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Paramount and eOne are gearing up to release their latest fantasy film, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, this weekend. The movie adaptation of the popular role-playing game earned $5.6 million during previews at the domestic box office. The movie will open in 3,855 theaters across the United States on Friday.
Gearing for a battle against ‘John Wick’
As it rolls for initiative, it will prepare for a battle against last weekend’s box office champion, John Wick: Chapter 4, in what is expected to be a close fight. Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, Dungeons and Dragons aims to generate between $30 and $40 million during its opening weekend. Meanwhile, Keanu Reeves’ “John Wick 4” is expected to reach around $36 million in its sophomore outing.
Hoping to secure a profit after a $150 million budget (excluding marketing costs), Dungeons & Dragons must rely on positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth from hardcore fans. The movie is based on the popular tabletop role-playing game of the ’70s and ’80s. The story follows a group of adventurers, including Chris Pine as the singing bard Edgin Darvis, Michelle Rodriguez as the ferocious barbarian Holga Kilgore, Justice Smith as the wild magic sorcerer Simon Aumar, and Sophia Lillis as the tiefling druid Doric.
The party of thieves turned heroes must band together to defeat an evil Red Wizard and save Edgin’s daughter, played by Chloe Coleman. The cast also features Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, and a host of Dungeons and Dragons monsters like the displacer beast, a gelatinous cube, an owlbear, and a colorful assortment of dragons.
‘Freaks and Geeks’ cast reunites for ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves will be the latest attempt to give the iconic role-playing adventure the big-screen adaptation it deserves. The journey from tabletop to big-budget blockbuster has been long, and it strangely went straight through the set of Freaks and Geeks. Co-director John Francis Daley first fell in love with the game during his time on the TV series, and it’s only fitting that he got together with his old cast members for a crossover promo that will have fans of both D&D and the TV series feeling like they possess the Orb of Constant Pleasant Vibration.
The promo features Sam Weir, who has been DM’ing a session of D&D for 23 years, joined at the table by his fellow Freaks and Geeks Bill Haverchuck and Neal Schweiber. They’ve been having a good time, as you must be having fun not to notice if your family is still alive. But it’s for the best that their long-standing game has finally ended so that they can see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. However, like other fans of the RPG, they’re skeptical that it can work as a movie.
Despite their reservations, they know the film is in good hands. Daley has previously talked about how his long love affair with D&D began on the set of their show. He started playing because his character was really into Dungeons & Dragons. That turned into a genuine and lasting affection for the adventure game, and from there, he was able to co-direct a film based on it. It’s a monumental win for geeks everywhere.
