After a good bit of rumoring and hemming and hawing, it looks like it might actually happen. The film version of the popular online game World Of Warcraft is moving towards production. I know at least few gamers who will be very excited.
For those of us who perhaps care very little for the gaming world, here’s the kicker: the World Of Warcraft film will be directed by Duncan Jones, best known for the stellar Moon and less stellar Source Code. The plan right now is for shooting to get underway in the beginning of 2014, looking probably at a 2015 release date. Legendary Pictures and Atlas Entertainment are behind the production.
So far, we do not know much about the film itself. Given that World Of Warcraft is based around a constructed world in which players interact with each other – rather than a standard linear narrative – there are lots of options for a plot. Maybe too many options, come to think of it. Without a defined narrative, the film can play fast and loose with plotlines, but it can also wind up going nowhere. Remember the Dungeons And Dragons film? Yeah, no one else does either.
In any case, with a shoot-date more or less in place, we can expect to hear more about what World Of Warcraft is going to look like. With Duncan Jones at the helm, I am somewhat optimistic. My only worry is that this does not turn into just another subpar fantasy film with elves and orcs and blah blah blah. Videogames rarely make good films, but there’s always a chance. There’s a lot that can be done with this one – here’s hoping that Legendary does not screw it up.
What do you think about a World Of Warcraft film? Let us know in the comments section.
