Duncan Jones On WARCRAFT Breaking The Video Game Movie Curse

Duncan Jones On WARCRAFT Breaking The Video Game Movie Curse

"That stigma used to be attached to comic book movies too. It took a generation of filmmakers who loved and were raised on comic books to make movies that you actually cared about and felt something for.

By MarkJulian - Nov 05, 2015 09:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Warcraft
Source: EW
Could Warcraft be the film to break the video game movie curse? Many fans expect video games to follow the path trailblazed by comic book movies - languish in mediocrity for decades and then explode with a true, bonafide breakout hit.  Will it be Warcraft that pulls off this feat? Or could it be Michael Fassbender's Assassin's Creed (which is currently filming)? Warcraft director Duncan Jones weighs in.  "There are a couple of things. One thing I would say is that that stigma used to be attached to comic book movies too. It took a generation of filmmakers who loved and were raised on comic books to make movies that you actually cared about and felt something for. I think that’s absolutely the same with what’s going on with videogame movies. I am absolutely of the videogames generation, starting on the Atari and Commodore 64 and the Amiga. I’m a gamer at heart and always have been. I’m also a filmmaker. I think my sensibilities about storytelling and character just automatically come into play when I’m trying to work on any kind of narrative. For me, it doesn’t really matter what the source of the narrative is. I will be looking for ways to make it into an intriguing story with empathetic characters."

Warcraft arrives in theaters on June 10, 2016.
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WARCRAFT Director Duncan Jones Reveals That His Next Project Will Be A Comic Book Movie
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Earthbound
Earthbound - 11/5/2015, 9:43 AM
"For me, it doesn’t really matter what the source of the narrative is. I will be looking for ways to make it into an intriguing story with empathetic characters."
GhostDog
GhostDog - 11/5/2015, 9:47 AM
He's right. 100 percent correct

"One thing I would say is that stigma used to be attached to comic book movies too. It took a generation of filmmakers who loved and were raised on comic books to make movies that you actually cared about and felt something for. I think that’s absolutely the same with what’s going on with videogame movies."

BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 11/5/2015, 9:50 AM


...The CURSE LIVES ON!!!!!

Nasseal82isback
Nasseal82isback - 11/5/2015, 9:54 AM
I loved Moon...Thought that Source code was fun but had it's flaws. So this guy has a pass with me, and after reading what he said i even trust the guy more.....Also don't forget that he is the son of legendary singer David Bowie.So he even gets more credits.

dragonator29
dragonator29 - 11/5/2015, 9:54 AM
Hire him Marvel. Get Black Panther done from him.
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 11/5/2015, 9:57 AM
The people who worship practical effect are going to crucify this movie...good or bad.

batz11
batz11 - 11/5/2015, 9:57 AM
Dude gets it...looking forward, don't know jack shit about WoW, but the genre itself interests me greatly...hell, I've [frick]ed about 5 orcs in my life, so well versed...
ALegendaryPanda
ALegendaryPanda - 11/5/2015, 9:58 AM
I'm rooting for you Mr. Jones. Break that damn curse!
batz11
batz11 - 11/5/2015, 10:02 AM
LOL Doops...I call them my slump-busters...
DallasAvenger
DallasAvenger - 11/5/2015, 10:10 AM
That teaser footage looked amazing. I think it's going to be the one to finally do it. Doesn't hurt to finally have a talented filmmaker at the helm of one of these.
Brightestdaze
Brightestdaze - 11/5/2015, 10:13 AM
I am actually excited about this movie and Assassins Creed. I don't think it will be a "groundbreaking" film so to speak, however I think that it will be very well recieved.
batz11
batz11 - 11/5/2015, 10:16 AM
@Doopie
Dude needs some free VFX work, you better offer your skills...

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/spider-man/news/?a=126638
JamesMann
JamesMann - 11/5/2015, 10:19 AM
@Merlyn

It doesn't help when the movies you named as entertaining are god awful. Maybe Silent Hill 1 and Tomb Raider get a pass but everything else are just terrible movies that do nothing but disgrace the game they were named after.

