What we know about the Warcraft movie

Last week, we reported that the Warcraft movie may be on its way. Previously there had been speculation that the film's development would be pushed back, since director Sam Raimi was tied up by problems with Spider-Man 4. Raimi then unexpectedly walked away from Spider-Man 4, citing creative reasons, and it suddenly looked hopeful that he might soon be turning his attention to the Warcraft film.

So now, in preparation for more news on the film, we will be bringing you up to date on what we currently know about the Warcraft movie.

Who

• Legendary Pictures will be producing the film. The company purchased the rights to the film from Blizzard in May 2006. Legendary Pictures' impressive resume includes Batman Begins, 300, Watchmen, and The Hangover.

• Sam Raimi, director of The Evil Dead series and, of course, the Spider-Man franchise, was announced as director for the Warcraft film in July 2009.

• Robert Rodat will be writing the script, according to an October 2009 interview with Raimi. Rodat is the screenwriter for Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot.

What

• There is currently no confirmation that the lead character will be an existing character in Warcraft lore. Raimi said in his October interview that he wanted to make a film about the game itself, meaning a film that features the land and lore of Azeroth.

• Chris Metzen said at Blizzcon 2007, that the Warcraft movie will definitely be a war movie, not a quest movie like The Lord of the Rings. Given Rodat was picked for the script, this fits the bill.

• Metzen also said Thrall will be in the movie during that same panel. This may be subject to change now that Raimi and Rodat are on the film, but Horde fans can hope!

Where

There is no confirmation on a shooting location yet, but rumors at Ain't It Cool News mention Raimi is in communication with "a certain legendary locale." This may mean that we will soon be seeing more of New Zealand. This would be appropriate given the director's experience there. Raimi was the producer for the television series Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, both of which were filmed in New Zealand. If Blizzard and Legendary Pictures had New Zealand in mind from the start, it may be one of the reasons Raimi was selected for the film.

When

This is the big question, and unfortunately there is no answer to it yet. When we know, you will.