Vin Diesel is best known by audiences for a certain franchise involving quick (and apparently angry) cars, but those in role-playing circles are more familiar with his insatiable Dungeons & Dragons habit. In fact, so into the pen-and-paper game is Diesel, his new flick, The Last Witch Hunter, is based on one of his characters.
You might be smirking at this point, but its completely true. You only have to read a paragraph or two of this interview with the man himself by Yahoo’s Donna Dickens to realise the guy knows his tarrasques from his troglodytes:
…about four years ago I met with a writer name [sic] Cory Goodman and we started talking. Someone put us together because he was a D&D player. [Afterwards, Cory] went off to write a whole film around my character Melkor. Just the very fact that I’d be playing a witch hunter speaks to how nerdy I was about the game, how committed I was to D&D because witch hunter [wasn’t a] class by TSR at the time.
It was a character that you could get from a third party book of characters called The Arcanum. There were a few characters that started there that eventually Dungeons and Dragons took over; one of those characters was a witch hunter.
Before you ask, the Witch Hunter has a hybrid — a ranger with a spell-casting abilities. This is back in 2nd Edition, where it was rarer to have that sort of class; it’s more common in newer editions, including the latest, 5th.
For the movie, the character of “Melkor” was renamed “Kaulder” and the setting is slightly more modern, but the influences are apparently still there. Here’s the trailer, if you haven’t seen it:
If it weren’t for Vin Diesel’s ‘D&D’ character, ‘The Last Witch Hunter’ wouldn’t exist [Yahoo]
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11 responses to “Vin Diesel’s Next Film Is Based On His Dungeons & Dragons Character”
Movie looks good.
I’m always surprised at how shy and humble Vin Diesel comes across as in interviews. His movies, specifically the FF and Riddick franchises, always struck me as an extension of his RPG love; he’s heavily invested in these characters he’s created, and can’t help but continue to live and explore their adventures. It’s like it’s as much escapism for him as it is for the audience.
I guess he comes across that way partially because when his star was at its brightest, he more or less disappeared overnight. A couple of bad choices is enough to do that. The second Riddick movie was unfortunate in that it was REALLY terrible. Pitch Black and the two Riddick games were really good. Even the third movie wasn’t bad, but the second Riddick and those awful comedies about a tough guy in a domestic situation almost ended his career.
He would make a good Minsc
I’d love them to do a BG movie, Vin Diesel as Minsc with his miniature giant space hamster. They’d better have Edwin/Edwina in the movie though. Ed was awesome!
Hell yes!!!
Whoa trailers intense! Movie does look good, although I’m probably not gonna rush out and see it, might rent it from the psn eventually.
Oh my gersh, Frodo and Vin Diesel… in the same movie? Madness!
I can only wait for the memes that will come out of this movie =P
The trailer does look awesome though, bring on Vin and his epically deep voice =)
Looks great! Definitely in my wheelhouse.
I fucking adore Vin Diesel. I don’t care what shit anyone may talk on him. As far as I’m concerned he’s the best.
Really liking what I’m seeing! Also, one of the things I love about Vin, is when he geeks out, he puts his money where his mouth is in terms of knowledge. None of this “Oh I’ve been reading for years……sure……yep…..”, he goes nuts on the topics. Like when he had Tigon games, he went on and on about how much he loved playing games, or how addicted he was to WoW. Just comes across as so genuine.
I fail to see how the Chronicles of Riddick was bad. All 3 Riddick movies were great from what I saw. Each was different, but still great.