In this IP-dominated era of entertainment, society will frequently contend with multiple iterations of the same source material. Fans often enjoy the spectacle of two works with the same brand name earning opposite cultural responses.Dungeons & Dragonsevolved from a tabletop role-playing game into an all-purpose franchise across every notable medium. After its first excellent cinematic outing failed to rake in the gold it deserved,Baldur’s Gate 3cleaned up, offering a clear plan for its next adventure.
Dungeons & Dragonsowes much of its cultural evolution to the wide world of actual play podcasts.Critical Role,The Adventure Zone, Dimension 20, and other luminaries in the space demonstrated the fun a TTRPG can provide. Through their example,D&Dunderwent the same climb from obscurity that comics and video games enjoyed decades earlier. All it needs now is a successful film franchise.
Metacritic Score
96 out of 100
After years of development,Larian droppedBaldur’s Gate 3to one of the most universally celebrated receptions in recent memory. Every detail earns feature-length breakdowns from devoted fans. It’s been hailed as the best way to experience role-playing games as a concept, let aloneDungeons and Dragons. The dialogue sizzles with life, the action captures the tabletop game’s improvisational feel, and the characters are instant fan favorites. Those party members areBaldur’s Gate 3’s greatest tool. Any fan of the game,D&D,or even the broad fantasy genre has seen a thousand clips or edits on social media. It’s hard to gauge these things with any degree of objectivity, but the party fromBG3lands somewhere between Drizzt Do’urden’s Companions of the Hall andCritical Role’s Vox Machina. It’s fair to say they’re significantly more recognizablethan Edgin, Holga, Simon, Doric, and Xenk.
Johnathan Goldstein and John Francis Daly
Johnathan Goldstein, John Francis Daly, Michael Gilio and Chris McKay
Rotten Tomatoes Score
91% from 310 critics
Though mostfans lovedHonor Among Thieves, it didn’t make its money back at the box office. The film cost $150 million, bringing its perceived price tag to $300 million. With $208.2 million in worldwide returns, it could have lost Paramount Pictures almost $100 million. Critics lavished the film with praise, and its appeal was inarguable to fans and franchise devotees. However, the pull ofDungeons and Dragonsas a brand pales in comparison to its related projects. The broad audience isn’t drawn toward the TTRPG as they might be to Marvel orStar Wars. The film suffered two failed death saves, having little to do with its quality. It was up againstThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, an unstoppable box-office juggernaut with the best-selling video game franchise of all time in front of it. It also felt the wrath of fans enraged byWizards of the Coasts' unacceptable brand decisions.D&Dwas in a terrible place.Baldur’s Gate 3changed that.
Honor Among Thievesproved the right creative team could create an excellent film aboutD&D. It, unfortunately, came on the heels of massive corporate malfeasance and a predictably unbeatable cinematic final boss. Now that Wizards haslost the battle for the OGLand Mario’s next movie will likely take time to animate, aBaldur’s Gatecross-over could be the perfect next step. Video game adaptations are in at the moment, a fact best illustrated by the film that helped buryHonor Among Thieves. Bringing Karlach and Astarion to the big screen will guarantee a level of box-office success beyond Paramount’s wildest dreams. Larian would have to sign a few deals. Paramount would have to reach across the aisle. The franchises already exist in the same narrative universe. As forHonor Among Thievesenjoying a sequel, Chris Pine gaveGamesradar+this statement,
I’ve heard some rumours about it, but I don’t know anything yet. I feel pretty confident that it may happen. [I’d] absolutely [return].
There’s no guarantee of a secondD&Dmovie. The world could go on without seeing a second adventure for Edgin, Holga, Doric, and Simon. However, the adventuring partyfromBaldur’s Gate 3isn’t going anywhere. They’re cultural icons beyond the wit of their creators. Bring them to the big screen. Let them tangle with the titular thieves and save this film franchise. Beyond the obvious franchise potential of both works, the first excellentD&Dmovie deserves more attention than it received.Baldur’s Gate 3andHonor Among Thievescould come together in anAvengers-style cross-over that would give both franchises new worlds to explore. If there’s one thingD&Dfans love, it’s watching their favorite characters interact.
MORE:Baldur’s Gate 3 Should Heed the Biggest Lesson from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
