Duncan Jones' Warcraft

[Laderlappen]

He is not seriously making a Warcraft movie?

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

That's the thing though. The generic "Orcs vs. Humans" didn't have a whole lot of story, and thus is fertile ground. A WCIII adaptation, as cool as it is in theory, would absolutely have to be bloated with characters, and...dare I say it, might be a bit too dark to be done live-action. I just don't know how you could tie in the two essential storylines (Arthas' fall and the Legion invasion) in a way that would seem organic.

To me, I would love to see a movie that essentially reboots that first encounter between Orcs and Humans, condensing WC 1 and 2 into one story, that shows the building of the Alliance of Lordaeron and the inner turmoil within the Old Horde. Sure, that would mean that you couldn't have some fan favorite races (Night Elves, Tauren, etc.) but it'd make for a more focused storyline, and actually compel fans of the series into seeing a story that was never really fleshed out within a game. Even WoW kind of glosses over the First and Second Wars, and characters like Lothar and Orgrim Doomhammer have been more or less forgotten. Keep a tight focus in the first film, and suddenly a WCIII adaptation becomes possible, as you don't have to spend a vast portion of the film explaining backstory.

The problem with that is you lose a lot of the uniqueness of the Warcraft Universe if you do that. The whole Humans, Elves, and Dwarves ally to fight back the evil Orcish Horde is just Lord of the Rings Redux. It will be a tougher sell, both to generic audiences and to the Warcraft fanbase that wants to see their favorite characters and storylines. I always thing it is a mistake to take sequels for granted in a franchise that hasn't proven itself. It is best to start off with the best material that the story allows for, make a film that works well as a standalone film and not just the first in a series, but leave it open enough that you can continue if the film happens to be a success.

Exposition I don't see as an issue. Lots of franchises have elaborate backstories that weren't shown (at least at first). Star Wars didn't start with the Clone Wars, Lord of the Rings didn't start with Morgoth, Game of Thrones didn't start with Robert's Rebellion, etc. and the audience was able to pick those up just fine. Plus there is already an established character in Medivh that can easily explain what the audience needs to know.

I do agree that Warcraft III is too elaborate to do the whole thing in one film, but it can be split up to work as individual films without much difficulty, with some parts getting more emphasis than others.

So this is what I would do...

Warcraft: The Scourge of Lordaeron - Make the first film about the Fall of Arthas. There is enough material in this story for a single film, and Arthas killing Terenas is the moment of the series which clearly establishes what kind of film we are dealing with, like Ned's execution in Game of Thrones. That should be a film ender. And if it performs poorly and a sequel doesn't get made it is credible enough to stand as a solo film.

Warcraft: The Reign of Chaos - The other three chapters of the original Warcraft III can be merged into one film covering the Scourge invasion of Lordaeron, the journey to Kalimdor, and the Battle of Mount Hyjal.

Warcraft: The Frozen Throne - Close out the trilogy with the beginnings of the Forsaken and Blood Elves, and Illidan's and Arthas' quests for the throne of the Lich King.

 

[Solidus]

I'm actually excited for this now. I'm a long time WarCraft fan. Since the first one. I've played all three of them, their expansions and World of Warcraft for a few years. I really would love for this to be good. The world/myth they created is just as rich as any, and very well done. So I'm looking forward to this. I really wish they would show the trailer....I know it's not in the film but.

I love Duncan Jones. He is a superb director. So I know at least it should have a possibility of being good. Mixed with the great story from Blizzard (which the Warcraft lore is some of the best out there) hopefully it will be good.

 

[redhawk23]

He is not seriously making a Warcraft movie?

He's actually a huge Warcraft fan and years ago when being interviewed for Moon and Later Source code talked about how much he wished he could have swooped in on this project specifically but how much he was anticipating the Sam Raimi iteration of the movie.

Its actually pretty great that they approached him on this.

 

[Octoberist]

this is the only true Warcraft thread!

 

[Lord]

By now Warcraft is really old, while it's still full of players each year it has less and less, then again, maybe this film will give them a reason to update.

 

[Teelie]

They do update, it's just their updates have not been retaining players, like me. It got to the point where you were grinding out dozens of daily quests a day and if you had more than one character...

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Character and story details from Bleeding Cool:

We've spent the last few days putting together some puzzle pieces and working out just what's going on with Duncan Jones' Warcraft movie. This time last week, my only impressions of what the film might entail had come from a "tone trailer" screened at San Diego Comic-Con, the games themselves and an appreciation of Jones' previous work.

Now, though, an image has come together of where the project is headed and it looks like Jones is planning a full-blooded fantasy movie, as much like John Millius' Conan as The Lord of the Rings. This is definitely proper Sword and Sorcery stuff.

I've come to understand that the film's story is not an adaptation of World of Warcraft, and instead takes place around the events of the first couple of Warcraft games, 'real time strategy' classics of the mid-90s. If nothing else, this will leave room for a series of subsequent films adapting the ongoing in-game narrative.

The lead character seems set to be Khadgar, a young consul to the Kirin Tor senate, rulers of the city of Dalaran. Early in the story, Khadgar is charged with investigating a series of crimes that have rocked the city, but as we go on, we'll find that his mission leads him intoa quest beyond the city walls.

