It’s not enough that more than eight million people have forsworn society, sunlight and the real world to ensconce themselves in the magical world of Azeroth, soon this most obsessively popular of computer games will be taking over multiplexes as well. The World of Warcraft film is on its way and at the recent BlizzCon event (thrown by the game’s developer, Blizzard) it was announced that it will be with us the year after next.
Producer Thomas Tull confirmed a planned 2009 release date for the movie, estimating a healthy budget of $100 million for the fantasy adaptation. He also announced a number of other interesting facts points that will mean different things depending on how steeped you are in Warcraft lore. So, for the more obsessive WoWheads among you, supplementary information will be included in red for your convenience.
The plot is to take place approximately one year before the game begins. The film will be set in a period subsequent to the Third War. The exact time is unclear but it looks likely to be after Illidan fled to Outland and soon after the Thrall and his allies drove Admiral Proudmore from Theramore. It's also likely to be before the Forsaken or Blood Elves joined the Horde or the Exodar crash-landed, introducing the Draenei to the Alliance. The film will be concerned with full- scale war between the world's factions rather than any kind of individual quest. It's going to be more like a match in Alterac Valley than running an instance. So those of you hoping for Blackrock Depths the movie, with a pitched battle against Dark Iron hordes in the Lyceum followed by our hero wrenching the Dreadforge Retaliator from Emperor Thaurissan’s cold dead hands, will be sadly disappointed.
The protagonists will come from among the Elves, humans, gnomes and dwarves as they struggle against the orcs, trolls, undead and minotaur-like taurens. It's going to be a weaksauce Alliance film, leaving long-time Hordies with no choice but to suck-it up and abandon the comforting orange hues of Orgrimmar for the girlie-white walls of Stormwind City. Horde ftw!
The film will aim to as closely as possible represent the different character classes that make up the game, so expect to see clear delineations between backstabbing rogue types (in full Deathmantle, naturally) and, demon-toting, curse-throwing Warlocks (nerf plz, Death Coil wtf pwns).
Younger players (n00bs) won't miss out either as the film is to aim for a PG-13 rating. That does mean Warcraft will be light on gore and swearing (unlike General chat) but such restrictions didn't seem to cause Peter Jackson <Wingnut Films> too much trouble.
With the global popularity of the game growing every day (Laaaaaag), be sure to book your seats well in advance come 2009 (LFG).
I hope they write a good script and make some awsome effects. I think realism will make the movie better. The prolog I think should be like LOTR so you get sucked in to that universe in a cool and convincing way.
I hope they get it right ... Read More
When i read this in Empire yesterday my head nearly expolded and when i told my brother by the look on his face so did his.
I'm soooo excited.
I've been playing WoW for like 3 years now and I've always thought they should make a film of it.
I won't care if it gets bad reviews and I don't think anyone else that plays the game will.
I gona go see it at the cinema anyway. ... Read More
Has the potential to be good but I can't help feeling that at the worst, it will be a clone of Eragon, or at best a very poor man's Lord of the Rings. Don't think it will be getting any accolades. ... Read More
L: Nigel_Tufnel
Seraphim - I play WoW and don't consider myself to be a stereotypical nerd. You, however, do seem to be a stereotypical net-troll and generally a bit of a dick.
But you are right, this movie will be shit. Doesn't matter though, it'll still clean up at the box office. Plus, anyone who doesn't actually play WoW can't really comment on whether there is enough lore there to warrant a decent movie, because frankly you have no way of knowing what you're talking about.
... Read More
Seraphim - I play WoW and don't consider myself to be a stereotypical nerd. You, however, do seem to be a stereotypical net-troll and generally a bit of a dick.
But you are right, this movie will be shit. Doesn't matter though, it'll still clean up at the box office. Plus, anyone who doesn't actually play WoW can't really comment on whether there is enough lore there to warrant a decent movie, because frankly you have no way of knowing what you're talking about.
Each to their own, but the... Read More
Don't worry Seraphim, I'm with you on this one. I played RPG's online for a while (not WoW though) and I found so many truly disturbed nerds there that it turned me off it for good and filled me with a comparable hate for this kind of stuff that is actually programmed in a way to make people stay online for ages to play. Though I feel less sad for teenage boy nerds than for the little children of American housewives who spend all day online and who take care of their children in little breaks b... Read More
I've kept my hatred bottled up for too long now. The movie WILL be shit and if you play this (or any other computer game) for more than an hour and a half a day, you are a no good, stereotypical nerd (you know the type of stock character from teen movies) and if you were to die, it would have no consequences for anyone else in society. The game rewards people for playing as often as possible and for that matter should, in my opinion be banned. Too much emphasis has been placed on food causing b... Read More