The curse is VERY much real.
BlackIceJoe
BlackIceJoe - 11/5/2015, 10:20 AM
A little off topic, but I hope some day Nintendo will make their video games for movies too. I can see Metroid being an Alien type of film and Star Fox as Star Wars. I really hope this movie does well because video games have lot of great material for movies and I want to see that on film. Plus if this does well Starcraft can become a movie too.
BlackPhillip
BlackPhillip - 11/5/2015, 10:21 AM
I thought Mortal Kombat broke the curse. Resident Evil and Silent Hill to me were good.
batz11
batz11 - 11/5/2015, 10:36 AM
Yeah, I know, I just wanted to expose you to some of Gusto's stupidity ;)
JorL5150
JorL5150 - 11/5/2015, 10:36 AM
Hell-
"Pirates of the carribean" is based on a ride at disneyland. Anything could happen. Video game? Why not?
JorL5150
JorL5150 - 11/5/2015, 10:37 AM
The first "Silent hill" was great. Hated the second one.
Pathogen
Pathogen - 11/5/2015, 10:42 AM
The video game is corny as hell, with its horrible graphics and repetitive game play. This doesn't have to do much to surpass that, to someone who DIDN'T get addicted and fat playing it. I don't know the nuances of the story, so that won't bother me if it strays from that.
So...as long as this keeps looking decent, I might rock it it in the theater
Dedpool
Dedpool - 11/5/2015, 10:43 AM
It's definitely true that Comic Book Movies had the same stigma. my hopes for this movie are high on two fronts, it being a video game movie and a fantasy movie. So I really want it to succeed. My issue is that the games I (and many others) feel are ripe for making, people are shying away from like God of War, Halo, Castlevania (Lords of Shadow version is so cinematic), and more. And there have definitely been some good video game adaptions. The first MK was great. Resident Evil and Silent Hill though very different from the games are still well done, and both Mortal Kombat and Street fighter have shown that the long form storytelling works for them. Hell even Prince of Persia wasn't horrible. But the stench of Super Mario Bros, and Double Dragon still loom over out heads, and studios are wary to repeat those failures.
pesmerga44
pesmerga44 - 11/5/2015, 10:55 AM
It better have some of the greatest characters and story of all time because visually the movie looks fake as hell and looks like something you would see in a SYFY original movie.
cubrn
cubrn - 11/5/2015, 11:06 AM
Hopefully Marvel nabs him for a Film
DeusExSponge
DeusExSponge - 11/5/2015, 11:29 AM
He's absolutely right about the comic book movie stigma! Lets hope that Warcraft is a good movie and that it does gang busters in the box office.
theBlackSquare
theBlackSquare - 11/5/2015, 11:42 AM
I approve of this Duncan Jones. He make good film pictures and he write them down good too.

The Duncan Jones man wrote and directed the brilliant Moon, and directed Source Code - Incredibly watchable despite the again, again, one more time again premise. He has a writing credit on this too. It could be nice to watch.

Assassin's Creed will not be nice to watch. Look at the writer people on that. Tower Heist and Exodus... brilliant films, said no-one ever.
Kyos
Kyos - 11/5/2015, 11:48 AM
Most movie adaptations of video games are bad.

Most video game adaptations of movies are bad.

Break the [frick]ing cycle!
kakinurmawth
kakinurmawth - 11/5/2015, 11:49 AM
@Merlyn - "The curse is not real guys, most videogame movies were purely created in order to cash in on a popular brand. Thus most productions felt heartless and rushed.
There were dozens of comic book movies that sucked and still are, the same goes for video game adaptions."


So true. The problem is studios and filmmakers never take the material seriously so we always get, as you said, rushed half-assed bullshit to try and cash in on a brand.

Max Payne is a beautiful and heartbreaking example of this. Those games are [frick]ing incredible. The story is amazing. And it was reduced to the bullshit we got. SMH. Same with the Hitman games/movies. I haven't seen the newest Hitman movie but it still feels like the old world view on Video Game movies: "let's take this material and make it better than it is"

It's arrogance they feel they are better storytellers than the people who created the material.

Spider-Man and Batman Begins started the new thinking process for cbms of let's respect this material and take it seriously for storytelling.
kakinurmawth
kakinurmawth - 11/5/2015, 11:54 AM
the stigma is still there for cbms, despite what has happened the past ten years. A lot of actors still look down at cbms and think they are silly and can't be taken seriously. Like not oscar-worthy or below them.

There will come a day when a cbm will win an Oscar for best picture and all the nay-sayers will eat their words.
Indy
Indy - 11/5/2015, 12:32 PM
Too bad this movie looks boring as hell.
Mercwitham0uth
Mercwitham0uth - 11/5/2015, 1:33 PM
I hope the curse lives on.

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