Sam Raimi to Direct Warcraft Movie!

Source: comingsoon.net

July 22, 2009

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and Legendary Pictures announced today that Sam Raimi has signed on to direct the eagerly-anticipated major motion picture based on Blizzard Entertainment's award-winning Warcraft universe. Raimi has, in the course of his career, clearly demonstrated a genius for developing and adapting existing fictional universes for mainstream audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original content.

Raimi directed the "Spider-Man" trilogy, which has broken box-office records around the world and garnered five Academy Award nominations. Known for his imaginative filmmaking style, richly drawn characters and offbeat humor, Raimi wrote and directed the cult classic, The Evil Dead and produced 30 Days Of Night. He most recently wrote and directed the supernatural thriller, Drag Me To Hell.

"At its core, 'Warcraft' is a fantastic, action-packed story," said Raimi. "I am thrilled to work with such a dynamite production team to bring this project to the big screen."

Charles Roven's producing talents were recently seen with last summer’s blockbuster The Dark Knight, which grossed in excess of $1 billion, was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two. His body of work also includes the widely acclaimed Batman Begins and the sci-fi classic 12 Monkeys. Roven, with Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner, will be producing with Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull, Legendary's Chief Creative Officer Jon Jashni, Raimi and Raimi's producing partner Joshua Donen. Raimi's partner, Robert Tapert, will be an Executive Producer and Blizzard Entertainment's Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Chris Metzen, a Co-Producer.

"Partnering with Sam Raimi exemplifies Legendary's mandate of marrying the highest quality intellectual property to world-class filmmakers" said Legendary's Tull. "Sam's passion for 'Warcraft' is undeniable and we know that he will create an incredible film worthy of Blizzard's phenomenal franchise. We look forward to collaborating with our partners at Warner Bros. and continuing our successful relationship with Chuck in bringing this rich new world to the screen."

"Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures have a shared vision for this film and we searched at length to find the very best director to bring that vision to life," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "From our first conversation with Sam, we could tell he was the perfect choice. Sam knows how to simultaneously satisfy the enthusiasts and the mainstream audience that might be experiencing that content for the first time. We're looking forward to working with him to achieve that here."

"Blizzard Entertainment's 'Warcraft' has become a second home for millions of players and Sam's experience and talent make him the perfect director for this remarkable and action-packed world," said Atlas' Roven. "Alex and I are proud to be working with Sam and re-teaming with our friends at Legendary and Warner Bros."

The film will fall under Legendary Pictures' co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. "'Warcraft' is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which our studio is best known. We have enjoyed great success with our partners at Legendary, and this is an incredible opportunity for us to work with Sam on a project that is so eagerly anticipated by so many," said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

Blizzard Entertainment's "Warcraft" universe is a rich fantasy setting that revolves around the epic conflict between the opposing forces of the Horde and the Alliance. Since its debut in 1994, "Warcraft" has developed a loyal following across the globe, with several bestselling, award-winning PC games and a range of popular licensed products including novels, action figures, apparel, comic books, board games, and more. "World of Warcraft," Blizzard Entertainment's subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe, is the most popular game of its kind in the world. Its most recent expansion, "Wrath of the Lich King," is the fastest-selling PC game of all time, with more than 2.8 million copies sold in its first 24 hours of availability and more than 4 million in its first month.

Further details about the upcoming Warcraft movie, including cast and targeted release date, will be revealed as development progresses.

Mike
( )

From IGN:

Raimi Talks World of Warcraft

Director discusses passion for game-to-film adaptation, plus word on The Hobbit and Oz.

UK, June 25, 2010

by Chris Tilly IGN UK

Sam Raimi was quizzed about his forthcoming World of Warcraft adaptation at the Saturn Awards this week, and it sounds like it may very well be his next project.

The film is apparently still in the early stages of development, but Raimi says that studio Legendary Pictures is fully behind the project. "We're still working on the story right now," he told Collider while running the red-carpet gauntlet, "We've got a 40-page document that needs a lot more work, but every draft that we do with Robert Rodat gets better and better.

