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Netflix is hard at work adapting the classic arcade gameDragon’s Lairinto a feature film, and there have already been a ton of updates on theRyan Reynoldsproject. Created by noted game designer Rick Dyer,Dragon’s Lairis a 1983 arcade game that casts the player as Dirk the Daring, a knight who must rescue Princess Daphne from the clutches of the evil dragon, Singe. Though the story was boilerplate fantasy, the game was notable for its use of laserdisc technology, and it featured full-motion animated graphics created by Don Bluth (The Secret of NIMH).
Even ifDragon’s Lairfeatured very little actual gameplay, the classic ’80s arcade game was a massive hit and became something of a media franchise all its own. Cartoons and comic books based on the game dotted the 1980s, and several stabs at a feature film have come and gone in the 40 years since its debut. Now, Netflix has set its sights on the nostalgic property, and withthe golden age of video game adaptationssweeping Hollywood, the time is ripe for a new take on the groundbreaking arcade game.
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The Dragon’s Lair Movie Latest News
The Story Is Being Retooled
Video game movies are often quite expensive, and a “choose-your-own-adventure” movie would be even more costly.
With little news to speak of in the years since the project was announced, the latest update confirms thattheDragon’s Lairmovie is being retooled by Netflix. Initially slated to be an interactive experience much like the game,producer Roy Lee has revealed that Netflix has retooled it into a traditional and linear story. Though no reason has been given for the change, it could be a cost-saving measure. Video game movies are often quite expensive, and a “choose-your-own-adventure” movie would be even more costly.
Read Roy Lee’s full comments below:
The status has changed a lot. Originally, it was gonna be one of the movies that was gonna be like a choose your own adventure. Like that Black Mirror episode where you could decide the fate of the characters, and that’s the way we had originally developed it. We had a 400-page script because you could go different directions and go different ways, and Ryan Reynolds was gonna play Dirk the Daring, but they pulled the plug on that format. Now we’re reconfiguring it as a straight, linear movie.
The Dragon’s Lair Movie Is Confirmed
The Project Was Announced In 2020
Though plans for aDragon’s Lairmovie have been swirling since its debut in the 1980s,the current iteration of the project was announced in 2020. Netflix scooped up the property after original animator Don Bluth failed to crowdfund a movie adaptation, and the streamer quickly attached Ryan Reynolds to the high-profile movie. However, it then languished in development hell for several years until July 2024, when producer Roy Lee revealed the story was being retooled.
Bluth sought to raise $550,000 to create a 10-minute teaser to get further funding for the feature film (viaCBR)
Originally,Dragon’s Lairwas planned as a “choose-your-own-adventure” film, and it would mimicthe classic arcade game’s revolutionary branching storyline approach. Unfortunately,that plan has been scrapped by Netflix, and is instead being changed into a traditional and linear story. Despite all that, the film’s timeline is still quite murky, and it isn’t clear when it will eventually go into production.
The Dragon’s Lair Movie Cast
Ryan Reynolds Is Attached To Star
As with the rest of the movie’s development, little is known about the cast of theDragon’s Lairmovie from Netflix.The only name attached is star Ryan Reynolds, who is set to play the game’s protagonist, Dirk the Daring. The game itself features very few lead characters, though it does include a bevy of humorous supporting roles that could be played by recognizable names. However,the roles of Princess Daphne and the evil dragon Singe are quite important to the story, and will likely be filled by starson the same level as Reynolds.
The Dragon’s Lair Movie Story Details
No Longer A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story
The basic framework of theDragon’s Lairvideo game is quite simple, and follows the intrepid knight, Dirk the Daring, as he enters a dangerous castle to rescue Princess Daphne from the clutches of Singe, the dragon. Regardless of the movie’s approach, it can be expected that the adaptation will keep that framework intact even if many other details are added. The game also featured a bevy of branching storylines, and the movie has the opportunity to pick and choose the most compelling narrative (especially since it is no longer a choose-your-own-adventure film).
