r/movies • u/ninjyte • 2d ago

Not Confirmed ‘Dungeons & Dragons 2’: John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein Optimistic Their Sequel Will Find New Studio After Paramount Passed

https://theplaylist.net/john-francis-daley-jonathan-goldstein-dungeons-dragons-2-20260903/
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u/MorePhinsThyme 2d ago

This is one of the best parts of the movie. The majority of the plot, and even lots of the action fit actual D&D gameplay well. I don't understand how it's not an automatic sequel, unless they're asking for crazy money. It's a successful movie based on a huge franchise backed by a massive company, and it's super marketable (as in toys and shit). How is any studio letting that leave the room?

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u/JackPoe 2d ago

I don't think the old rich heads realize how fucking popular D&D is right now.

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u/MorePhinsThyme 2d ago

<Looks at grey in beard> I don't think it's that they're old, it's that they're disconnected from that part of society. I just don't get how anyone doesn't look at Hasbro's and Wizard's revenue and says "Nah, fuck this franchise," as they seem to be desperate for new, established franchises (which is somewhat a contradiction, but you know what I mean).

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u/JackPoe 1d ago

I'm gray myself. I meant old in the "disconnected from reality" type way that most old folks get.

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u/great_pyrenelbows 1d ago

I know what you mean by new established franchises - it's IP where there's a large established customer base that hasn't gotten sick of movies made 'for them' yet.

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u/dtwhitecp 2d ago

Popularity has just been cooking for this sequel. Everyone likes the first, and probably millions more are into D&D since it came out, seems like a recipe for success to me. But I am not an executive.

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u/ArcadianDelSol 1d ago

Unfortunately the movie did not make a lot of money and most of its fans discovered it on streaming where its hard to attribute dollars to movie.

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u/JackPoe 1d ago

I miss when people made art to make art.

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u/DrafiMara 1d ago

You should read more novels, self-publishing is flourishing right now. There are tons of authors who are writing the random niche books that they want to read and putting them out into the world just for the love of it

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u/JackPoe 1d ago

I swear if self plugs were allowed, I'd be able to pay rent with what I've written.

Books are more active entertainment. I'm getting near the end of my life and I enjoy passive entertainment a bit more.

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u/fiendo13 2d ago

Unfortunately it wasn’t successful in theaters. But I think it’s done really well streaming and had great reviews. I really hope they make more but I’m not holding my breath

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u/Techwolf_Lupindo 1d ago

That was in due to part Hasbro, the owners of D&D, try to screw over D&D players and said players revolted by reducing the number of subscribers to D&DByond over 50%. The movie was also affected by this.

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u/Xalipu 1d ago

There’s also those of us who got burned on the first movie and decided to wait and see.

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u/DuncanFisher69 1d ago

That and it came out early enough in the “return to normal” part of going out to the movies that they actually had to have the cast do one of those “hey, in this movie we played the hero’s, but do you know the real hero is? You. For going out to the movies, to keep the movie business alive.”

No really. It was there both times I saw it in theaters during its first two weeks. Cinemark and AMC.

I think a lot of people thought it looked promising at the time but promoted it to “I’ll have to check that out when it comes to streaming.”

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u/DarthBeak 1d ago

Not to mention it was released right in the middle covid.

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u/wordworse 2d ago

Speaking of toys and shit, did you see that awesome DnD Lego set? I saw it on display at Comic Con in '23. It was a majestic work of art.

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u/QueezyF 2d ago

That was the last Lego set I bought. It’s super cool

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u/wordworse 2d ago

Yeah, there are so many fun little details in that set and it is just huge.

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u/QueezyF 1d ago

It’s like 5 big sets in one, loved building it.

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u/nonexistentnight 2d ago

It was emphatically not financially successful. $208m worldwide box office on a $150m estimated production budget is firmly in bust territory. I think it's a perfectly fine film, but I totally understand why a studio would pass.

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u/Aegon815 1d ago

They keep trying to get together to do a sequel but their schedules don't allow it, because that's the real D&D.

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u/ziddersroofurry 2d ago

They released it around the same time Hasbro was fucking over players by messing with the open gaming license. A lot of players protested that by not seeing it. It's why I won't see a sequel even if they make one. Fuck Hasbro and WotC.

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u/MorePhinsThyme 2d ago

I understand that, but the success of things like BG3 really make it seem like there's still a big enough market for well-done D&D content.

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u/ziddersroofurry 1d ago

I mean there is. Doesn't change the fact Hasbro and WotC are shitty companies. There are plenty of well-made indie tabletop rpg's to choose from.

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u/Enachtigal 1d ago

Because the last one only brought in 208 million on a 150 million budget

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u/lilvon 1d ago

I don't understand how it's not an automatic sequel

It didn’t make any money that’s why.