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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsSam Raimi thinks a Warcraft movie has potential
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 23rd 2008 at 1:00PM
The hottest topic that didn't get discussed at BlizzCon this year was the WoW movie -- last year, we had a whole panel dedicated to how it was going, but this year, all we got was a vague mention that it's still being worked on. Still, the biggest question that hangs in the air is just who might direct it, and we've got our first rumor: Sam Raimi, he of Spiderman and The Evil Dead series. He's not exactly hired yet, but he is quoted by MTV Movies as being interested in the Warcraft story and universe.He's got my greenlight -- I don't know how good a movie it would be (Spiderman 3 is proof that Raimi, quirky as he is, can go off the rails at times), but any movie with Bruce Campbell in it works for me. And you know we'd get at least a cameo if Raimi took the helm. But at the very least, it sounds like Raimi has the right ideas to get a Warcraft movie together: "It has such great, adventurous characters in it," he says, "and such fantastic landscapes and rules."
If you're going to start looking for directors, you could definitely do a lot worse. At least we know Uwe Boll will never direct it.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Machinima, Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
A Firetruck Oct 23rd 2008 1:49PM
its being done by Legendary Pictures(300, Dark Night) so hopefully we wont have to much to worry about
Candina@WH Oct 23rd 2008 2:10PM
I don't know. Legendary is mainly a 'financed by' type of production.
But I do like their filmograhpy.
Somehow, I don't think they will put the Horde in a good light.
Unless they do the Thrall story. That might work in todays climate. Make the humans a surrogate for 'the government' and Thrall a champion of the little guy.
Frank Smith Oct 23rd 2008 2:04PM
i think this guy did Xena: Warrior Princess, which was terribly fun for a cheesy-ish series.
can't wait :D
pitpati Oct 23rd 2008 2:20PM
Coincidentally Sam Raimis birthday is today (10/23)
D.O.T. Oct 23rd 2008 2:26PM
I’ve watched Spiderman 3 and while it was an OK movie to watch (special effects were awesome!) The story itself was riddled with faulty characterization and plot points that went no where. It wasn’t a BAD movie so don’t mistake what I say, it just wasn’t what I would have considered epic given that the editing of the story line could have used work.
If I’m going to watch a WoW movie, I want it to be for a great story line... not something they half-assed their way through.
Nick S Oct 23rd 2008 2:29PM
I personally thought Spider-man 3 was a bad movie... as soon as Tobey Maguire started dancing I stopped watching in disgust.
Nick S Oct 23rd 2008 2:28PM
WoW movie concepts that I think would work:
- Illidan, Malfurion, and Tyrande. Epic love story, betrayal, war, madness, demons... this concept has it all. Plus, who doesn't want to see the 'glaives rendered into high-detail full motion?
- Sylvanas and the Forsaken. I love playing Forsaken toons mostly because of their story. "Did you think we had forgotten? Did you think we had forgiven? Behold, now, the terrible vengeance of the Forsaken!"
- Something small, focused on individuals during a larger event in WoW. Think "The Dreamers" but with Blood Elves.
In any case, there's absolutely no reason not to commit massive resources to this project; they have a huge built-in audience which is well known to demand perfection - if some studio can deliver a good movie, they stand to break box office records.
M@ Oct 23rd 2008 2:59PM
I agree w/ Lemons - I'd like to see a more "serious" adaptation than something cheesy and campy. *(reference the Dungeons & Dragons movie fiasco, or the Eragorn trainwreck)
A good balance would be Guillermo Del Toro at the helm.
And they shouldn't (and well, CAN'T) do all the lore. WOW is such a rich and three dimensional history that it would be best for them to take one slice and develop it, leaving room for sequels.
TheDeceiver Oct 23rd 2008 3:12PM
I do think bruce would be cool to see in a wow movie as say a human. He could pull off the funny. The same guy that played the dwarf on LOTR would be a good choice in my opinion for a dwarf. But i would love to see bruce i nthe movie. IF you have been following Burn notice, you'll know that bruce can pull of a more seroius tone if he had to as well as his funny nature and still make the movie good enouhg to not be B rated by any means. Who else would you liek to see as a particular race?
Vierdante Oct 23rd 2008 3:21PM
I'd love to see the Forsaken in the movie simply because they add an element of, "Ya, we're friendly, but not friends". However, I would be even more excited to see the huge Tauren walking about. Nothing would be cooler than to see cows walking upright carrying large staffs and swords. Just fill that big screen up baby!