Then there's his mentor, Medivh, a mage and the sworn protector of mankind against demonkind. Johnny Depp was rumoured for a role almost as soon as the film was announced, and while I can't find any substance to those rumours, at least not right now, I'm sure this would be the part he was up for. Not quite Gandalf meets Captain Jack Sparrow, he's actually a more morally complex character than will be at first revealed. Expect him to be a scene stealer, too.

And set on a collision course with Medivh is Lothar, The Lion of Azeroth, leader of the King's Army. He's brave but maybe a touch too bold. In a straight down the middle version of the film, this might be the role The "Dwayne Johnson" Rock would go up for, though I'm imagining somebody like Mark Strong could carry just the right amount of pride and gravity.

And then there are the King and his Lady too, playing key supporting roles. Expect to see some well-loved actors in these parts.

I've got less of an idea of the specific Orc characters involved, but there's definitely plenty of them, and I know that their story will be intimately entwined with that of Medivh. We can also expect to see dwarves, trolls, elves, revenants and wraiths.

The impression I've picked up, from a few sources and the information I've been passed, is that this project makes no concessions to tidy mainstreaming, or chewing the gristle out of its meaty, raw fantasy ideas. The names are big and a spellcheck unfriendly, there will be mythical creatures all over the place, the magic will flow and so will the talk of prophecies and ancient artefacts.

Jones promised at San Diego that production on Warcraft will start early next year, which makes a 2015 release date look good.

I'm sure that concept art is being developed right now, which means that an awful lot of artists will be having the time of their lives. I can't wait to see what they're coming up with.

Much, much more on Warcraft over the coming months and years, I'm sure.

 

[Rez]

Now whose baby do I need to sacrifice to get a StarCraft movie made?

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I've come to understand that the film's story is not an adaptation of World of Warcraft, and instead takes place around the events of the first couple of Warcraft games, 'real time strategy' classics of the mid-90s. If nothing else, this will leave room for a series of subsequent films adapting the ongoing in-game narrative.

I still maintain that this approach is a mistake.

 

[Octoberist]

I think it's fine and it can build up to WOW. Also, WOW itself doesn't have these iconic characters as the main heroes. It's about creating your own avatar and such, so I don't blame them.

 

[Octoberist]

Character and story details from Bleeding Cool:

I'm always a fan of the 'Joseph Campbell/RPG gaming/ cast of characters, where characters from different backgrounds unite for a common purpose. We rarely see them anything like that besides in the original Star Wars or Lord of the Rings/Hobbit.

 

[Octoberist]

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=230762&page=5&highlight=warcraft

Somebody just merge these two.

I've PM someone about it.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

I think it's fine and it can build up to WOW. Also, WOW itself doesn't have these iconic characters as the main heroes. It's about creating your own avatar and such, so I don't blame them.

I'm always a fan of the 'Joseph Campbell/RPG gaming/ cast of characters, where characters from different backgrounds unite for a common purpose. We rarely see them anything like that besides in the original Star Wars or Lord of the Rings/Hobbit.

Both good points and seconded.

 

[MadVillainy]

I like Duncan Jones a lot and I liek fantasy movies. However, I dont see this doing that well at the box office, but I see Jones delivering on a good movie

 

[MrMaooz]

I like Duncan Jones a lot and I liek fantasy movies. However, I dont see this doing that well at the box office, but I see Jones delivering on a good movie

We'll see. I think this would be good as an April release.

 

[Octoberist]

A part of me thinks it'll do good.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I think it's fine and it can build up to WOW. Also, WOW itself doesn't have these iconic characters as the main heroes. It's about creating your own avatar and such, so I don't blame them.

WOW is pretty much the same as the Warcraft III timeline and it has plenty of central characters to use (Varian, Thrall, Sylvanas, Malfurion, etc.). Warcraft certainly isn't lacking for characters.

 

[Octoberist]

Even then the characters described in that synopsis are from the games; it's not like they went out to create new characters, in which IS annoying.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Even then the characters described in that synopsis are from the games; it's not like they went out to create new characters, in which IS annoying.

No, but they are a whole generation from the characters most of the fanbase is familiar with. Warcraft has grown substantially in popularity since the first two DOS games.

 

[Octoberist]

Well...ZOINKS! Now that's a debate I won't get into because I'm not familiar with the franchise, nor an attachment.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

I don't expect this to be a huge hit. I just want to see a good Warcraft movie.

 

[Octoberist]

I can see it being a hit. Duncan has proven he can create tangible realities. If he's able to create, like what the article say, a tone akin to Conan meets Lord of the Rings, it could be really special.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Yeah but the Lord of the Rings books were already insanely well-known. WoW is a very popular online game, arguably the most popular, but I'm not sure if it will have the same draw. We'll see, because I do want it to be a hit.

 

[Octoberist]

We'll see. I don't know. Usually with a trailer, you need the hook that grabs the common person.

With the Inception teaser/trailers, you had building folding and hallways spinning. Joe Public wants to see what the deal is with that weird stuff..not that it's a Chris Nolan film.

With Pac Rim, I kept on hearing the Transformers comparisons. But for Joe Public, why is that bad thing? Why bad mouth that, and then buy your ticket to Transformers 4? It's beyond me. I also think that GDT should've had more variety in the fights; because in the trailers, it looks like it came from the same fight (at night in the rain) You get what I'm trying to say?

At least Warcraft has something, an IP, that is out there. That is it's crutch and unfortunately that's how movies can get made and become hits these days. And if it has a bad ass hook, and can create a compelling world, then you're set.

We'll see. To me, it's a wild card. There's no way in predicting it.