Sam Raimi to direct World of Warcraft movie

Diogenes_the_Cynic · July 23, 2009, 12:52am

So says Harry Knowles at AICN.

The last major update that we had on AICN on the WORLD OF WARCRAFT came from Moriarty here, back in 2007 The last major bit I heard was a rumor that Uwe Boll was offering Blizzard untold tonnages of gold left crowns of undetermined origin to direct - and that allegedly BLIZZARD laughed his ass out of the place. In Mori’s piece we were supposed to get this movie in 2009 with a $100 million budget. With LEGENDARY’s main man telling BLIZZCON that it’d be over that figure. And there was some concept art.

Well, I don’t have concept art. I don’t have the firm release date, but I do know who is directing the WORLD OF WARCRAFT film and that is Sam Raimi. It will come out in trades later this week or next. But you can take this one to the bank. Sam is going to make a huge budget fantasy bit of unfuckingimaginable coolness - and it will be yanked from the WORLD OF WARCRAFT.

I’ve never played the game, but I thought this might be something others would be interested in. The fact that Uwe Boll even got into the same room with anyone from Blizzard has to send cold shivers down the backs of any fans, but Raimi never turns out bad work, so he’s probably a good choice.

I just wonder if hadcore fans will harp on the accuracy of every tiny detail.

thelurkinghorror · July 23, 2009, 1:08am

The official press release here says nothing about World of Warcraft, except for the boilerplate at the bottom. If anything, it would probably be based upon earlier plotlines.

So, all-CG or live action?

Diogenes_the_Cynic · July 23, 2009, 1:11am

I gather they’re shooting for an LOTR type thing with a mixture of CGI and LA.

Bosstone · July 23, 2009, 1:12am

Theoretically it’s all the same canon anyway. Warcraft, World of Warcraft, doesn’t really matter.

Jules_Andre · July 23, 2009, 10:06am

I wonder if Blizzard will release a 30 minute sequel three months after the release of the World of Warcraft movie that changes, nay, rapes, the movie’s storyline and “rebalances” the combat in the first movie so that the paladins always win.

E-Sabbath · July 23, 2009, 10:46am

As long as Bruce Campbell plays Varian Wynn, I’m happy. It’s the chin, you see.

Death_of_Rats · July 23, 2009, 3:54pm

They will. It will also render all of the cool things in the original obsolete so that in future viewings you just fast forward past all of it to get to the new content.

ProfessorX · July 23, 2009, 4:11pm

Raimi’s got a great track record with adaptations as we all know from Spiderman, so I have faith he’ll do well here.

I just don’t know what they are going to make the movie about, I don’t know the story or background in the game world at all.

Broomstick · July 23, 2009, 4:16pm

Of course they will, that’s one of the definitions of “hardcore”. C’mon Diogenes, you’re still a cynic, aren’t you?

Whereas us casual players will be content with a watchable movie with a bit of plot, good enough that one does not automatically vomit when watching it, even if it’s not 100% faithful to cannon.

Bosstone · July 23, 2009, 4:26pm

Since I went and typed up a big ol’ post for the WoW omnibus thread in Cafe Society, I’ll just link to it here.

Bryan_Ekers · July 23, 2009, 4:39pm

There damn well better be a “Zug zug!” in there.

Binarydrone · July 23, 2009, 5:04pm

I wanna know how they are possibly going to handle the Blood Elves without causing major protests.

Max_the_Immortal · July 23, 2009, 5:50pm

From what I’ve read, they’re planning on a story that takes place in the timeline between Warcraft III and World of Warcraft. The (lead) screenwriter is Chris Metzen, the guy who’s been in charge of Warcraft lore for years; hopefully the story will be true to the established lore. I also read something about it being alliance-centric (or at least human-centric). Note that this is old info, and probably subject to change.

I’m glad that they got Sam Raimi on board to direct it. I was worried that they’d settle for someone terrible like Uwe Boll.

Bosstone · July 23, 2009, 5:57pm

To be honest, I’m not sure that the licenses Boll gets his hands on are a result of the rights holders going, “We want to make a movie, and we want you to do it.” It’s more a matter of Boll approaching them and going, “Hey, I want to make a movie with your license,” and they respond with, “Huh? That old thing? Well, hey, it’s extra money, so whatever.” And Boll begins chuckling villainously. When someone actually has an interest in the quality of the movie, like Blizzard, they would be insane to let him near it.

(The sad thing is I actually found In The Name Of The King to be a lot of fun. But Jason Statham’s awesome, so.)

athelas · July 23, 2009, 6:28pm

Can you summarize for a non-fan?

Skywatcher · July 23, 2009, 6:39pm

A picture…

Diogenes_the_Cynic · July 23, 2009, 6:45pm

Nice, but what would be controversial about it? Just the skimpiness of the costume? Because you can sign me right up for keeping that.

Skywatcher · July 23, 2009, 6:58pm

They’re essentially witches in skimpy costumes, sure to outrage Focus on the Family types. Tone it down and then the fanboys are outraged.

Mister_Rik · July 23, 2009, 7:26pm

That’s not a blood elf! That’s a human woman dressed like a blood elf!

For blood elves, they just need to cast some anorexic teenage goth girls.

Larry_Mudd · July 23, 2009, 7:41pm

Could Sam Raimi make the first movie adapted from a video game that doesn’t suck hard enough to make fountain drinks boil at room temperature?

I hoped this back when there was speculation he would be making a Doom movie, way back in 1992.

In the interim, there have been way too many crappy movies based on great video games for me to hold out much hope for this one working.

Besides, Azeroth is just Middle-Earth-but-not-enough-to-pay-royalties-to-the-Tolkien-estate.

I would much rather have a StarCraft movie bitterly disappoint me. (Even though it can’t be said that the concept is much more original.)