Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Duncan Jones has high expectations for Warcraft film]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/03/duncan-jones-has-high-expectations-for-warcraft-film/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/03/duncan-jones-has-high-expectations-for-warcraft-film/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/03/duncan-jones-has-high-expectations-for-warcraft-film/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Video game adaptations generally make for pretty bad cinema. Whether its Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, or Tomb Raider, films that originate on a PC or gaming console aren't normally mentioned in the same breath as Citizen Kane or The Godfather. Duncan Jones, director of 2009's indie smash Moon (and the forthcoming Jake Gyllenhaal vehicle Source Code), says that perception could change with Sam Raimi's World of Warcraft adaptation.

"I really believe World of Warcraft could be the launch of computer games as good films. And from the little I've read of interviews with him the way he's approaching it makes so much sense," Jones told Badass Digest over the holidays.

So why have so many video game adaptations failed to capture audience hearts and minds? Jones posits that it may be due to the fact that few filmmakers understand games or gamers. "I'm very cynical of the number of directors who say they're actual gamers [...] I'm a real gamer and I think there are less real gamers involved in directing only because you have to spend so much time making films that there's no time to be a hardcore gamer," he said.

MassivelyDuncan Jones has high expectations for Warcraft film originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cultureduncan-jonesfilminterviewsjake-gyllenhaalmmo-industrymoonsam-raimisource-codeWorld-of-Warcraftwowwow-filmwow-movieMon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW movie still needs a writer, Blizzard's CGI team won't be involved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/wow-movie-still-needs-a-writer-blizzard-cgi-team-wont-be-invol/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/wow-movie-still-needs-a-writer-blizzard-cgi-team-wont-be-invol/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/wow-movie-still-needs-a-writer-blizzard-cgi-team-wont-be-invol/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When you've just released an expansion pack that sold more copies than most major stand-alone releases, all in less than 24 hours, you know you're sitting on a goldmine of a franchise. Blizzard, of course, is aware of this, what with World of Warcraft getting a licensed miniature game and a coming feature film adaptation.

And speaking of the feature film adaptation, we have some elusive news about that. MTV's Multiplayer blog had a chat with Blizzard's Frank Pearce about the project. The scoop is that the studio, Legendary Pictures, is still looking for a screenwriter and director. Obviously, that means the movie is very early in development.

MTV also asked Pearce if Blizzard's own world-renowned CGI animators would be involved in producing the special effects for the movie. Pearce said that the suggestion has "come up in discussions but it's not something we've really considered because it takes so long to generate just the brief amount of footage that we create for the game."

MassivelyWoW movie still needs a writer, Blizzard's CGI team won't be involved originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animationblizzardcgicomputer-animationdirectorfilmfrank-pearceinterviewlegendary-picturesmoviescreenwriterworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-moviewowwow-movieFri, 21 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Since the WoW movie probably won't happen anyway, here's why it shouldn't]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/31/since-the-wow-movie-probably-wont-happen-anyway-heres-why-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/31/since-the-wow-movie-probably-wont-happen-anyway-heres-why-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/31/since-the-wow-movie-probably-wont-happen-anyway-heres-why-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Above is the sole bit of evidence that the World of Warcraft movie has seen any completed work at all -- one item of concept art. We know very little about the film, and the only news we've gotten recently is that Uwe Boll will not be directing it (admittedly that's very good news). Joystiq blogger Kevin Kelly is perfectly fine with that, as he wrote a blog entry over at Spout about why this movie really oughtn't ever get made at all.

Three reasons were provided: Dungeons & Dragons was a disaster, it couldn't earn back its huge budget even if every WoW player in the world went to see it, not even most WoW players know what the story of the game really is. There was a fourth reason, too, but it isn't so much a reason as why it shouldn't be made as why it won't be -- the concept art is all we have after two years.

It's true that the movie couldn't make it on WoW players alone; it'd have to be appealing to people unfamiliar with the franchise, too. But we really doubt that's going to happen, and it doesn't matter anyway because, as we said, it probably will never get made!

[Via WoW Insider]

MassivelySince the WoW movie probably won't happen anyway, here's why it shouldn't originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardcinemadungeons-and-dragonsfilmlegendary-picturesmovieopinionworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-moviewowwow-movieFri, 31 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What would make the WoW movie cool?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/the-daily-grind-what-would-make-the-wow-movie-cool/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/the-daily-grind-what-would-make-the-wow-movie-cool/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/the-daily-grind-what-would-make-the-wow-movie-cool/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


We're willing to bet that when it was announced that Blizzard gave the go-ahead to Legendary Pictures to help them create a World of Warcraft movie, intense arguments erupted among the faithful. The camps are probably equally divided between "Hell, it's about time" and "Worst. Idea. Ever." There is some reason to hope, given that it's being co-written by Blizzard Vice President of Creative Development Chris Metzen. Then again, description of the main character as a "kick-ass human" makes it sound as though it's going to go in a direction that favors a lowest-common-denominator approach, which doesn't always work out for the true fans.

So, what will make this movie stand out for you? Adherence to canon? Exclusion of known actors in favor of relative unknowns? Hot gnome-on-gnome action?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What would make the WoW movie cool? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardcanonchris-metzengnome-on-gnomekick-ass-humanworld-of-warcraftwow-movieWed, 21 May 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Uwe Boll won't be making a World of Warcraft film]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/uwe-boll-wont-be-making-a-world-of-warcraft-film/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/uwe-boll-wont-be-making-a-world-of-warcraft-film/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/uwe-boll-wont-be-making-a-world-of-warcraft-film/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's been known for some time that Blizzard has a movie adaptation of their popular World of Warcraft MMO in the works. The movie panel at last year's BlizzCon event was chock full of details, and it really seemed like they were on track. So you have to wonder at what point it got into Uwe Boll's head to approach the company about the possibility of directing such a film. Boll talks about his contact with the folks at Blizzard in a new interview with the MTV Movies blog.

As you might imagine, Blizzard's response was in the negative. If you can believe Boll, their response was, "We will not sell the movie rights, not to you...especially not to you." The famed schlock director went on, "Because it's such a big online game success, maybe a bad movie would destroy that ongoing income, what the company has with it." The MTV Movie blog notes with glee that his hypothetical movie, in his estimation, would have been 'bad'. So why do one at all? We here at Massively would just like to take this opportunity to thank Blizzard for recognizing the difference between directing talent and navel lint.

MassivelyUwe Boll won't be making a World of Warcraft film originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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