A lot of different entertainment IPs have been adapted for the big screen and TV shows over the last five or ten years. Modern movie-making technology has made it a lot easier to bring realistic fantasy and science-fiction settings to life in film, and it’s here that so many great stories in other forms of media have long been set. Now, this still doesn’t guarantee the quality of the adaptation.
There have been several big missed opportunities in recent years, but some have managed to reward the studios backing them and do well enough by the source material. Probably the most recent example would be 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which made over $1.36 billion worldwide. Releasing just a week before on March 30 to Mario’s April 5 release was what could have been a disaster, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Worldwide, the D&D movie eclipsed $207 million, which would seem to be a fair return for the studio, and its success with critics and audiences would usually imply a follow-up movie. Given the power of the IP behind the movie, the first film working as a sound foundation, and everything in the works for the tabletop role-playing game, it seems like a sequel would be perfectly timed if the release were to be in 2025.
A great time for the legendary tabletop RPG
Even though Dungeons and Dragons was first published back in 1974 and is part of what was once seen as a dying form of entertainment, the tabletop RPG, it remains incredibly relevant today. It was a key part of the story and the reason why Netflix’s Stranger Things proved an instant hit, with the main characters utilizing the game to try to add context and explanations to the strange occurrences in their town.
It’s also inspired countless hours of people streaming their sessions and there was even a show that followed a D&D game with complementary animations. HarmonQuest, from Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon, sees a Harmon, Erin McGathy, Jeff Davis, Spencer Crittenden, and a guest embark on quests using Pathfinder. The web series was popular enough to run for three seasons between 2016 and 2019.
Beyond TV, the influence of Dungeons and Dragons is also very strong. Among the most popular online slots going, there’s one game that’s a very clear take on D&D. The slot game Dungeons and Diamonds wears its inspiration on its sleeve, going all in on incorporating the popular character classes and magic animations when features kick in. Befitting an adventure akin to that of D&D, Dungeons and Diamonds even infuses four jackpots of up to 5,000x.
The game itself is also enjoying some success itself while other creations find hefty audiences by associating with the original tabletop RPG. In 2020, in fact, Dungeons and Dragons shot up in sales by 33 percent. In Q3 of 2023, parent company Hasbro saw revenue jump 40 percent to $120 million for digital gaming and Wizards of the Coast (owner of the D&D and Magic: The Gathering brands). Plus, there’s a lot on the way for the 50th anniversary of the hit role-playing game.
Timing a new movie with a new edition
This year’s the 50th anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons, but next year, in 2025, Wizards of the Coast will be looking to launch the revised 5th edition of the tabletop RPG. Provided he’s still keen, this would seem like the perfect time for lead actor Chris Pine to get back in front of the camera and film a sequel to Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Rumors look to be leaning towards a 2026 release, and there hasn’t been word of production getting underway just yet, but if a script is given the green light in the first half of 2024, a film could come out in line with the revised 5th edition. After all, the film from 2023 earned a 72 out of 100 for its Metascore and 7.5 out of 10.0 from Metacritic users. Given that it’s a tabletop RPG adaptation, those numbers are impressive to say the least.
Most would have seen the movie’s release as just another soulless, CGI-heavy cash grab, but Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant did a grand job of making it an enjoyable film that delivered a decent story. It was a risk, and the risk paid off, so the natural move is to follow up and try to outdo the box office return of Honor Among Thieves.
A sequel seems inevitable for one of 2023’s surprise hits; all that we need to do is wait for Paramount Pictures to get a pitch it likes and maybe pick a release date not so close to a potential billion-maker like last time.
