Raimi has in the course of his career, clearly demonstrated a genius for developing and adapting existing fictional universes for mainstream audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original content. Raimi directed the Spider-Man trilogy, which has broken box-office records around the world and garnered five Academy Award® nominations. Known for his imaginative film making style, richly drawn characters, and offbeat humor, Raimi wrote and directed the cult classic, "The Evil Dead" and produced "30 Days Of Night." He most recently wrote and directed the supernatural thriller, Drag Me To Hell."
"At its core, 'Warcraft' is a fantastic, action-packed story," said Raimi. "I am thrilled to work with such a dynamite production team to bring this project to the big screen."
Charles Roven’s producing talents were recently seen with last summer’s blockbuster "The Dark Knight." It grossed in excess of $1 billion and was nominated for eight Academy Awards® and won two. His body of work includes the widely acclaimed "Batman Begins" and the sci-fi classic "12 Monkeys." Roven, with Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner, will be produce. Along with them are Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull, Legendary’s Chief Creative Officer Jon Jashni, Raimi, and Raimi’s producing partner Joshua Donen. Raimi’s partner, Robert Tapert, will executive produce. Blizzard Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Chris Metzen will co-produce.
"Partnering with Sam Raimi exemplifies Legendary's mandate of marrying the highest quality intellectual property to world-class filmmakers" said Legendary’s Tull. "Sam's passion for 'Warcraft' is undeniable and we know that he will create an incredible film worthy of Blizzard's phenomenal franchise. We look forward to collaborating with our partners at Warner Bros. And, continuing our successful relationship with Chuck in bringing this rich new world to the screen."
"Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures have a shared vision for this film and we searched at length to find the very best director to bring that vision to life," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "From our first conversation with Sam, we could tell he was the perfect choice. Sam knows how to simultaneously satisfy the enthusiasts and the mainstream audience that might be experiencing that content for the first time. We're looking forward to working with him to achieve that here."