just another form of virtue signalling.
Quote from: Effete on April 13, 2023, 12:13:06 AM
Well, this film performed weaker in its second week than I had initially predicted. I had thought it was on track to break even, but it now looks like that isn't the case. Maybe Super Mario is to blame for that, or maybe the generally positive reviews didn't do enough to sway people who feel betrayed by these weirdoes and their cringy marketing tactics. Whatever the reason, it does seem DnD HaT will be a technical flop.
Personally, I don't care since I was never going to give my money to Hasbro anyway (fyi -Entertainment One, who shouldered most of the budget costs, is a subsidiary of Hasbro). However, I WILL watch this film through alternative means one of these days, since the clips I've seen look very entertaining and evoke a sense of "familiarity" from my own play experiences. Just because you want to boycott the movie, that doesn't automatically make it a "bad" film. Making such a claim is just another form of virtue signalling.
MY DM and one of the players of the AD&D2e campaign have seen it and they both say it was fun and evocative of the game, and the humor landed.
So I guess I'll also see it through alternative means.
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 11:42:41 PM
Quote from: cavalier973 on April 12, 2023, 09:56:59 PM
Here is a clip from the movie (spoilers) with a fun (for me) cameo:
https://youtu.be/DrAfMjQLSJM
If only the movie had the main cast eaten, and switched to the kids saving the day. Although I'm sure they'd make Hank a doofus, and have Diana as the leader.
I foresee a new "How It Should Have Ended" video.
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 03:09:36 PM
The shakeup was during the plandemic, not true anymore.
https://screenrant.com/box-office-metric-success-2023-pandemic/ says the shakeup still isn't over; do you have evidence otherwise?
Of course
QuoteThe 2023 award season could prove that streaming is the best metric to measure a movie's success, following the box office's pandemic collapse.
and the rest of the article may be measuring "success" without actually digging into finances - if something is a massive hit on Netflix post-theatres, how much $$ do the producers get from Big Red N?
Quote from: Naburimannu on April 13, 2023, 03:53:58 AM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 03:09:36 PM
The shakeup was during the plandemic, not true anymore.
https://screenrant.com/box-office-metric-success-2023-pandemic/ says the shakeup still isn't over; do you have evidence otherwise?
Of course
QuoteThe 2023 award season could prove that streaming is the best metric to measure a movie's success, following the box office's pandemic collapse.
and the rest of the article may be measuring "success" without actually digging into finances - if something is a massive hit on Netflix post-theatres, how much $$ do the producers get from Big Red N?
You mean besides the last Spider-Man movie, Avatar the way of water, Top Gun: Maverick, Super Mario Bros? It's a funny thing this shakeup, it only affects the movies the leftards want to protect...
Oh, yes, streaming, where there's no fucking way to know exactly how much people saw anything...
You're too used to talking with intellectual midgets in the leftard circles, come back when you can use logic and facts and not sophistry.
Quote from: Naburimannu on April 13, 2023, 03:53:58 AM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 03:09:36 PM
The shakeup was during the plandemic, not true anymore.
https://screenrant.com/box-office-metric-success-2023-pandemic/ says the shakeup still isn't over; do you have evidence otherwise?
Of course
QuoteThe 2023 award season could prove that streaming is the best metric to measure a movie's success, following the box office's pandemic collapse.
and the rest of the article may be measuring "success" without actually digging into finances - if something is a massive hit on Netflix post-theatres, how much $$ do the producers get from Big Red N?
From what ive been told streaming doesnt really get that much money to the studios. Though the stuff ived seen was for anime studios and explaining why they care so much about blu-ray sales so take that with a pinch of salt.
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 09:31:50 PM
Quote from: SHARK on April 12, 2023, 08:00:51 PM
Quote from: FingerRod on April 12, 2023, 07:27:22 PM
Quote from: GhostNinja on April 12, 2023, 01:44:05 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on April 12, 2023, 12:38:12 PM
Both are correct, he's giving you the total (domestic + international) you have only the domestic.
https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary (https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dungeons-and-Dragons-Honor-Among-Thieves-(2023)#tab=summary)
OK, I stand corrected. Still has a bit to go before it reaches break even.
