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Warcraft movie director open to sequels, hints at WoW cross-promotion
In an interview with 2P.com, Director Duncan Jones said that there are no current plans for a Warcraft movie sequel, but he's open to the possibility if 2016's film does well: "Hopefully, if I have done my job right, people will want to know and see more! There is certainly plenty more to tell!" Jones discussed how the movie will focus on the tragic first contact between Orcs and Humans, with heroes on both sides. "I think that for a world with so much newness to explain, this was a wise choice, especially when so many people in our audience may not know anything about Warcraft," he said. "It was important that some of our characters would be seeing the world fresh as well, and that the audience could see the situation through their eyes." When asked about the possibility of a cross-promotional effort between World of Warcraft and the movie, Jones said that there are "many ideas" on the table right now but offered up no specifics.
Filming wraps on the WoW movie
Director Duncan Jones says that's a wrap on his World of Warcraft film adaptation. "Final day on Warcraft now officially... wrapped," he tweeted. "Off to bed for three hours before a meeting in the AM. Good night/ good morning Twitter!" The movie is expected in March of 2016. Its cast includes Vikings' Travis Fimmel and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol's Paula Patton.
Warcraft movie is a wrap
A little over four months after it began, and filming for the Warcraft movie has officially wrapped, according to a tweet made by Director Duncan Jones yesterday. Of course this is really just the beginning, as the film is slated for an incredibly long bout -- 20 months or so -- of post production, in which visual effects will be added and the film fine-tuned. The release date is still set for March 11, 2016, so they have plenty of time to get it polished. Final day on Warcraft now officially... wrapped!! Off to bed for 3 hours before a meeting in the AM. Goodnight/good morning twitter!- Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) May 23, 2014 With filming coming to a close, one has to wonder if we'll be seeing trailers or footage any time soon. Comic-Con International will be hitting San Diego in late July, and given that last year's convention saw some teaser footage before filming even began, it seems like more footage this year is a distinct possibility. And we'd be silly to think that this year's BlizzCon won't contain at least one panel regarding the film. I have to say, given exactly how long people have been talking about the possibility of a Warcraft film, it seems a little surreal that one actually exists now. Are you looking forward to seeing the finished product?
Legendary East strikes deal over Warcraft film distribution
You're probably familiar with the Burbank-based company Legendary Entertainment, at least because they're the powerhouse behind the "Warcraft" film. Their affiliate, Legendary East, has recently announced that the largest film distributor in China, China Film Co., has made an eight-figure investment in two of Legendary's upcoming films--"Seventh Son" and, you guessed it, "Warcraft." If either film gets released in China, China Film Co. will be the one to distribute it. This is an interesting development because until 2012 China capped the number of foreign films allowed into the country every year at 20. The current limit is 34. It does make sense that Chinese film distributors would be very interested in having the Warcraft movie be one of those 34 allowed films, because World of Warcraft is hugely popular in China. Legendary Entertainment currently lists the Warcraft movie as being scheduled for release on March 11th, 2016.
Dominic Cooper added to Warcraft movie cast, speaks briefly about story
Dominic Cooper has become the latest actor to sign on for the Warcraft movie. This was rumored previously but he has now confirmed his involvement. He will co-star alongside the already announced Travis Fimmell, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Robert Kazinsky, Clancy Brown, Toby Kebbell, and Daniel Wu. Speaking to Crave Online, Cooper had the following to say about the story: "There's a very human story at the heart of it because there's a few of us that are humans in it that are up against tribes and problematic issues that exist in the world that we exist in," Cooper said. "It's happening all over the world at the moment and you see it happening all over. People have savaged their own lands and their own environment and they're having to find a new environment in which to move into through the hostility of others." We heard at BlizzCon from Director Duncan Jones that Warcraft will be an orcs vs. humans origin story told equally from both sides. Anduin Lothar will be the hero for the humans, while Durotan, father of Thrall, will be the hero for the orcs. Warcraft begins shooting this year in Vancouver, Canada and will hit theaters on March 11, 2016.
Casting for Warcraft movie continues
Two weeks ago, we heard about the first actors selected to be in the upcoming movie based on the Warcraft universe. Now we learn about two more who will be joining the cast of the movie set to release March 11th, 2016. Universal Pictures has announced that Clancy Brown and Daniel Wu will be in the production. Besides acting in movies like Homefront, Highlander, and Shawshank Redemption and television series like Sleepy Hollow, Brown has done a great deal of voice-over work, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Wu is best known for his roles in Chinese-language films as an actor as well as a director and a producer.
