Magic: The Gathering: The Movie

[Trippy]

FOX has acquired the movie rights to Magic: The Gathering with Simon Kinberg as the Producer.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fox-bring-magic-gathering-big-670529

[Soulflame]

MtG, hugely popular?  Create a franchise the size of Harry Potter or LotR?

I want some of what these people are smoking.  It's good stuff.

This doesn't even get into the question of what on earth would a MtG movie entail?

I'm predicting cancellation of the project, or if it makes it to the theater, a hilariously failed movie.

[sickrubik]

It's not too crazy, really, with the Planeswalkers and all.

[tazelbain]

According to lore,

When summoning something, are you teleporting it from its home plane?
Why do these summoned creature do planewalkers bidding?
When creature does combat damage to a planewalker, what is physical happening? is the bear actually clawing planewalker?
When planeswalker loses a duel what is happens to them? I have never gotten the impession that its a fatal event? wheres the drama?

Seems like it would it very hard to have all this not come off as two bored demi-gods playing tiddly-winks.

[Ingmar]

They have about a billion novels I think, so whatever they do in those probably. I'm not going to take one for the team and read one to find out, though.

[Malakili]

I know nothing about MTG lore, and don't care to.  Is there any possibility at all this is anything but other garbage?

EDIT: Also, they couldn't get a more up to date picture for the story than Alliances and Mirage?

[jgsugden]

It has just as much of a chance to be good as those classic D&D movies...

On a more optimistic note: They could take it as seriously as Lucas took Empire, or as seriously as Lucas took Phantom Menace.  I see no reason a good film couldn't be made using the M:tG elements, but I have a lot of doubts.  I think we'll get a typical 'destined one' storyline - which is going to be hard to make into anything but a cliche.  However, I could see them instead making an actual war movie insteas, and that could be interesting...

[HaemishM]

They have about a billion novels I think, so whatever they do in those probably. I'm not going to take one for the team and read one to find out, though.

I read a couple of them when they first came out. They weren't GREAT - about what you'd expect out of licensed properties. It could work as a movie. It won't be a good movie, mind you, it'll be a flashy, over-CGI'ed barely passable as a theater experience type of movie IN 3D!!!!!!

It will be shit, but it will be better than the Transformers movies.

[jgsugden]

They have about a billion novels I think, so whatever they do in those probably. I'm not going to take one for the team and read one to find out, though.

I read a couple of them when they first came out. They weren't GREAT - about what you'd expect out of licensed properties. It could work as a movie. It won't be a good movie, mind you, it'll be a flashy, over-CGI'ed barely passable as a theater experience type of movie IN 3D!!!!!!

It will be shit, but it will be better than the Transformers movies.

I don't know, there are a couple amazing things in that movie. 

[Ingmar]

I hope you mean the cartoon.

[jgsugden]

I hope you mean the cartoon.

No, I'm disappointing you and noting that the only thing worth seeing in that movie is Megan Fox, and not for her acting.

[Tannhauser]

MtG does have a lot of lore, but I've never been assed to look into it.  Just make a good fantasy movie first and foremost and crib names of people and places from the game.  The non-players will get a good  movie and the players can sploosh in their pants when they see a Serra Angel.

[Xilren's Twin]

Saw this plot summary on reddit and dammed if it doesnt sound exactly like what Hollywood would come up with

Stars Jace. Set in modern day. Jace is a highschool senior and kind of a nerd. Gets picked on at school. Gets in a fight. He gets his ass kicked, then his spark ignites for some reason.
Gideon shows up and tells Jace he's a planeswalker, says hes recruiting other planeswalkers for some big fight. Jace reluctantly comes along. They go to some other plane (Zendikar maybe?) where they meet Chandra and Garruk. Chandra doesn't like Jace, but he thinks she's kinda cute. Garruk is a bland, macho muscly guy with lots of one liners.
Sorin is a villain because vampires tested well but the main cast was getting too big. He wants to harness some hidden power on the plane, but he has to collect some artifacts or something first.
Chandra and Jace have awkward sexual tension throughout the movie. Gideon acts as a mentor type of role to Jace. Garruk hits people with his axe and says badass things. Gideon probably dies somewhere towards the end. Eventually the team defeats Sorin, but only because Jace saves the day. Chandra and him kiss.
Right before credits we have some kind of ominous scene that implies Sorin was under the control of Bolas all along, and he's all "I'll get you next time, planeswalkers!" Sequel 2 years later if success.