No, it doesn't. It is less than 30 million from budget. The people claiming 400 million are pulling that number out of their ass. Yet while they are reaching into their gaping brown button, they refuse to reach further to make allowances for merchandise, digital sales, etc.
This leads one to the obvious conclusion that this is more about hatred of Hasbro than anything else.
This movie has been objectively well-received by the people who have seen it. Period. It is not a flop.
And I fucking hate WotC and Hasbro and Jeremy Crawford, and all of their bullshit. I'd service your little ninja in the Macy's window display on Christmas Eve before I'd buy another product with Crawford's name on it.
But I have made a living off of calling balls and strikes. And I won't be blinded by that hatred. This is a good movie and a good time.
Greetings!
Imagining you performing in Macy's Christmas display window! Fucking hilarious! I know that you despise WOTC and the degenerate clowns like Jeremy Crawford. I understand that you enjoyed the film. That's ok, my friend!
I have friends that somehow like Broccoli, or even terrible abominations like "Hawaiian" style pizza. I forgive them for their heresy of even believing that "Hawaiian" style "pizza" is somehow actually pizza. It is a heresy that needs to be denounced everywhere. Call it something else, but it is not traditional Italian-style pizza. ;D
Just like with Broccoli, or "Hawaiian" pizza, I must reject the movie. I shall not see it. Yes, yes, even if I must be like an Old Testament Prophet, or a crazed monk wearing nothing but a Goat-fur tunic, preaching out in the desert wilderness! ;D
Repent! Repent from thy sins! ;D
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
And you rock, sir, we would be fast friends irl. And a top five thing in this hobby would be for me to play in one of your games.
Greetings!
That would be awesome, FingerRod!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Quote from: Naburimannu on April 13, 2023, 03:53:58 AMand the rest of the article may be measuring "success" without actually digging into finances - if something is a massive hit on Netflix post-theatres, how much $$ do the producers get from Big Red N?
The show Nailed It was a major success for Netflix because it got huge viewership numbers and cost almost nothing. Yet nobody was signing up for Netflix because the latest season of Nailed It just dropped. So while Netflix uses (or at least used to use) the metric of dividing the cost of the show by the number of views (i.e the cost per view model) to determine if a show was worth it, that is completely separated from the actual source of income the streaming service needs, which is new subscribers.
While Netflix can evaluate shows on a cost per view basis, and pay accordingly, this doesn't actually help big budget movies as their cost per view is being compared to super cheap shows like Nailed It. And a movie that performs poorly at the box office doesn't have any leverage to negotiate a higher rate based on the idea that it will attract new subscribers.
Of course, the D&D movie was released by Paramount so it has probably already negotiated it's streaming deal on Paramount+ anyway.
My wife and I saw the film last night. She's not a gamer, and enjoyed it more than I did. But it was fine. Not great, but fine.
It was a quip filled, CGI bloated, Marvel style action comedy. If that's not to your taste, you'll hate it. Unfortunately that's Hollywood's formula du jour, irrespective of D&D, WotC, Hasbro, wokeism, racism, OGL, yadda, yadda...
I think the film suffered from trying to be *too* D&D. It was so full of game references, Forgotten Realms lore, and easter eggs that I found it distracting. I think it would have benefitted from having less focus on lore and CGI content from the game and more focus on character and plot development. It might have been both a better and cheaper film for it.
Pine, Grant, and especially Rodriguez were good. The rest of the cast were good enough for what the script gave them, which was not a lot.
Will it be getting the "30th anniversary of..." treatment like Princess Bride? No.
Will it be on my list of B movies I watch every few years for the nostalgia feels like Sword and the Sorcerer? No.
When it ultimately is streaming for free on some service I already subscribe to, would I watch it again? Maybe.
If they made a sequel, would I go see it? Maybe.
In my opinion the film is worth neither the praise nor the criticism that it's received. The things that are "wrong" with it are wrong with 90% of genre movies these days. It was worth the price of admission, once. No more, no less.
Quote from: Festus on April 13, 2023, 01:56:27 PM
My wife and I saw the film last night. She's not a gamer, and enjoyed it more than I did. But it was fine. Not great, but fine.
It was a quip filled, CGI bloated, Marvel style action comedy. If that's not to your taste, you'll hate it. Unfortunately that's Hollywood's formula du jour, irrespective of D&D, WotC, Hasbro, wokeism, racism, OGL, yadda, yadda...
