Chris Pine Says His Dungeons & Dragons Movie Isn’t Cool
Chris Pine says his upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie is uncool, in the sense that it is sincere and fun.
Chris Pine opened up to Collider about promoting Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves at events like Comic-Con with co-star Hugh Grant. The Star Trek actor likes the personal interaction with fans of the films he calls “Not too cool for school.” Grant, on the other hand, isn’t as excited about the unassuming culture the movie sprang from.
Pine told Collider he appreciates the authenticity and spirit of the film: “Their idea for how they wanted to tell the story, at least for me, was exactly what I like about big-budget filmmaking, which is not too cool for school,” Pine said. “There’s an earnest heart to it with a charming message.”
Dungeons & Dragons is the original tabletop role-playing game that sparked a new way to socialize and created a new gaming genre in the 1970s. Honor Among Thieves captures the chaotic energy of the game that players love.
Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (writers of Spider-man: Homecoming) co-directed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which tells the tale of a rag-tag party of not-so-good guys who set out on a quest to make amends for their evil deeds. A star-studded cast joins Chris Pine on the high-fantasy adventure, including Hugh Grant as a thief named Forge Fletcher. Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, and Sophia Lillis round out the cast of less-than-perfect characters.
Honor Among Thieves isn’t the first movie inspired by Dungeons & Dragons. There have been several independent and studio films about the popular role-playing game. Given the nature of the game, a story meant to be told in sessions or episodes; it’s no surprise there have been several Dungeons and Dragons series.
Previous screen adaptations of the game have met with mixed success. While Dungeons & Dragons has a large, dedicated fan base that will turn out for almost anything associated with the property, they’re also protective of the game they love. As a result, filmmakers who miss the collective energy, the game’s secret sauce, will miss the mark with these niche viewers.
Chris Pine’s comments make it clear that he understands fans of the movie and the types of events they attend. While he enjoys going to conventions to promote his Star Trek work and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, many actors find the pressure to have live, spontaneous fan interactions intimidating. In addition, the emotional labor of attending panels and meeting fans all day is taxing.
With his deep connection to popular “nerd” culture, Chris Pine is a natural choice for a Dungeons & Dragons film. Not only is he experienced with the challenges of interacting with CGI elements, but he’s happy to answer questions about it on a convention panel or pose for photos in costume. His rapport with Star Trek fans is just as natural.
Pine may have called Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves uncool, but he meant it in the endearing way one friend insults another. Uncool is the desired vibe for a culture that’s all about going against the mainstream and being authentic. Being uncool isn’t bad in a world hungry for original ideas and unique content.
