Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spider-man) to direct WoW?

[Edfishy]

Thought this might be of interest to someone:
http://screenrant.com/world-warcraft-directed-sam-raimi-rob-18054/

"...There’s a limitless potential here to make something very special and entirely new. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a massive film franchise spawn out of this if Raimi kicks it off to a strong start. Not a stretch considering the built-in fanbase who pay a monthly subscription to play the game."

[spychi]

Yup I read that yesterday, I have hopes for this movie, I mean the team worked on Dark Knight, 12 Monkeys. Raimi directed Evil Dead and Spiderman series. Good that it's not Uwe Boll - heh I remember Uwe asked once Blizzard if he can be the director of a movie based on their franchise (don't know which) and they said that they won't, especially him.

[Hammy]

It's the kind of movie which, if it happens, and it actually resembles the world, I'll feel absolutely compelled to watch even if I'm expecting the worst movie ever. The only exception is the Dragon Ball movie, because besides the name that they share, there is absolutely no link between the movie and the manga ;)

[Negro]

Heh, I wrote about that too (and too yesterday) but on polish site (filmweb.pl). I hope that this movie will be as great as Lord of the Ring - charismatic heroes, interesting plot, enormous battle scenes.

On the other hand - I'm wondering that Blizzard do sometime a movie based on StarCraft?

[Equiliari]

Yeah, could get interesting...
Althou, its a WarCraft movie, not a WoW movie :P
[/picky]

[spychi]

Yeah, could get interesting...
Althou, its a WarCraft movie, not a WoW movie :P
[/picky]
obvious Equiliari is being obivous :)

[Zigurd]

The guy is a good director, I am quite happy. Hopefully the adaptation is written by somebody competent, unlike those who wrote the script for Dragonball.

[Visions of Khas]

I was never a fan of the Spider-Man movies; I cite the script, cinematography and acting as all being sub-par, and the series as a whole fell short of my expectations. However, I've heard surprisingly good reviews about Drag Me to Hell, and enjoyed The Evil Dead Movies. Considering how cozy Raimi and his team are getting with the Blizzard staff, however, I'm not very worried.

I am, and shall forever remain, an avid-WoW hater. That said, my friend loaned me WarCraft III/Frozen Throne, and couldn't get enough. I found the voice acting less than inspiring, but the game was nevertheless enThralling. (Hehe, see what I did there? I made a... oh nevermind...)

[Pandonetho]

I wish Blizz would create a Starcraft movie seriously, it would be so badass.

We all know what's going to happen with a Warcarft movie.

Skanky elves and stuff everywhere.

Honestly, WC is the last franchise of theirs that I'd want a movie to be made out of. Even Diablo is preferred.

But anyway I'll watch it anyway just because I know Blizzard is damn awesome.

[Aldrius]

Skanky elves and stuff everywhere.

WarCraft wasn't like that until World of WarCraft came out. I kinda doubt the movie is going to be like that, especially with Sam Raimi at the helm. He usually likes to go for more tongue in cheek understated stuff.

[DemolitionSquid]

WarCraft wasn't like that until World of WarCraft came out.

Except Jaina Proudmoore. What a wench.

[Xyvik]

WarCraft wasn't like that until World of WarCraft came out.

And the night elf page of WC3...


I'm an avid WC hater. I found the stories less than inspired, especially the ending of Frozen Throne. I also do not like the Spider-man movies, despite (or possibly because of) being a Spidey fan.

I have always wanted a StarCraft movie, and once again Blizz is showing favoritism to their fantasy theme. Makes me /fume.

Oh well. I'm sure they're make buckets of money off of it, which is probably the point. They just won't find me anywhere near it :p

[Aldrius]

Except Jaina Proudmoore. What a wench.

Pixelated barely discernable breasts. How scandalous.


And the night elf page of WC3...

What night elf page? The one on Mojo's website...? Nothing there is that scandalous... but then I don't consider cleavage and bare midriffs alone to be 'skanky'.


I found the stories less than inspired, especially the ending of Frozen Throne.

Oh posh. The only thing uninspired about the ending to Frozen Throne is the terrible rendered fight between Illidan and Arthas. That was pretty much the only moment in that entire game where the Lich King actually spoke and was cool. Maybe the moment when he restores Arthas' powers. Usually he was pretty lame considering all the build-up in Reign of Chaos he was way more impressive when you didn't see or hear him.

Though er... of course you're entitled to your opinion.

[Xyvik]

Oh posh. The only thing uninspired about the ending to Frozen Throne is the terrible rendered fight between Illidan and Arthas. That was pretty much the only moment in that entire game where the Lich King actually spoke and was cool. Maybe the moment when he restores Arthas' powers. Usually he was pretty lame considering all the build-up in Reign of Chaos he was way more impressive when you didn't see or hear him.

Though er... of course you're entitled to your opinion.

Then explain to me how exactly a puny human, no matter what weapons he is wielding or what force he is inspired by, can by ANY MEANS defeat a night elf that has been twisted into a half-demon form? It's impossible. It's what's known in the writing industry as a 'deus ex machina'. Elements not within the story forced an ending that was contrived and against all logical barriers.

Otherwise the story is the same old fantasy: demons and orcs and undead, oh my! There was very little in the stories that spoke out as being awesome.

But then of course, that IS my own opinion, and you are entitled to yours. I just think a StarCraft movie would be far better. /shrug

[Aldrius]

It's what's known in the writing industry as a 'deus ex machina'.

I know what a deux ex machina is...

And a character that was established and built up over 3 campaigns beating another character who had the same done to him is not a deux ex machina by any means. The whole story was the rivalry between Illidan and Arthas. Set up in Reign of Chaos, with Illidan being further established through out the Frozen Throne so that he'd be a proper match for Arthas. (In terms of notoriety. His role in RoC was basically a cameo.)