Painful truth.  Course if they can make a movie out of the freaking board game Battleship....  moneyhats!

[Ingmar]

Plane would be Ravinca (which is the most popular by a very wide margin apparently) but... yeah.

[lamaros]

Plane would be Ravinca (which is the most popular by a very wide margin apparently) but... yeah.

Because what is popular to a small group of nerds will matter when making a script for a mass market?

This wont even come out. Some of you people are really odd.

[sickrubik]

Because we're punting about how it could be set? Okay.

[Ingmar]

Plane would be Ravinca (which is the most popular by a very wide margin apparently) but... yeah.

Because what is popular to a small group of nerds will matter when making a script for a mass market?

This wont even come out. Some of you people are really odd.

 

[Mosesandstick]

I enjoyed reading the books between the Tempest and Invasion blocks when I was younger.

[lamaros]

Because we're punting about how it could be set? Okay.

I just said some, no need for everyone to get offended.

[sickrubik]

But... everyone is doing that?

[jgsugden]

Last Starfighter.  Staw Wars. 

Two very different takes on space stories. 

I'd much rather this movie (and pretty much every fantasy / sci-fi movie) spent more time emulating the elements of Star Wars than the Last Starfighter.  The setting could be intriguing and visually amazing if the story is not complete crap.

[Phildo]

I find this idea to be extremely exciting.

[Ironwood]

Like, Dragonball Z exciting ?

This is hugel.....

Fuck it.

[Phildo]

Like this is either going to be an enjoyable fantasy movie, or else it will be the kind of trainwreck that I will enjoy watching when sprinkled with a little bit of nostalgia.

[WayAbvPar]

Worst idea since TESO.

[Soulflame]

It has a chance of being cheaper than TESO.  One hopes.

[Setanta]

I'm hoping it's based on Homelands or Fallen Empires :D

[Teleku]

They must work a fireball with infinite mana gimick into the movie somehow.....

[Shannow]

Or having the immature wizard with only blue and red power spells flip out and rage quit.

Really this movie has a chance to be as good as that D&D movie from a few years back!

[Pagz]

According to lore,

When summoning something, are you teleporting it from its home plane?
Why do these summoned creature do planewalkers bidding?
When creature does combat damage to a planewalker, what is physical happening? is the bear actually clawing planewalker?
When planeswalker loses a duel what is happens to them? I have never gotten the impession that its a fatal event? wheres the drama?

Seems like it would it very hard to have all this not come off as two bored demi-gods playing tiddly-winks.

I wouldn't worry, they get around all these problems by making the books and comics have nothing to do with game mechanics! They also revamped the lore with Timespiral, planeswalkers are now mortal dudes who can die from anything, so in the stories they are essentially generic wizards who can also happen to travel the multiverse. Oh also only green planeswalkers ever summon any creatures, so much rage.

[shiznitz]

Or having the immature wizard with only blue and red power spells flip out and rage quit.

Really this movie has a chance to be as good as that D&D movie from a few years back!

I think that was a decade back, at least.

Yup, 2000.

[schild]

Or having the immature wizard with only blue and red power spells flip out and rage quit.

Really this movie has a chance to be as good as that D&D movie from a few years back!

The immature wizard is named Ral Zarek. Hes an actual character.

Anyway this movie will be terrible because magic lore is a goddamn clusterfuck.

[jgsugden]

I pray to any and all deities out there that they do not make any reference to cards in this movie.

"It isn't in the cards, Jace."