The "Warcraft" movie's release date is still pegged for March 11, next year, but insiders consider its market of gamers might not be enough to boost a successful turnout at the box offices come launch.
"Moon" director Duncan Jones is faced with the challenge of marketing the "Warcraft" movie, which, according to Screen Rant, would have a tough time at the box office if it doesn't step up the PR before the release date.
2016 will feature a handful of video game titles turned into feature films, with "Assassin's Creed," "The Last of Us" and "Uncharted" being developed for screenplay. The "Warcraft" movie is already confirmed, with a backstory involving the Orc and Human races featured in the game.
The movie will be heavy on CGI, involving two years of post-production. "Warcraft" will still feature a notable ensemble of actors, though, including Dominic Cooper, Travis Fimmel, Toby Kebbell and Rob Kazinsky.
Legendary Pictures will market the film to the general audience, which involves those unfamiliar with the video game. Director Duncan Jones is aware of the difficulty, and has engaged the gaming community via Twitter:
"So let's chat. I've got a movie coming out next year; Warcraft," Jones said, tentatively.
"It's based on a computer game of the same name but it's pretty unique. We're trying to work out how best to let people who don't play the game know that this is a film they'll genuinely want to see. You know as well as I do, game to film adaptations have a checkered past, but I'm proud of this beast. It's unique. It's something special."
The responses were thick with suggestions, one involving the release of two trailers, teasing the story from the Orc and Human points of view.
Jones hinted as much in an interview with 2p. "From the moment I first talked to Blizzard, the plan was to start our film with the first time Orcs met Humans," he confirmed.
"First contact! I think that for a world with so much newness to explain, this was a wise choice, especially when so many people in our audience may not know anything about Warcraft... it was important that some of our characters would be seeing the world fresh as well, and that the audience could see the situation through their eyes."