Arthas was empowered by the Lord of the Undead, Illidan was empowered by eating a demonic artifact. I'd say based on that they were fairly evenly matched. In terms of the narrative that fight certainly worked.


Otherwise the story is the same old fantasy: demons and orcs and undead, oh my! There was very little in the stories that spoke out as being awesome.

Blizzards famous for taking archetypes of the genres they work in and twisting them in some way to make them more interesting. StarCraft is really no different... all three races are just streamlined archetypal sci-fi races.

What Blizzard does well is giving their characters unique and interesting personalities. And having some interesting conflicts between characters. The settings are usually the most straight-forward elements of their world building.


I just think a StarCraft movie would be far better. /shrug

Eh. Possibly. I just don't see as much room in the StarCraft universe for the time being as there is in the WarCraft universe right now. If they just retold the story of Vanilla and Brood War, sure, but that'd be kind of pointless.

Right now StarCraft hasn't had it's "WarCraft 3" so to speak. Something that expands the StarCraft galaxy without marginalizing it the way World of WarCraft kind of has to WarCraft.

Right now we have only the vaguest notion of certain planets in the StarCraft universe, there isn't a whole lot of room for an exciting StarCraft movie.

[Xyvik]

Arthas was empowered by the Lord of the Undead, Illidan was empowered by eating a demonic artifact. I'd say based on that they were fairly evenly matched. In terms of the narrative that fight certainly worked.

I'm not trying to turn this into an argument, but I'd like to point out why exactly I felt the ending was so cheap.

A night elf male is stronger than a human male, physically, mentally, magically. (We're talking WC3 lore, nothing to do with WoW since I know nothing of WoW). Illidan was much stronger than a human male even before he was imprisoned because of his being tainted by demons. Once he went "full enchilada" and ate the artifact he became half-demon, even more startlingly powerful than he had been before.

Arthas was an excellent human soldier, yes, but had he faced Illidan back then, he would have lost. Easily.

By the end of the Frozen Throne he was being empowered by the Lich King / Lord of the Undead / Whatever you want to call him...but he was not him yet. He was simply being given some power by him. So essentially he was still a human soldier, just with a powerful weapon and some extra power given to him.

Illidan, as mentioned before, was an enraged half-demon night elf. Demons are stronger than the Lich King, otherwise the Lich King wouldn't have been captured in the first place. Therefore, Illidan was, at the minimum, three times as powerful as Arthas: he was night-elf, he was tainted night-elf, he was half demon.

So the equation was all on Illidan's side, and yet he lost. There was no logical explanation for this. It fell into the category of deus ex machina: there was nothing in the story to explain how he could have possibly defeated Illidan. Even as the Lich King he would have had a difficult fight against Illidan, and he wasn't the Lich King yet.

Oh well. That's how I saw it.




Right now we have only the vaguest notion of certain planets in the StarCraft universe, there isn't a whole lot of room for an exciting StarCraft movie.

That's actually the whole reason why a StarCraft movie would be exciting: we've seen just about everything the WC universe has to offer. In SC, the movie has a whole huge amount of leeway that can be used by a good director to make a movie...on worlds we've never seen, about characters we've never heard of. It is entirely possible to craft new and exciting things, otherwise the books never would have been written.

Again, this is just the opinion of an avid WC hater, so take it as you will :p

[Visions of Khas]

I found the stories less than inspired, especially the ending of Frozen Throne.
I'd have to agree. I also found the voice acting to be fairly abysmal. At least lacking in expression and emotional content. In this respect I feel StarCraft was superior.

WarCraft also struck me as a generic story with generic characters. I found nothing too inspirational or endearing about any of the characters. And I feel this may be because there were just so many characters and the story never lingered on any one for a time save for a few, exceptions. Even so, the fall of Arthas was poorly executed, at least in emotional content. We saw his actions and the consequences, yet there was never even the slightest hint of inner struggle from his character.


With regard to the "cheap ending" of The Frozen Throne, I have to agree with Xyvik. Illidan WAS more powerful than Arthas. Despite the close proximity to the Lich King, Arthas' powers continued to wane. The only possible way I can think of Illidan falling to Arthas is due to the former being so immeasurably overconfident and cocky that he left openings in his attacks. After all, Illidan has destroyed major demons up to now, so how can a pitiful, seizure-wracked HUMAN do to him?

This all said, Blizzard has acknowledged that they regret, above all things, not being able to depict the duel between Arthas and Illidan in a full cinematic.

[Pandonetho]

Is this movie going to be live action or is it going to be Blizzard style cinematic?

God knows how much I hate it when games take a live action approach.

[sandwich_bird]

I honestly don't get all that hate toward wc3 ending. There is no way for any one except the creator of the universe to tell who was stronger between Illidan and Arthas. All of your arguments are just approximation. One thing remain true, the creator made Arthas win. The end.

[Xyvik]

Is this movie going to be live action or is it going to be Blizzard style cinematic?

God knows how much I hate it when games take a live action approach.

I heard it was going to be live-action. That was at least the impression I got. I can't remember, actually.

[Eligor]

Sam Raimi is a surprisingly good choice (I was afraid it'll fall into the hands of someone like Brett Ratner or (god forbid!) Michael Bay). The movie gets another plus if they employ in-house Blizzard artists to design it.

[Aldrius]

I just hope Raimi understands and includes the more grounded/political aspects to the story.

Those are my favourite scenes. :P

[Eligor]

Indeed. A healthy dose of Machiavellian scheming never hurts a plot. :D

[Gifted]

Interesting note on IMDB that came up today...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0803096/

Apparhently the person who played Faramir in the LOTR saga is rumored to be Arthas.... I could see that.