Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God Interview, Pt. 2 (09/02/2006)
by Taluntain

Recently we've had the chance to talk about Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God with the movie's writers, Robert Kimmel and Brian Rudnick. We've split the interview into two parts (the first part is available here). This time we also have some new stills, which you can check out below.

SP: What type of games do you like to play the most? Have you played any (A)D&D CRPGs, such as Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights?

BR: I like RPG's. I've completed Diablo, Diablo II, Dungeon Siege, and got halfway through Baldur's Gate, Shadows of Amn. Currently I'm in the middle of the Neverwinter Nights expansion pack Hordes of the Underdark. I've dabbled with Tomb Raider, Medal of Honor and some of the Myth Series. I'm thinking about getting involved in the World of Warcraft, but from what I understand it's a major commitment and I'm not sure if there's enough time in my day.

SP: Divine magic vs. the arcane kind: your preference?

BR: Now that I think of it I've always played characters, both in D&D and on the computer, who use arcane magic. For some reason, right or wrong, I think arcane is more destructive. You just blow stuff up better using the arcane.

SP: To what extent does the "chicks in chainmail" cliché apply to Wrath of the Dragon God?

RK & BR: Funny, that was one of our first notes from Wizards. We had the female Barbarian in an early version of the script wearing some skimpy chain mail armor. I guess when you're working through the early stages of a story there is a temptation to use clichés because they're just so easy. Not much thinking. You get just drop it in there and move on. I think the note we got back from Wizards was on the top of the page, in bold, saying something like “lose the chain mail bikini”. So we did.

SP: Is there anything specific to the latest D&D edition in the movie?

RK & BR: Yes. There is a Prestige Class. One of our characters works towards becoming a Mystic Theurge.

SP: The movie premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel in the U.S. on October 8, but then went straight to video/DVD. Why no theatrical release?

RK & BR: You’re asking the wrong guys. Distribution deals aren’t something we deal with as writers.

SP: What do you think is there in the movie for D&D fans to get especially excited about? Is there anything you are particularly proud about?

RK: Well, this movie is pretty faithful to the game and all the things that have made D&D such a phenomenon for all these years. The adventure that the heroes in the movie set out on could actually be an adventure in the game.

BR: Everyone involved in the production worked very hard at making the spirit and tone of this movie consistent with the current D&D experience. From wardrobe to spells to creature behavior to back story, the creative team made this their top priority. Sure, we took some dramatic license and it's impossible to be one hundred percent accurate, but we all did our best within the limitations of adapting a role-playing game to the screen. We hope the fans recognize this effort and appreciate the balance between an adventure that “could” happen within the framework of the D&D universe and a movie accessible to audiences unfamiliar with the game. And it's a cool story with monsters and spells and traps taken right from the pages of the numerous manuals. So far, from what we've heard, the response from the D&D fans has been very positive.

SP: Why has (only) Damodar (Profion's henchman from the previous movie) been kept in the sequel?

RK & BR: The people who enjoyed the first movie felt that Damodar was one of its strengths. So, if this was going to be a sequel, we thought it would be cool to bring him back from the dead and have him be the antagonist.

SP: Are you familiar with Wizards of the Coast's new Eberron setting? It seems very well suited for potential movies... your thoughts?

RK & BR: This sounds like a licensing issue. Any decision on future settings will be made by powers greater than us.

SP: And finally, the question we've all been asking ourselves... Whose call was it to drop Damodar's blue lipstick?

RK & BR: The lips. Ah, the lips. Let's just say that the first note we got from numerous sources was to “lose the blue lipstick”.

Missed the first part of our interview? Read it here.

▲
▼

Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.co.uk
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!
Disable all ads!