July 22, 2009
Blizzard Entertainment and
Legendary Pictures sign Sam Raimi to Direct Upcoming Warcraft Movie
Raimi, acclaimed director of the
blockbuster Spider-Man series, will bring the forces of the Horde and the
Alliance to life in epic live-action film
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and
Legendary Pictures announced today that Sam Raimi has signed on to direct the
eagerly-anticipated major motion picture based on Blizzard Entertainment’s
award-winning Warcraft universe. Raimi has, in the course of his career, clearly
demonstrated a genius for developing and adapting existing fictional universes
for mainstream audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original
content.
Raimi directed the Spider-Man
trilogy, which has broken box-office records around the world and garnered five
Academy Award nominations. Known for his imaginative filmmaking style, richly
drawn characters and offbeat humor, Raimi wrote and directed the cult classic,
The Evil Dead and produced 30 Days Of Night. He most recently wrote and directed
the supernatural thriller, Drag Me To Hell.
“At its core, Warcraft is a
fantastic, action-packed story,” said Raimi. “I am thrilled to work with such a
dynamite production team to bring this project to the big screen.”
Charles Roven’s producing talents
were recently seen with last summer’s blockbuster The Dark Knight, which grossed
in excess of $1 billion, was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two. His
body of work also includes the widely acclaimed Batman Begins and the sci-fi
classic 12 Monkeys. Roven, with Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner, will be
producing with Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull, Legendary’s Chief Creative
Officer Jon Jashni, Raimi and Raimi’s producing partner Joshua Donen. Raimi’s
partner, Robert Tapert, will be an Executive Producer and Blizzard
Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Chris Metzen, a
Co-Producer.
“Partnering with Sam Raimi
exemplifies Legendary’s mandate of marrying the highest quality intellectual
property to world-class filmmakers” said Legendary’s Tull. “Sam’s passion for ‘Warcraft’
is undeniable and we know that he will create an incredible film worthy of
Blizzard’s phenomenal franchise. We look forward to collaborating with our
partners at Warner Bros. and continuing our successful relationship with Chuck
in bringing this rich new world to the screen.”
“Blizzard Entertainment and
Legendary Pictures have a shared vision for this film and we searched at length
to find the very best director to bring that vision to life,” said Paul Sams,
chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “From our first conversation
with Sam, we could tell he was the perfect choice. Sam knows how to
simultaneously satisfy the enthusiasts and the mainstream audience that might be
experiencing that content for the first time. We’re looking forward to working
with him to achieve that here.”
“Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft
has become a second home for millions of players and Sam’s experience and talent
make him the perfect director for this remarkable and action-packed world,” said
Atlas’ Roven. “Alex and I are proud to be working with Sam and re-teaming with
our friends at Legendary and Warner Bros.”
The film will fall under Legendary
Pictures’ co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. “Warcraft is
emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which our studio is best
known. We have enjoyed great success with our partners at Legendary, and this is
an incredible opportunity for us to work with Sam on a project that is so
eagerly anticipated by so many,” said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros.
Pictures Group.
Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft
universe is a rich fantasy setting that revolves around the epic conflict
between the opposing forces of the Horde and the Alliance. Since its debut in
1994, Warcraft has developed a loyal following across the globe, with several
bestselling, award-winning PC games and a range of popular licensed products
including novels, action figures, apparel, comic books, board games, and more.
World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment’s subscription-based massively
multiplayer online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe, is the most
popular game of its kind in the world. Its most recent expansion, Wrath of the
Lich King, is the fastest-selling PC game of all time, with more than 2.8
million copies sold in its first 24 hours of availability and more than 4
million in its first month.
Further details about the upcoming
Warcraft movie, including cast and targeted release date, will be revealed as
development progresses.
