Duncan Jones reveals what his story would have been for Warcraft 2

[Faroth]

Trolls and ogres were considered for the first movie. Ogres would have been too similar to orcs for the general audience. Trolls were probably too expensive to make for a single scene in which Lothar and Llane were introduced fighting them.

I kind of felt they made the orcs too big. I mean, I know they're larger than humans, but these orcs seemed ridiculously sized. Taller than a horse, heaving them like they were absolutely nothing. Their fists were the size of a man's head....

[Gourmandise]

Should have had circa 2000 Peter Jackson direct this movie.
It's never too late for time machines.

[Tackhisis]

The Second War brought the elves and trolls into the story.

That's great, for a video game. For a movie? Not so much. Also, no fantasy franchise can seriously expect to produce SIX movies.

[Faroth]

That's great, for a video game. For a movie? Not so much. Also, no fantasy franchise can seriously expect to produce SIX movies.

Elves work in a video game, but not in a movie? Who became a pop culture star solely off their LotR role? The elf. Why would adding trolls not work in a movie?
Your argument here is that general audiences would want to watch a movie about an orc, but other races brought into a far more vast reaching film wouldn't work. What's your reasoning and logic for that, other than "I don't want to see it."

As for no fantasy franchise expecting six movies....I don't see any remote reason that's true. You're using the same logic that was applied to comic book movies a mere 16 year ago: "It just won't work."

If WB/WotC would get their head in the game, Forgotten Realms could be a whole franchise. Drizzt books are basically summer blockbuster novels, popcorn adventure, to begin with and written in trilogy sets. You do fantasy films properly, there's no reason you can't build a franchise.

Lord of the Rings/Hobbit had six films and were in the 1 billion ballpark with each, with Fellowship being the lowest at "only" 835 million.
Harry Potter had eight films in the 800+ million box office range.

There is definitely a market for the fantasy genre and that market is willing to pay. I'd wager there may be even a bigger market now with LotR and Harry Potter films wrapped up and the mainstream strides of comic book movies and other geeky interests.

[Tackhisis]

Elves work in a video game, but not in a movie?

Not elves. The reiteration of the same plot with new units added.

would want to watch a movie about an orc, but other races brought into a far more vast reaching film wouldn't work.

No. Two movies with the same plot but different CGI monsters won't work.

Drizzt books are basically summer blockbuster novels ... Lord of the Rings/Hobbit had six films ... Harry Potter had eight films

No. The latter are screenplays for successful books by talented writers. Salvatore is a hack, and Warcraft has no basis to build a good movie upon. There is no possibility for three+ movies based on videogames and featuring the crap the screenwriters can come with.

There is definitely a market for fantasy. There is no market for Warcraft spin-offs, though.

[Faroth]

Not elves. The reiteration of the same plot with new units added.
No. Two movies with the same plot but different CGI monsters won't work.

Except they really wouldn't have been... they would have been two halves of a whole had the first movie been done right in the first place.

No. The latter are screenplays for successful books by talented writers. Salvatore is a hack, and Warcraft has no basis to build a good movie upon. There is no possibility for three+ movies based on videogames and featuring the crap the screenwriters can come with.

LOL... Harry Potter is high literature that can be adapted, but novels that are already popcorn reading couldn't be. Alright, you've got no actual arguments beyond "I don't like it." I'll stop trying to have a discussion, then.

[Techno-Druid]

In my opinion they should of based the movie off of Lord of the Clans. That book was pretty dark and starting it after the Second War (because let's be honest, the First War is probably the weakest link in WoW's lore even if it is technically one of the most important events lore-wise) would create an ominous introduction to the world.

Since Thrall was rasied by humans and has to learn how to become a Frostwolf, that would also help introduce the viewer to the culture of the orcs and sympathize with them more.

You could even throw in some subtle allusions to other races like Amani trolls, goblins, high elves, gnomes and dwarves, possibly even introducing characters like Gazlowe as a minor character that assists him similar to the scrapped game Blizz had before WC3.

From there you could move on to Arthas and the Scourge while introducing new characters like Jaina, Kael'thas, Muradin, Varian, Uther and Terenas. Slowly going into the Third War. Kalimdor itself though would probably have to be a two parter; the first movie being the introduction to Kalimdor and the night elves and overcoming differences and the second being the war itself and the aftermath.

[Xloudman]

To be fair, the spellchucker line was hilarious

[gaymer77]

Just because it didn't do too well in the US does not mean it didn't make money globally. The movie grossed $600 million world wide thanks to China.

[Tackhisis]

The movie grossed $600 million world wide thanks to China.

[UL][LI]The movie grossed $433.6M worldwide.
[LI]The profits from China are just under $60M.
[/UL]