Paramount’s new movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, is on track to have an impressive opening weekend with a projected $40 million in sales. The film’s success can be credited to directors, writers, and executive producers, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. In a recent interview, they revealed their vision for the film was to make it not only fun but funnier. They aimed to appeal to both die-hard fans and non-fans alike. Their goal was to avoid making the movie just another dark, generic picture featuring the role-playing game.
The duo recognized that what the existing script had was only a heist film. They knew it was essential to add their comedic twist to it to make it stand out. Daley states that, “if it had that gothic feeling of the IP, it would have been the most generic film.” Instead, they looked at ways to breathe new life into the movie by making it fun and hilarious.
The team’s collaboration started when Goldstein and Daley met whilst working on The Geena Davis Show. They formed a lasting bond that led them to work on a pilot that Daley would come to act in, as well as a feature spec $40,000 Man which they sold to New Line. The success of Horrible Bosses, which they wrote, inspired them to direct and write Warner Bros. comedies like the reboot of Vacation and Game Night. In speaking with Deadline, the duo revealed that finding the right balance of comedy in films can be challenging, but when it works, it is incredibly rewarding.
The high levels of excitement generated from the SXSW world premiere of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves have been mirrored by positive critic reviews and audience scores of over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. The buzz surrounding the film has fans excited for its release, and its projected sales suggest it’s on track to become a box office hit.
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