Summary
After a disappointing performance at the box office, fans' chances of seeing a sequel toDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesseemed pretty remote. The movie, despite receiving rave reviews, failed to find a significant audience, generating just $208 million against a $150 million budget. Ordinarily, such clear financial failure would mean curtains for future installments in a movie franchise. And yet, there is still hope for further cinematic installments in the story, thanks to the precedent set by action superstar Jason Statham’s worst-ever movie.
Released in 2007,In the Name of the Kingis a high-fantasy game adaptation that sits squarely within the same genre asDungeons & Dragons. Starring Statham, alongside an impressive ensemble cast,the movie follows the mysterious “Farmer” as he bids to stop the evil sorcerer Gallian (Ray Liotta) from taking over the kingdom. However, while the set-up promises thrilling adventure, the result was a disaster – bombing at the box office, and being ridiculed by critics. Finding hope forDungeons & Dragons' movie futurein this wreckage might seem unlikely. And yet,In the Name of the Kingactually offers an unlikely olive branch.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Ending Explained
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' ending sees the band of heroes confront their enemies & personal conflicts while inspiring future adventures.
In The Name Of The King Got 2 Sequels (Despite Flopping)
It Proves Failure Doesn’t Have To Be An Obstacle To Longevity
It’s difficult to overstate the scale ofIn the Name of the King’s failure. Directed by the infamous Uwe Boll, the movie boasts a scorn-worth 4% score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes – the lowest score of Jason Statham’s career. Its financial performance was not much better.Made on an estimated $60 million budget, the movie made just $13.1 million globally– far worse thanDungeons & Dragonsbox office. And yet, despite this near-total catastrophe on all fronts,In the Name of the Kingstill somehow received two sequels.
In the Name of the Kingis available to rent on Amazon Video.
Although his efforts were widely ridiculed, Uwe Boll clearly felt some affinity for the story’s source material (theDungeon Siegevideo games). Not put off by the critical reaction to his first film,he returned twice more to the franchise, directing bothIn the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds(starring Dolph Lundgren) in 2010, andIn the Name of the King 3: The Last Mission(withPrison Break’s Dominic Purcell) in 2014.
AlthoughDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis objectively a better movie on every level than any of theIn the Name of the Kingfilms, the film can still look to the 2007 Statham project as a source of inspiration for how it can continue.
Both movies were as critically reviled as the disappointing original. And yet, the fact that the sequels happened at all proves thatfinancial failure doesn’t have to be an obstacle to a follow-up in the high-fantasy genre. AlthoughDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis objectively a better movieon every level than any of theIn the Name of the Kingfilms, the film can still look to the 2007 Statham project as a source of inspiration for how it can continue. It may seem contradictory to everything we understand about the film industry, but it’s clear that for films likeDungeons & Dragons,pure financial return isn’t the only factor at play.
Dungeons & Dragons Deserves A Sequel Much More Than In The Name Of The King
It’s A Better Movie And Story
Superficially, there are clear narrative similarities betweenDungeons & DragonsandIn the Name of the King. Both stories are set in fictional kingdoms and embrace the idea of magic, swords, and sorcery, playing on tropes that have formed a key part of the genre since the days of Tolkien. However, while they clearly come from the same storytelling tradition,Dungeons & Dragonsis streets ahead ofIn the Name of the Kingon almost every conceivable metric.
In the Name of the King
$60 million
$13.1 million
4%
22%
$150 million
$208.2 million
91%
93%
Not only did the 2023 movie make considerably more money than Statham’s 2007 project, but its critical performance was at the opposite end of the spectrum.Dungeons & Dragonsholds impressive audience and critic Rotten Tomatoes scores of 93% and 91%, indicating near-universal acclaim. If this wasn’t enough,Dungeons & Dragonsis part of a wildly popular wider fantasy franchise. AlthoughDungeon Siegeis itself highly regarded,it has nowhere near the same name recognition asD&D. IfIn the Name of the Kingwarranted a follow-up, there’s no doubtDungeons & Dragonsis just as deserving.
In The Name Of The King’s Sequels Provide A Perfect D&D 2 Template
There’s A Great Way The Sequels Can Happen
Given how unpopular the firstIn the Name of the Kingmovie was, the existence of its sequels seems somewhat perplexing. However, on closer inspection, the films not only begin to make marginally more sense, but also create an interesting potential precedent for thenextDungeons & Dragonsmovie. Whereas the original Statham film enjoyed a theatrical release,the followingIn the Name of the Kingprojects were released direct-to-DVD. This removed any financial pressure and allowed the story to unfold away from the theatrical spotlight.
In the modern movie industry, DVD releases are almost non-existent. However, there’s an argument to be made that their replacement – streaming movies – is the perfect way forDungeons & Dragons 2to thrive. Films made by services such as Netflix not only boast impressive budgets (meaning the movie could replicate the spectacle of the first film) but are also not judged by the same financial standards that have impactedDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' reputation. It may not be an ideal solution for fans who crave the big-screen experience, but it may offer the best path to a sustainable franchise future.
