Dungeons & Dragons Movie Receives Well-Deserved Recognition

Essential Insights

Despite a rocky start at the box office, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has found success on Netflix.
The film garnered positive reviews from critics, leading to substantial viewership hours on the platform.
While initial budget and box office performance raised doubts about a sequel, streaming momentum is reigniting hopes.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, a film adaptation often overlooked, faced challenges at the box office following its premiere in 2023, causing discussions of a sequel to pause. However, over a year later, it seems to be receiving the recognition it deserves.

This cinematic piece draws inspiration from the wildly popular roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons (DnD). With DnD achieving success across various formats, including the acclaimed Baldur’s Gate video game series and the beloved animated campaign of Critical Role’s Vox Machina, it felt like the perfect time for a cinematic exploration. After a decade riddled with challenges, the film finally found its way to Paramount Pictures, helmed by directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. Although Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was met with enthusiasm from critics and fans alike, that enthusiasm didn’t translate to box office earnings.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Finds New Life on Netflix

Chris Pine's character Edgin Darvis leads the band of thieves in Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves

Directors	Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley
Cast	Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Regé-Jean Page
Runtime	134 minutes
Release Date	March 31, 2023
Available On	Netflix

After an initial buzz that quickly faded post-release in March 2023, discussions surrounding Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves have reignited following its streaming debut on Netflix. Surging into Netflix’s Global Top 10, the film secured the ninth spot for two consecutive weeks, racking up an impressive 8.5 million hours watched, outperforming other original offerings like Rebel Ridge.

While one might consider this a mere coincidence, the film’s consistent presence on Netflix’s rankings suggests a rejuvenation of interest in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. With only a brief theatrical window before its shift to home viewing platforms, the film’s Netflix presence enables newcomers to experience its thrilling action.

Villain from Dungeons and Dragons Trailer

The unexpected box office disappointment of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is curious, especially with a star-studded cast including Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, and Michelle Rodriguez, alongside emerging talents like Regé-Jean Page (from Bridgerton), Justice Smith (Detective Pikachu), and Sophia Lillis (IT). The film received commendatory feedback from critics and viewers alike on Rotten Tomatoes, with many applauding its faithful adaptation of game elements.

Several factors potentially contributing to the film’s underperformance included fierce competition at the box office and controversies within the fandom. Notably, it launched concurrently with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which quickly became the year’s second-highest-grossing film, overshadowing DnD’s release. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast, the parent company of DnD, faced backlash in early 2023 over proposed changes to its open game license, causing some fans to boycott both the company and the film during a crucial time.

Are There Prospects for Dungeons & Dragons 2?

Although many fans had hoped that Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves would pave the way for a new franchise within the DnD universe, no sequel-related announcements have materialized since the film’s launch. In a 2023 interview with Variety, Paramount Pictures co-CEO Brian Robbins mentioned the need to “find a way to produce it at a lower cost,”indicating that the high budget of $150 million coupled with the film’s tepid box office gross ($208 million) significantly hampered any plans for a sequel.

However, with recent success on Netflix, there may be renewed discussions about potential sequels at Paramount. Initially, it seemed that a television counterpart to the film might materialize, with Paramount+ ordering a straight-to-series of eight episodes within the same universe. Red Notice’s Rawson Marshall Thurber was slated to helm the pilot, but the project was subsequently canceled by the streaming service, leaving the reasons unclear. Given the typically lower costs of television production, a DnD spin-off series could have been a feasible solution for Paramount.

There’s a possibility that a Dungeons & Dragons series could still be pitched elsewhere, as the show rights have reverted to Hasbro Entertainment. With the renewed conversation around Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, perhaps interest from executives will reignite the push for a sequel the fans eagerly await.

You can now stream Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on Netflix.

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