"We're finding the characters and through the characters we're finding the story. There's no real angle on it - we're trying to create interesting characters that can live in the World of Warcraft, as though you are in the game itself, in one, or two, or three of those environments, and see the interaction with those great mythical, iconic characters."

In case you were worried about a wrap-around story set in the real-world, no chance according to Raimi, with the entire film taking place within the World of Warcraft.

And it sounds like the man is genuinely passionate about the game, with Raimi explaining, "I love the visual world that the guys at Blizzard have created. Incredibly engrossing and terrifying and exciting. I like their use of scale and the giant monsters they have. I love the different landscapes that your character can move through.

"I love the first-person interaction you have with other players online. There are so many aspects about the game that I really enjoy like the battles and learning spells and performing spells and getting to the next level like everybody else."

It therefore seems that the filmmaker's proposed Wizard of Oz prequel Oz may not be as ready to go as we had previously thought. "I did read it," Raimi told Collider of the screenplay, "I loved the script - I think it's a great project and it's something I'd like to be involved with."

And finally, Raimi won't be directing The Hobbit, with the director stating, "I don't think that's what Peter Jackson's thinking."

So there you have it - Sam Raimi's next project may very well be WoW.

From IGN:

Sam Raimi No Longer Involved With World of Warcraft Movie

Director says Oz made him move on from game movie.

by Jim Vejvoda

July 17, 2012

There was much fanfare a few years back when it was announced that Spider-Man director Sam Raimi was attached to direct a feature film version of Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft. Raimi, a fan of the game, eventually went on to make Oz the Great and Powerful his next movie instead, so where does that leave Warcraft?

In a chat with Crave Online at last weekend's San Diego Comic-Con, Raimi revealed, “Actually, they don’t have me directing World of Warcraft anymore because when I took the Oz job, they had to move on to another director. ... They had to start making it.”

Charles Leavitt to Rewrite World of Warcraft

Source: ComingSoon

August 2, 2012

Legendary Pictures is moving forward with their World of Warcraft feature film, bringing aboard screenwriter Charles Leavitt to provide a rewrite. Variety has the news, saying that a search will soon be on for a new director, replacing the formerly attached Sam Raimi.

Blizzard Entertainment's "Warcraft" universe is a rich fantasy setting that revolves around the epic conflict between the opposing forces of the Horde and the Alliance. Since its debut in 1994, "Warcraft" has developed a loyal following across the globe, with several bestselling, award-winning PC games and a range of popular licensed products including novels, action figures, apparel, comic books, board games, and more. "World of Warcraft," Blizzard Entertainment's subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe, is the most popular game of its kind in the world.

Leavitt is best known for films like K-Pax, Blood Diamond and the upcoming The Seventh Son.

There's no announced timeframe for the World of Warcraft film, but the trade notes that a 2014 release is possible if things get moving quickly.

Duncan Jones to Direct the Warcraft Movie!

by SuperHeroHype

January 30, 2013

Moon and Source Code helmer Duncan Jones will direct the Warcraft movie for Legendary Pictures (upcoming Man of Steel & Pacific Rim), according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sam Raimi was previously attached to direct the adaptation of the Blizzard Entertainment video game property.

The "Warcraft" universe is a rich fantasy setting that revolves around the epic conflict between the opposing forces of the Horde and the Alliance. Since its debut in 1994, "Warcraft" has developed a loyal following across the globe, with several bestselling, award-winning PC games and a range of popular licensed products including novels, action figures, apparel, comic books, board games, and more. "World of Warcraft," Blizzard Entertainment's subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe, is the most popular game of its kind in the world.

Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing for Legendary along with Blizzard and Atlas Entertainment's Charles Roven and Alex Gartner. Charles Leavitt wrote the script.

Legendary is eyeing a fall 2013 start for a 2015 release.