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Dungeons & Dragons Movie Considering Changes Due To New On-Set Rules
Paramount's upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie may tweak some scenes before filming as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Dungeons & Dragons is based on the fantasy role-playing game, which has been around since the 1970s. It's inspired all sorts of media, from video games to an animated TV series. Three movies have been made based on the game, though only one, 2000's Dungeons & Dragons, actually released in theaters. Despite the built in fans from the game, the movie was both a critical and commercial failure.
There have been several attempts made by Hollywood to get a new Dungeons & Dragons movie off the ground. Warner Bros. tried beginning in 2015, with Ansel Elgort attached to star. However, when that project never came to fruition, it moved over to Paramount. Several writers took a crack at the script but weren't successful. Last year, Paramount hired John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein to direct the movie. They later revealed they had also written a new script for Dungeons & Dragons.
However, according to a THR interview with Daley and Goldstein, their script may undergo changes due to the coronavirus and social distancing rules. Daley stated he and Goldstein are already considering how to film the movie in a post-pandemic world. Daley specifically mentioned background players, explaining, "That whole world is going to change dramatically, I feel." He also discussed changes that might have to be made to the script, revealing, "We have these scenes with big crowds that we are now rethinking and deciding if it's worth preserving or if we should try to pivot and find another way into the scenes we were imagining."
Unfortunately, the Dungeons & Dragons movie has already been affected by the coronavirus. Originally planned for a November 2021 release, it's since been delayed to May 2022. At the very least, this will give Daley and Goldstein time to make any necessary changes to their script. As Hollywood nears a return to normalcy, many have been considering how new guidelines and protocols will affect sets. Some have predicted crowd scenes will have to be axed all together, while others have suggested adding crowds during post-production.
Considering the challenges posed by crowd scenes in particular, it makes sense Daley and Goldstein are considering changes in that area. As little is known about their script as this time, it's impossible to know how many scenes could be affected. The good news is that fans will have no way of knowing which moments were tweaked from the original script, so it shouldn't affect their experience with the film. Hopefully, Daley and Goldstein are able to make changes while still preserving their original vision for the Dungeons & Dragons movie.
