D&D Movie/TV D&D Movie: 'A Sigh of Relief' & Regé-Jean Page Plays A Paladin

One of the stars of the upcoming D&D movie -- Regé-Jean Page of Bridgerton fame -- spoke to Variety about the production. He also reveals he is playing a paladin!

According to Variety --

Page was immediately drawn to the project based on the film’s script, predicting that it will be a “huge sigh of relief for ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ fans everywhere,” noting that in a post-MCU world, genre storytelling has been elevated and, in his estimation, this film steps up to and continues to raise the bar.

While he hasn't played D&D, Page thinks of himself as a 'second-generation Dungeons and Drgaoner" --

“I’ve listened to a couple of ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ podcasts in my time. I played a ton of JRPGs [Japanese role-playing games] and basically everything that’s come out of it,” he explains. “I played a ton of ‘Diablo’ as a teenager, so I’m used to the fact that I play a paladin — that’s just what I do, and I know what that means, to a degree. I watched my friends play ‘Baldur’s Gate,’ so I’m like a second-generation ‘Dungeons and Dragoner.”

Variety also spoke to the directors, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, about Page's role and performance in the film --

When asked if Page, who’s mostly been seen in dramas, like “Roots,” “For the People” and “Bridgerton,” will get to show off his comedy chops, Goldstein teases: “[The role] allows him to show a full spectrum of his talent.”

“He naturally exudes a sense of dignity and heroism that is fitting for the fantasy genre, and is perfect for the role we cast him in,” Daley adds, explaining what made Page a good candidate for the film’s ensemble, which features Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Jason Wong and Hugh Grant[/callout[

 

[Oofta]

It was the interviewer who asked about his "comedy chops," and the response was that he would get to show off the "full spectrum" of his talents.

I think a lot of us develop an instinct to bristle when someone suggests "comedy" in the context of D&D, because there is such a long history of D&D being treated as a mean-spirited punch line by mainstream culture. But there is a difference between lighthearted action (Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean) and parody.

Great. Now I'm envisioning Page doing his take on Captain Jack. Would explain the UA Oath of the Open Sea though.

 

[Oofta]

The collective PTSD on this board from the previous D&D movies is something to see.

If this wasn't labelled as a D&D movie, I daresay most ENWorld posters would be really excited about this fantasy movie, between the creators, casting and stated direction. Then we'd be seeing threads full of "why isn't there a D&D movie like this?"

Anyone who thinks the movie is guaranteed to be horrible because the other movies were bad should be sentenced to watch the 1979 version of Captain America. Or maybe ... ::shudder:: ... Howard the Duck.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Absolutely. I couldn't imagine getting through a humourless session of D&D, and for the D&D movie to be played arrow-straight and dead serious would be the worst outcome as far as I'm concerned.

I have played plenty of games of D&D, and plenty of other games, that had no in-game jokes, and were still a lot of fun. The worst is when there is a good dramatic scene going and one of the other players can't handle the pressure and cracks some stupid out-of-character joke that totally derails the session until everyone can focus on the action again.

 

[Marc Radle]

The authors of this movie also wrote Spider-Man: Homecoming, which is probably a good example of how they'd mix action, comedy, and serious tone.

Excellent point!

 

[ad_hoc]

hm, little bit frightened now.. "comedy" ? we've seen comedy in a D&D movie before, we all know where that went..

Guardians of the Galaxy is D&D in space.

A D&D movie simply wouldn't work without comedy.

It will do best if it is centred on fun banter and relationship building of the team rather than the machinations of the plot.

Thor is a perfect example of a franchise that works better with comedy than drama.

 

[hopeless]

Anyone who thinks the movie is guaranteed to be horrible because the other movies were bad should be sentenced to watch the 1979 version of Captain America. Or maybe ... ::shudder:: ... Howard the Duck.

I watched both they wasn't that bad.
Might have the wrong Cap movie in mind though.
How about watching Men in White, The Stupids or was it called Space Marines?
The one where the villain should have been the hero of the movie, THAT bad.
Definitely must be remembering the wrong Cap movie is that the one where he rides a motorcycle and dons a bike helmet because if so that's not the movie I'm remembering then!

 

[Oofta]

I watched both they wasn't that bad.
Might have the wrong Cap movie in mind though.
How about watching Men in White, The Stupids or was it called Space Marines?
The one where the villain should have been the hero of the movie, THAT bad.
Definitely must be remembering the wrong Cap movie is that the one where he rides a motorcycle and dons a bike helmet because if so that's not the movie I'm remembering then!

There was the motorcycle one with the plastic shield that somehow deflected bullets, there was also one that went straight to VCR. I seem to remember a 70s spider-man live action that was obviously filmed on a shoe-string budget.

 

[Steampunkette]

There was the motorcycle one with the plastic shield that somehow deflected bullets, there was also one that went straight to VCR. I seem to remember a 70s spider-man live action that was obviously filmed on a shoe-string budget.

How about instead we make them watch 3Dev Adam?

The Turkish knockoff where Spider-Man strangles women in the shower and uses Hamsters as a torture implement while Santo (The Mexican Wrestler, also a knockoff for the movie) and Shieldless Captain America try to stop him?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I wasn't pulling a bait and switch and going over what I typed before I can see where that can be assumed.
It goes back to what I typed above until we have something concrete all we have is these notes and I questioned everything as that's how I look at this.
You don't understandable but this is a discussion not an echo chamber and I wasn't claiming to be correct only to doubt whats been discussed as there are plenty of ways this could be done.
Now given the core group was supposed to be a wizard, a barbarian, a druid and a rogue where does that leave Rene's character?
Captain of the Guard?
Is he sent after the escaped prisoners and is actually a recurring nemesis until they discover who they're really up against and have to call in back up?
What is the Thayan equivalent of a Paladin then if not a Thayan Knight?

Oh dear.

So you missed where it was noted that the earlier synopsis of the movie, the one with the wizard/barbarian/druid/rogue, was TOTALLY INACCURATE, then?

Because we don't even know if Thay is involved anymore.

 

[Fandabidozi]

I’d have picked Rogue or Bard for Regé-Jean Page based on what I’ve seen him in but I’m sure he’ll be great. Paladin is my go to in Diablo, Baldur’s Gate and WoW as well!