'Dungeons & Dragons': Warner Bros. Plans To Bring Back The Franchise After Nearly Two Decades

Warner Bros., Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures and Sweetpea Entertainment announced a “Dungeons & Dragons” movie, the first since the last movie in the franchise starring Jeremy Irons was released in 2000.

A Warner Bros. press release said the producers of the movie will include Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis, Courtney Solomon and Allan Zeman of Sweetpea Entertainment, and Roy Lee. The script by by David Leslie Johnson is said to be ready. Johnson has worked on movies like “The Conjuring 2” and ‘Wrath of the Titans."

“We are so excited about bringing the world of 'Dungeons & Dragons' to life on the big screen,” said Greg Silverman, president of creative development and worldwide production at Warner Bros. Pictures. Silverman noted the franchise was one of the most well known brands in the fantasy genre and the new project will give the filmmakers “immense opportunities” to delight fans.

Davis, executive vice president and chief content officer of Hasbro Inc., said the “Dungeons & Dragons” movie will give the producers an opportunity to “ignite a franchise for its legions of avid fans in a way never done before.”

A movie released in 2000 with the same name was directed by Solomon. The plot of the movie revolved around the conflict between a young queen who controls dragons and a Mage called Profion [Irons] who is greedy for power and wants to overthrow her.

Solomon said the producers are “thrilled” the movie will bring back the franchise on the big screen after nearly two decades. He also noted that Warner Bros. has been responsible for some of the biggest movies in the fantasy genre in the past two decades.

The press release noted the announcement comes after the lawsuits among Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast LLC and Sweetpea Entertainment Inc. over the “Dungeons & Dragons” brand have been settled. According to the settlement, Solomon and Zeman will produce all movies and TV shows related to the brand and all rights to the brand will be held by Wizards of the Coast, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hasbro.