WoW-Playing Actress Michele Morrow: Less Sylvanas, more chaotically awesome
When we first met actress Michele Morrow in 2010, she was inching her way across the shallow field comprising the Hollywood crowd that plays World of Warcraft. It appeared to be a successful combination for Michele; in fact, for a while it seemed the horror flick star might actually be becoming best known as "that actress who wants to play Lady Sylvanas in a WoW movie," courtesy of a vocal Facebook page created by an enthusiastic fan. While Sylvanas doesn't now appear to be spawning in the upcoming WoW movie, Michele's been popping up not only in Azeroth itself (with a commemorative NPC on Wandering Isle) but on gamer and nerd websites across the internet and in gaming-related film projects slated to begin hitting in 2014. Reconnecting with Michele at BlizzCon 2013 unspooled a reel of geekery worth investigating anew, as well as relatable tales of the sort of down-to-earth, casual raiding and in-game friendships that so many players enjoy as the WoW experience today.
Are we ready for WoW: The Musical?
The more I hear about the Warcraft movie, the more excited I get. Everything seems to be lining up pretty well so far, and what we finally see on screen will no doubt live up to Blizzard's exemplary cinematic standards. But I think it's safe to assume that we'll probably see a fairly straight narrative story. Is there a different option? Following certain horrible precedents, could something like WoW: The Musical work out? Imagine Thrall singing an Azerothian, "I dreamed a dream of Horde's gone by!" or Ragnaros reprising some version of Hellfire. All things considered, maybe the music of Warcraft resembles in-universe chants like we saw from the Hobbit movies. Music, sure, but music that makes sense in the theme of the story. I can't help but hope, though. And if our favorite characters were to bust out into song, what would they sing? What kind of music are you hoping to see in the movie?
Robert Kazinsky, Warcraft movie actor, reveals he is a huge WoW fan
Yesterday, Legendary Pictures revealed some of the principal cast members for the upcoming Warcraft movie, which is slated to begin filming in January and will be released on March 11, 2016. One of the actors revealed was Robert Kazinsky, who you may remember from Pacific Rim (as seen above) or season 6 of True Blood. Kazinsky tweeted he is a longtime WoW player, with 463 days /played and several max level characters. I had every class at 80 and 85, currently have five 90's, main is a DK and has been since 3.1, one of the good ones though. - Robert Kazinsky (@RobertKazinsky) December 5, 2013 Judging by his tweets he seems very excited to be a part of the project, and it's fun to know at least one of the main cast members is an avid WoW player. You can check out our Warcraft movie liveblog from BlizzCon to learn what little we know about the film's plot and characters so far.
Dominic Cooper rumored to be joining Warcraft film cast
If you thought yesterday's cast announcement would slow down the Warcraft film rumors, you would be wrong because the rumors keep flying. Today we're hearing that Dominic Cooper -- whom you might know from Captain America or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter -- may be joining the cast as well. And though this isn't confirmed, quite a few of the past movie casting rumors have proven true -- and, who knows, we may still see Colin Farrell joining the cast. Still, none of the rumors have given a hint as to who's playing what, so there's still a lot we don't know about the upcoming Warcraft movie. Come on, Blizzard, can we at least get a hint?
First cast members for World of Warcraft movie revealed
If you were secretly hoping your leet World of Warcraft skills would land you a leading role in the upcoming live-action movie adaptation, we hate to burst your bubble but the first cast members have been revealed. Universal Pictures has announced that Ben Foster, Paula Patton, Rob Kazinsky, Travis Fimme, and Toby Kebbell have all be signed on to the project. Another cast member, Dominic Cooper, was named, but remains in negotiation. Each of the stars have various television and film credits to their name. The Azeroth-based movie is set to release in 2016 after being delayed from December 2015.
WoW movie release date moved to March 2016
The World of Warcraft movie has been delayed until 2016 according to a Blizzard tweet and a press release from Legendary Pictures. WoW Insider first reported on the tweet, which mentions the film's release day moving from December 18, 2015 to March 11, 2016. Filming is scheduled to start in January, 2014, with Moon and Source Code auteur Duncan Jones in the director's chair.
World of Warcraft film names lead actor
He's rugged, he's beardy, and now he's going to Azeroth to be a major motion picture star. Legendary Pictures has chosen actor Travis Fimmel to be a lead in its upcoming World of Warcraft movie. Fimmel is currently starring in History Channel's Vikings, where he plays rugged, beardy Ragnar. Variety says that he will fill one of four main roles in Warcraft, although his character is currently unknown. Colin Farrel and Paula Patton are also heavily rumored to take part in the film. Warcraft will be directed by Duncan Jones and written by Charles Leavitt. Production is slated to begin early next year.
The Daily Grind: What MMO would you like to see made into a movie?