I think the film suffered from trying to be *too* D&D. It was so full of game references, Forgotten Realms lore, and easter eggs that I found it distracting. I think it would have benefitted from having less focus on lore and CGI content from the game and more focus on character and plot development. It might have been both a better and cheaper film for it.
Pine, Grant, and especially Rodriguez were good. The rest of the cast were good enough for what the script gave them, which was not a lot.
Will it be getting the "30th anniversary of..." treatment like Princess Bride? No.
Will it be on my list of B movies I watch every few years for the nostalgia feels like Sword and the Sorcerer? No.
When it ultimately is streaming for free on some service I already subscribe to, would I watch it again? Maybe.
If they made a sequel, would I go see it? Maybe.
In my opinion the film is worth neither the praise nor the criticism that it's received. The things that are "wrong" with it are wrong with 90% of genre movies these days. It was worth the price of admission, once. No more, no less.
Sounds like a dollar theatre movie...if only the one in my town survived covid.
Quote from: Slambo on April 13, 2023, 01:59:59 PM
Quote from: Festus on April 13, 2023, 01:56:27 PM
My wife and I saw the film last night. She's not a gamer, and enjoyed it more than I did. But it was fine. Not great, but fine.
It was a quip filled, CGI bloated, Marvel style action comedy. If that's not to your taste, you'll hate it. Unfortunately that's Hollywood's formula du jour, irrespective of D&D, WotC, Hasbro, wokeism, racism, OGL, yadda, yadda...
I think the film suffered from trying to be *too* D&D. It was so full of game references, Forgotten Realms lore, and easter eggs that I found it distracting. I think it would have benefitted from having less focus on lore and CGI content from the game and more focus on character and plot development. It might have been both a better and cheaper film for it.
Pine, Grant, and especially Rodriguez were good. The rest of the cast were good enough for what the script gave them, which was not a lot.
Will it be getting the "30th anniversary of..." treatment like Princess Bride? No.
Will it be on my list of B movies I watch every few years for the nostalgia feels like Sword and the Sorcerer? No.
When it ultimately is streaming for free on some service I already subscribe to, would I watch it again? Maybe.
If they made a sequel, would I go see it? Maybe.
In my opinion the film is worth neither the praise nor the criticism that it's received. The things that are "wrong" with it are wrong with 90% of genre movies these days. It was worth the price of admission, once. No more, no less.
Sounds like a dollar theatre movie...if only the one in my town survived covid.
100%
Quote from: rocksfalleverybodydies on April 12, 2023, 05:31:51 PM
It's so far off the neo-medieval scale it's gone, but that's well within WotC's range of what product they churn out these days. Why would anyone be shocked by them sticking true to form?
Its set in Forgotten Realms. That has gone so far off neo medieval I'm surprised they dont just start making highrises and freeways.
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 11:42:41 PM
Quote from: cavalier973 on April 12, 2023, 09:56:59 PM
Here is a clip from the movie (spoilers) with a fun (for me) cameo:
https://youtu.be/DrAfMjQLSJM
If only the movie had the main cast eaten, and switched to the kids saving the day. Although I'm sure they'd make Hank a doofus, and have Diana as the leader.
They switched back and fourth on a few episodes. Diana was effectively the second leader. Its just unlike wokeness. It isnt in your face or a bludgeon. It happens more organically.
The difference between writing a story and writing an agenda
Quote from: Omega on April 13, 2023, 07:47:11 PM
Quote from: Grognard GM on April 12, 2023, 11:42:41 PM
Quote from: cavalier973 on April 12, 2023, 09:56:59 PM
Here is a clip from the movie (spoilers) with a fun (for me) cameo:
https://youtu.be/DrAfMjQLSJM
If only the movie had the main cast eaten, and switched to the kids saving the day. Although I'm sure they'd make Hank a doofus, and have Diana as the leader.
They switched back and fourth on a few episodes. Diana was effectively the second leader. Its just unlike wokeness. It isnt in your face or a bludgeon. It happens more organically.
The difference between writing a story and writing an agenda
Diana being competent isn't woke, but the flawless version they'd create, and have constantly belittle the incompetent Hank, would be.