Soon, there will be dragons. And dungeons. And Chris Pine. (Oh my!) Indeed, in 2023, 23 years after the ill-fated 2000 feature adaptation, Dungeons & Dragons, the ever-popular fantasy tabletop role-playing game, will get a second roll of the dice at the blockbuster treatment, courtesy of writers-directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.
Is it more fitting or ironic that this adaptation will come from the Game Night filmmakers? No matter. We’re still learning more about this upcoming movie, but we know a few key details, which we’ll share with you now. Here’s what we know about 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons, which also stars Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, and more!
Dungeons & Dragons Will Be Released On March 3, 2023
We still have a few months to go before Dungeons & Dragons is reacquainted with the big screen. Specifically, the upcoming fantasy blockbuster isn’t scheduled to premiere until March 3, 2023 as part of the 2023 movie release schedule. It’s taken some time for this film to come to fruition, but after a long time of waiting, we’re not that far away from release at the time of updating this in October 2022.
The movie was previously scheduled for May 27th, 2022 before it got pushed back with the rest of the studio’s line-up. But thankfully, we’re going to be able to revisit the world of D&D soon enough.
In the film, according to Comicbook, a thief and his companions travel across a vast land in order to search for valuable treasures in a heist they plan, but as they do, they end up coming across the wrong people that turn their lives upside down.
The Fantasy Blockbuster Will Star Chris Pine And Michelle Rodriguez
Outside of the dragons (who, let’s be real, are the real A-listers of this upcoming movie), Dungeons & Dragons will also feature the star power of Chris Pine (Wonder Woman) and Michelle Rodriguez (F9) in the lead roles.
According to the Comicbook article mentioned above, Chris Pine is set to play Edgin Davis, the bard and leader of the team that we are going to be following throughout the film. Also from Comicbook, Rodriguez is going to portray Holga, a barbarian and one of the people joining Edgin on this quest.
Pine is reflexively funny, dependable in the action department, able to sell far-out concepts with ease, and dashingly handsome to boot. Likewise, Rodriguez can certainly be a badass, and it’ll be cool as hell to see her wield a sword and give hell to fire-breathers. Hopefully, their talents are well-utilized.
The Dungeons & Dragons Cast Includes Justice Smith, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, And Sophia Lillis
Along with Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez leading the proceedings, the Dungeons & Dragons cast includes Justice Smith (Detective Pikachu), Bridgerton and The Grey Man star, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant (Paddington 2), and Sophia Lillis (IT). Additionally, Chloe Coleman (Big Little Lies), Jason Wong (Strangers), and Daisy Head (Shadow and Bone) are expected to round out the ensemble in supporting turns.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2022, via the Comicbook article above, several character names were announced. Page is set to play Xenk, a paladin. Smith will play Simon, a sorcerer. Lillis will be portraying Doric, a druid, and Grant will play Forge, a rogue. Some of the other roles are still unknown, but I’m sure more will come out as the movie looms closer.
It’s Written And Directed By John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein
Perhaps it was destiny that John Francis Daley would become the gamemaster behind Dungeons & Dragons. In July 2000, only a few short months before the previous (and disastrous) Dungeons & Dragons movie premiered in theaters, Daley starred in “Discos and Dragons,” the eighteenth episode of Fox’s cult classic show, Freaks & Geeks.
With that memorable series finale, Daley found a permanent connection to this endearing fantasy role-playing game, and he has taken it in stride. As a fan outside of this show, Daley has a vested interest in honoring the game’s legacy, and he’ll do what he can to finally make a respectable film based on the property.
Now, alongside his writing and directing partner Jonathan Goldstein, Daley will bring D&D back to the mainstream with 2023’s blockbuster, which will arrive a whopping 23 years (!!!) after this fateful episode.
Dungeons & Dragons Wrapped Filming In August, 2021
Like many productions in recent years during the pandemic, it hasn’t been an easy road for 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons. Despite the challenges it faced, however, the movie made it through to the other side and wrapped in August 2021, as John Francis Daley announced on Twitter.
Certainly, with a blockbuster as big as this one, you need to take as many precautions as possible during this dangerous time. But thankfully, it’s in the can and in the midst of a surely extensive post-production process.
Dungeons & Dragons Will Be An Action-Fantasy Adventure With Comedic Elements
Certainly, it came as a bit of a surprise to know that John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein were attached to write and direct 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons. The comedy filmmakers have primarily focused their efforts on making dark larks or zany farces. Even the blockbusters that they’ve been attached to, like Spider-Man: Homecoming, are lighthearted in their approach. A lot of folks take D&D seriously, though. Would these two storytellers treat the material with respect, or is it gonna be one big goof to them?
Thankfully, Dungeons & Dragons fans should take comfort in knowing that Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley will pay a great deal of respect to the material. That said, they’re also aiming to bring the fun of the franchise to life to strike a nice balance.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein talked about their approach to this beloved property, claiming that they won’t simply “take the piss” out of it. Rather, the writers-directors found “another way into it that” they hadn’t “seen before.”
Here’s what Jonathan Goldstein said:
We want it to be fun. It’s not an out-and-out comedy, but it is an action-fantasy movie with a lot of comedic elements and characters we hope people will really get into and enjoy watching their adventures.
Some Scenes Were Filmed In Iceland
In mid-April, Iceland Monitor reported that Dungeons & Dragons had officially set up shop in scenic Iceland “with the participation of between 60 and 70 people” — which, admittedly, sounds like a small number for such a big production. In any case, more specifically, most of the movie was filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Certainly, with such a diverse setting, one can only wonder how this movie is going to look at what scenes they filmed.
Watch The Trailer For Dungeons & Dragons
If you for some reason haven’t seen the trailer for Dungeons & Dragons that was released during the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, be sure to check it out down below.
With so much going for it and plenty of magic and fun awaiting us, I can barely contain my excitement for this adaptation to hit movie screens. Dungeons & Dragons will fly into theaters on March 3, 2023.
