The Marvel Cinematic Universe fundamentally changed how the entertainment industry works. As one of the most successful franchises of all time, the idea of a multi-billion dollar network of movies featuring iconic heroes isn't the outrageous idea it once was. Soon, Dungeons and Dragons will be getting its own feature film adaptation, and if done correctly, it could launch its own cinematic universe.
Not everything needs to be a cinematic universe, and in many cases, it could be considered detrimental, but what makes the MCU so special is its dedication to character, and Dungeons and Dragons' emphasis on character building makes it a near-perfect match. The years-long arc of Iron Man, Captain America, and the rest of the Avengers saw the team transform, which helped establish an emotional connection by the time Endgame rolled around — something D&D could easily mirror.
Building a Fantasy World
It would be a considerable investment, and the first movie would need to set a lot of different pieces in place. It isn't as outrageous as it seems though, as Dungeons and Dragons could easily establish heroes coming together to fight one great evil, while individual heroes — each with their own class — tackle smaller threats in different movies.
A sword and shield-wielding fighter or paladin could easily translate to a Captain America archetype, where Blackwidow is a rogue, and Hulk is a barbarian. It doesn't need to be a 1-to-1 conversion, but the glove would fit. Marvel has the advantage of comic book superheroes already being recognizable and loved, and while there are some notable characters in the Dungeons and Dragons mythos, none have the same appeal as, say, Iron Man — sorry, Drizzt.
The beauty is that it also allows for a diverse roster of films. A movie following a fighter can be a hack and slash action flick, where something about a sorcerer or wizard would be more along the lines of Doctor Strange. Dungeons and Dragons, fundamentally, is about freedom, and that provides plenty of opportunities for stories within a single universe. It also helps to broaden appeal, opening the franchise up to a larger number of fans by covering a broad swath of genres. Each movie could be like a one-shot campaign, which also affords the opportunity to take risks with film noir-style movies.
The Dream Cast
While the actual Dungeons and Dragons movie has gone through some changes, Ansel Elgort, most notable for starring in Baby Driver and his work as a musician, was rumored to star in the film. Ansel Elgort is quite possibly the best embodiment of a Half-Elf Bard to have ever walked the earth, and even though he may not be attached to the film anymore, he would definitely be a great fit for a character.
There is, of course, Vin Diesel, who would make an excellent martial fighter and is already invested in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Vin Diesel is one of the most famous Dungeons and Dragons nerds out there, and no stranger to being featured in action movies and franchises. Putting him into a cinematic universe full of other characters would be perfect, especially as a central figure.
Plenty of people out there would be willing to play in Dungeons and Dragons, which has garnered mainstream popularity over the past decade, in part thanks to its representation in pop culture, as shows like Stranger Things feature it heavily, renewing interest in it. The steady rise of shows like Critical Role could also be used to find talent, be that through writing or acting in the franchise.
One of the best things about Dungeons and Dragons is that it would allow characters to be created around the actors that embody them, making each one feel ideal for their character thanks to their presence on screen. That's something not a lot of films can claim, though it would involve a large investment from the actors themselves, assuming the universe would follow something like a 10-year arc.
The Dungeons and Dragons Empire
Dungeons and Dragons as a massive movie franchise may sound a bit crazy, as its only recently found mainstream appeal, and its unlikely that it could live up to the grandeur of the Avengers for budget reasons, but with a relative void in the fantasy world now that Game of Thrones has ended, it seems like something that could take its place. In fact, a harsh world with brutal character deaths may even be a good fit — character deaths are an important part of D&D, after all.
But even beyond that, Dungeons and Dragons has been aggressively expanding the scope of its franchise. Eight Dungeons and Dragons games are in the works, each of varying size and genre. It's an aggressive push into a different medium, and the Dungeons and Dragons movie happening — even if it doesn't spawn a movie franchise — suggests that Wizards of the Coast may be looking for other ways that the franchise could grow.
In many ways, Dungeons and Dragons has evolved far past what any ever anticipated it would become. Once a way for nerds to get together with friends around a table and do what video games couldn't, the game is now symbolic of how far geek culture has come in the mainstream. That's something truly special, and deserving of being in the public's eye in any medium imaginable.
That, of course, wouldn't excuse a bad film, and there would almost certainly be growing pains when expanding Dungeons and Dragons into a bona fide cinematic universe. That being said, watching the MCU go through highs and lows was one of the magical aspects of it, feeding into the amazing memories many walked away from with Endgame. It will take time for Dungeons and Dragons to achieve a similar feeling, but the universe fits better than some assume, and that's one of the key aspects of launching a cinematic universe.
Marvel heroes are certainly more iconic, but in the wake of Endgame, there aren't as many A-listers left as there once was, possibly opening up Dungeons and Dragons to challenge the MCU's claim to the entertainment throne. The Dungeons and Dragons movie may end up being just a one-time thing, but it certainly shouldn't be.