Amaxe Oct 23rd 2008 3:29PM
Heh... one wonders what it would really be like to see a Warcraft movie, if it was to capture the real experience of Warcraft...
Rogue: Table Plz
Mage: On cooldown
Soldier 1: Come on, let's go capture the tower, who's got Bal?
Soldier 1: Come on, who's got D?
Soldier 2: WTF? Who capped IBGY? NEVER cap IBGY!
Soldier 3: TP under attack
Soldier 1: Put those people at Bal on report
Herald: Stonehearth Bunker has been destroyed by the Horde
Soldier 1:WTF? What happened to the D???
Soldier 4: Someone reported us for being AFK so we had to move
Soldier 1: This group sucks so bad!
Soldier 2: So what have you been doing?
Herald: The Horde have captured Tower Point
Stormpike: Soldiers of Stormpike, your General is under attack! I require aid! Come! Come! Slay these mangy Frostwolf dogs
Soldier 1: This is the worst group ever! Report Soldier 4 for AFK
Stormpike: You'll never get me out of me bunker, heathens!
Soldier 2: Time left on TB?
Soldier 3: 30 seconds
Herald: The Horde have captured Iceblood tower
Soldier 1: ****! You n00bs!
Soldier 4: Next time don't report me AFK, moron!
TheDeceiver Oct 23rd 2008 3:50PM
Edit on my last post. While i would like to see bruce do one of the races in the game like a bloodelf or a human. If you follow Burn notice any you know he can do the seroius bit very well with small amounts of humor injected for a tad of flavor to keep it from being boring. I do agree as well that trying to fit ALL that lore into one movie is one problem with holly wood I mean look at SP3 they MADE venom Fit into the movie. It would have needed to be more like three movies i mean the whole comic book took a LARGe number of comics to get him out of the suit so how could they get him out in one? but i digress! As much as it pains me to play the waiting game, I want this movie done right give us some GOOD story. And maybe have it tie to a new xpansion???
5318008 Oct 23rd 2008 6:35PM
Why are people obsessed with live-action translations? If WoW did get made into a movie I'd be much happier to see it as a CG version. Just use a higher quality, re--vamped version of however they make their intro cinematics!
draeth Oct 23rd 2008 6:38PM
I would only want to see a WoW movie if it were done with an immense about of violence, a deep and well thought out plot, and some half naked blood elves. The only way for that too happen would be by rating the movie R which blizzard will never do, it will be a PG-13 Eragon or even worse, that crappy D&D movie from like 10 yrs ago that had one of the wayans brothers.....RAGE....
draeth Oct 23rd 2008 6:40PM
LOL! I just read M@'s post, which is basically identical to mine, thats what i get for not reading every comment.
Zhaoan Oct 23rd 2008 8:24PM
In the vain hopes that someone of consequence at Blizzard looks at this, is it really that hard to get together a focus group of real players to preview the script? By real player, I don't mean some movie industry guy who's seen his son play the game. I mean a group that includes at least a few people who have seen t6 content. It seems like the fans usually get it right about what is good and what is garbage. I remember when the studio that made "Catwoman" released a photo of what the costume was gonna look like and the fans instantly knew the movie was gonna be an absolute stinker.
OneAxeHole Oct 23rd 2008 9:08PM
A good start that blends in the theme would be the starting narrator talking to the male lead (apparently it should be a male human instead of dwarf) of his conviction and mission in protecting blah...blah...blah....
Then there is where he will meet a female priest/mage and start their epic journey and come across with a hot-tempered Dwarf, with the lil help from a mysterious hunter & rogue, where they saved an injured Dranei lying beside the beachsands at Darkshore, where suddenly came the hordes assaulting Ashenvale.... O_o
Pros: Introduce the story of WoW based on storyline
Cons: WoW players would be able to anticipate the series of events in WoW while watching and zzz.... >.>
Vorgaak Oct 24th 2008 1:11AM
im excited - but I was more excited until I heard that it would feature the alliance... sucky
Charlie Oct 24th 2008 7:47AM
I would love to see someone like Danny Boyle (28 Days Later/Trainspotting) do the movie, just to give it an added twist.
If Raimi directed and didn't write the script i think it would be ok. He directed SMan 1&2, he helped to write 3.
The Best Choice? Darren Aronofsky! Director or Pi and Requiem for Dream. That would be one awsome WIII movie.
Funny note about Aronofsky. Acording do IMDB, he's directing the 2010 version of Robocop.
Kary Oct 24th 2008 8:34AM
I've always thought that the human male voice sounded like Bruce Campbell. He'd be perfect for a cameo.