So, that WoW movie has an official release date. It also has a skillful director, which is both good and bad. It's good because Duncan Jones may actually make a watchable film from video game source material. It's bad because I would've gotten a laugh out of Uwe Boll or one of his contemporaries soiling Blizzard's brand on the big screen. At any rate, assuming the WoW flick is financially successful, it could possibly pave the way for further MMO-to-film adaptations. Is there a particular massively multiplayer property you'd like to see made into a movie? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Rumor: Colin Farrell and Paula Patton to lead World of Warcraft film
Here's one from the rumor mill: The long delayed World of Warcraft movie, set to finally start filming in January of 2014, might just have its first two high-profile cast members. According to industry buzz, Paula Patton (Mission Impossible: The One Where Tom Cruise Hangs from a Building) and Colin Farrell (Scrubs) are on deck for leading roles, with Patton already in the contracting phase. Other names have cropped up in relation to the film; Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels), and Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) are all on the rumored shortlist for parts. Whatever your thoughts on potential actors, the fact that casting is actually getting done seems to indicate that the WoW movie might actually get made this time around. Moon director Duncan Jones is set to steer the project, which is aimed at a 2015 release.
The Daily Grind: What MMO should be made into a movie?
As MMO gamers, we're far more accustomed to seeing our favorite movie franchises become games than the other way around, but the upcoming World of Warcraft movie might just reverse the trend. Of course, if the Massively commenters are any judge, the WoW movie will be a trainwreck of epic proportions, either because of the source material or because showrunners often prove more likely to misunderstand, insult, bore, or mock geeks rather than dive into geek favorites earnestly. (MMO TV commercials don't inspire us with much confidence, either.) But surely there's some MMO franchise out there that could be done and done right as a movie. MMOs have come to TV in a big way in the form of Defiance, which might not be the best sci-fi of all time but has at least made it to a second season. Shouldn't we embrace our hobby's arrival on the big screen? And if not WoW, what MMO setting would be better for the Hollywood treatment? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
World of Warcraft film teaser debuts at SDCC
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures created something of a stir at this year's San Diego Comic Con by reportedly debuting a teaser trailer for the long-anticipated World of Warcraft movie. The trailer featured a human warrior and an angry orc and apparently was set in Hellfire Peninsula, also known as "that horrible place I dragged my Mage through levels 60-63." Actual filming begins in 2014, with director Duncan Jones referring to the teaser as more of a "mood piece." The film, titled simply Warcraft, will feature a mix of live-action and computer-generated effects. And no, the trailer doesn't seem to be available anywhere online. This Mountain Dew commercial is probably close enough, though.
Warcraft movie will buck the bad game movie trend, according to Legendary Pictures
No, we don't have a release date or casting information yet, but during a recent press tour for Pacific Rim, Legendary Pictures founder and CEO Thomas Tull answered a few questions about the Warcraft movie to be. Will this be the video game movie that bucks the trend of bad video game movies? Tull thinks they can: by ignoring the video game aspect. "We don't know how to make a movie out of Warcraft, the video game," Tull explained to reporters. "It's the incredible story, and the war, and these races, and everything these guys at Blizzard have come up with. They have 100 books, and just this incredibly rich world that they've created." And fortunately, this is a sentiment director Duncan Jones seems to share. Before he was tapped to direct, he commented on the Warcraft film in a 2011 interview saying, "A good game adaptation is where you find the story or the emotional aspect that's at the heart of a computer game and you replicate that on film. It doesn't mean you need to have first person perspective or try and capture the mechanics of a game." Of Jones, Tull explains, "This guy gets it." So we may still not know the details, but we're holding on to hope for a great Warcraft film on the horizon.
Video: A short history of the WoW movie
In light of the recent news about the WoW movie, WoW Insider thought we'd prepare a short recap of its history. We begin way, way back in 2006, when it was first announced that Blizzard and Legendary Pictures had agreed to collaborate on a live-action representation of the Warcraft universe. Since then, the movie has gone through several changes, in a six-year on-again-off-again saga. This is explored in more depth in the video above, but I'll summarize some of the key dates here: 2006: Warcraft movie announced, Legendary and Blizzard collaborate 2009: Writer Gary Whitta leaves, Sam Raimi is announced as Director with Chris Metzen. 2009: Robert Rodat is announced as screenwriter 2010: Announcement at BlizzCon that the script is "pretty much laid down" 2012: In July Sam Raimi left the team 2012: In August, Variety announced that Charles Leavitt was the new writer 2013: In January, Duncan Jones is announced as the new Director 2013: April sees the announcement that VFX will be handled by Bill Westenhofer 2013: Slashfilm asserts that the film will release in 2015, filming starting in January 2014. We'd love to hear your thoughts on all this, as I mention in the video, the script has obviously been a major stumbling block. What are you hoping to see? When are you hoping to see it? And will it be better than all the other video game movies?
World of Warcraft film set to shoot in 2014
Rumors have swirled around the oft-delayed and reportedly troubled World of Warcraft movie for years, but Legendary Pictures finally appears to be ready to move forward with production. Producer Charles Roven confirmed to SlashFilm that World of Warcraft: The Movie 3D IMAX Experience (suggested title) begins shooting in early 2014. Says Roven, "First quarter 2014 we're going to shoot that movie." Duncan Jones, director of Moon and Source Code, is taking the helm. Legendary still hasn't announced a release date or any plot details, but we can assume that the release date is Soon™ and the plot will revolve around humans, orcs, and a whole lot of sparkleponies.
