Robert Rodat to write the Warcraft screenplay
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 12th 2009 at 5:00PM
Raimi says he wants to stay faithful "to the Horde and the Alliance and the mythology that takes place in the game," as well as "choose one or some of the lands that are portrayed in the game with as much accuracy and authenticity as possible." He calls Rodat a great character writer, and says a great character-based story within the world of Azeroth is his goal. Sounds good. The picture above is the only art we've ever seen of the movie (it was presented at BlizzCon a few years ago), but since then, it sounds like the movie has changed quite a bit, so we'll have to wait and see what Rodat and Raimi are coming up with.
Filed under: Fan stuff, Blizzard, News items, Lore, NPCs, Fan art
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Zan Oct 12th 2009 5:06PM
What surprises me about this, is how long ago the WoW movie was announced (when Wrath expansion was announced if I remember correctly) and at this point in time they are just getting a script writer? Ouch. Don't hold your breath for this any time soon.
Boz Oct 13th 2009 8:36AM
This is a huge undertaking, and the movie will take a long time to execute because there is a lot hanging on its success; Blizzard will be directly impacted, tons of lawyers are going to be involved, there will be extensive product tie-ins (Mountain Dew, anyone?), and every interested party needs to have their say. Each step from conception to writing to casting to directing and editing will be drawn out; not necessarily a good or bad thing, just reality.
As far as this step in the process, it is unclear whether the screenplay is being originally developed by Rodat or if he will be adapting existing lore to the screen. Certainly the latter would take less time than the former.
If it is going to be original - and particularly if Rodat is new to the Warcraft Universe - consider how much time and energy any given writer would need to spend researching in order to draft an original screenplay for a movie with as much background as Warcraft. On top of the games themselves, there is the official Blizzard literature available in both digital and print. Sure, there are resources like WoWWiki out there, but it's a Cliffs Notes compared to running through the quests and games yourself, as well as reading all the books. Plus, the target audience is us, a huge fanbase of long-time players. It had better be faithful to the games; Lord help Rodat if he pens a Ghost Rider.
Not only will it take a long time to script, it SHOULD take a long time to script.
gamerforlifenator Oct 13th 2009 6:06PM
@Boz
I fully agree. and I'd like to restate that last bit:
"Not only will it take a long time to script, it SHOULD take a long time to script." -Boz
Caelin Oct 12th 2009 5:13PM
Lol at stupid people
Shamman22 Oct 12th 2009 5:16PM
This movie is going to suck hard with this guy writing the script. It will have a bunch of cheeeeeezy predictable hollywood moments, cookie cutter personalities, and be filled with the typical overall garbage feel of a summer hollywood movie. It's a shame too, because they could make this into a true classic. There are some really good stories in wow, but I now have no hope for this movie.
Mithra Oct 12th 2009 5:34PM
And you saw all that in your flash forward moment or is this your insider info?
RetPallyJil Oct 12th 2009 5:40PM
No, I'd venture he extrapolated his opinion from the fact that Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot both blew goats.
kabshiel Oct 12th 2009 6:02PM
Fly Away Home, on the other hand, is an instant classic. Only a monster wouldn't love a movie about geese.
SithLlenniuq Oct 12th 2009 6:49PM
Then you write it, make it better.
I love people who crit others when they themselves couldn't accomplish what this screen writer has.
Jeff Oct 12th 2009 9:19PM
@RetPallyJil
Allow me (And by me, I mean Merriam-Webster) to define the word "fact" for you:
"a piece of information presented as having objective reality"
Note that the word is "objective", not "subjective". Please use it properly next time, lest you come off looking like an idiot.
jbodar Oct 12th 2009 11:26PM
Yeah, Saving Private Ryan only won 5 Oscars, so clearly it sucked. Actually Rodat was nominated for Best Writer for it, but I guess it must be awful, since he didn't win.
http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/savingprivateryan?q=saving%20private%20ryan
Shamman22 Oct 13th 2009 1:23AM
The opening scene in Saving Private Ryan was awesome. Speilburg is obviously a scenimatic genius. The thing that made the movie suck was the cheesy hollywood-ish moments that make everyone that watches it roll their eyes during the exact same moments. You know what I'm talking about. A cheeseball speech, music swells, then some predictable response from the actors. To paraphrase Ray Carney, most Hollywood writers/directors are masters at plugging into the emotional fad of the moment. They whip up the same sort of instant, artificial emotions that the Super Bowl does. Saving Private Ryan, Titanic, etc, cycle the viewer through a series of predictable, clichéd, plastic feelings. But it's all just a bad simulation of real experiences and emotions. Virtual unreality. The ideas are prefabricated, the experiences are formulaic, and the emotions are superficial. Which is why it's all forgotten a few hours later.
The superficiality of the experience is in fact what many viewers love about Hollywood movies. They take you on a ride. You climb into them, turn on the Cruise Control, and sit back. Not only are events, characters, and conflicts entirely predictable (most movies are their trailers), but there is nothing really at stake for anyone–actor, director, or viewer–in any of it. It's like a roller-coaster ride in this sense too–a few pre-programmed thrills and chills and then all is well. When it is over, you leave the theater and go home untouched by any of it. Anything that has happened has taken place entirely on the surface. That's what Antonioni meant when he said Hollywood was being nowhere, talking to no one, about nothing. It all takes place on a fantasy island. It's all "as if." There's no real danger or threat in any of it.
Imagine the story of Arthus told without any of the clichéd garbage that's bound to be thrown in. Imagine a move as emotionally impacting as No Country for Old Men, but with the visual style of Lord of the Rings. Imagine a movie where they take the artistic high road and make a classic, not just some predictable summer action flick....I want to see the same care taken with WOW as with the recent Batman movies. Grey me out if you like, but I think most people want a classic and not some typical hollywood cash-in piece of crap. The majority of people that play WOW are adults now, I just hope they take that into consideration when making this movie.
Mallarme Oct 12th 2009 5:16PM
I was really excited when I first heard that Sam Raimi was doing the movie. Now I just get the feeling that he really has no connection to the game, and is just gonna make a decent flick with no heart. Anyone else a little scared? I could just be stupid.
pogger Oct 12th 2009 5:19PM
LOL. Everyone knows the correct title was leaked at the last Blizzcon...
"Warcraft: Evil Dead 4".
Boydboyd Oct 12th 2009 6:04PM
Any movie with zombies is worth paying to see it in the theater or buying it at a store.
Marty Oct 12th 2009 10:17PM
So the Movie will take place in Shatt, just before the Wrath expansion?
Nick Oct 12th 2009 5:21PM
Sweet. So if he's portraying the Horde/Alliance accurately then it'll be all about the Alliance getting screwed over at every turn by the Horde whenever they try to work together... >.>
outlier Oct 12th 2009 5:34PM
I would like the movie to focus on the Orc invasion with a plot viewed through dual perspectives of the alliance and horde as was presented in world of warcraft; Tides of Darkness.
malohkan Oct 16th 2009 11:44AM
He'd better be really careful about it and put a lot of effort into the quality of that "portrayal" or he might just have 6+ million people really really pissed at him... and we all know the dangers of nerd rage.
garth Oct 12th 2009 5:41PM
i liked 10,000 B.C. ... just sayin