A few lucky moviegoers will get a chance to watchDungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thievestwo weeks before its official premiere at the end of the month. This joint initiative is a collaborative first for Paramount, the studio releasing the film.
First conceptualized in 2013 by Warner Bros.,Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis based on the eponymous tabletop role-playing gameDungeons and Dragons, a fantasy RPG often set in the particularly fantastical Forbidden Realms. With about the same level of accountability and moral fiber as the averageDungeons and Dragonsparty, the main characters ofHonor Among Thievesseek redemption after inadvertently helping the evil Red Wizard summon an army of undead. Fans got afirst look atDungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thievesat 2022’s Comic-Con and have been eager to see the film.
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The move is mutually beneficial, with Paramount’s President of Domestic Distribution, Chris Aronson, explaining the initiative in a statement to the press. “We know that Prime members love watching spirited, adventurous stories as much as we love bringing them to audiences," Aronson said. “We know that we can’t wait to give Prime members an early look at this epic quest.” Positive reviews via word of mouth, in conjunction with the good reviews coming out of early industry screenings, might help counteract early calls by someDungeons and Dragonsfans to boycott the film.
WhileDungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieveswill be intriguing and draw a lot of attention, it may still not be enough to heal the parts of the fanbase affected by factors beyond the control of the filmmakers and cast. In particular, recent actions by the IP holders seem to have damaged its popularity among fans, with many people looking for alternatives, and D&D 5E third-party publishers like Kobold Press are alreadyplaytesting an alternativeDungeons and Dragons5e system. Whether the film can work in concurrence with the IP holders backtracking the unpopular decisions to re-establish a more content fandom or come and go remains to be seen.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieveswill officially premiere for general audiences on March 31st, 2023.
