Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has arrived with a bang at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, with the cast making an appearance in Hall H, and exclusive clips revealed for those in the room – and the film debuted its first ever trailer for all to enjoy, too. If you weren't in Hall H as it was all going down, have no fear: we've rounded up everything we learned from the panel, from the film's tone to its link to Baby Yoda.
So, to get up to speed on all things Dungeons & Dragons, scroll on for the 7 key takeaways from the panel.
Exciting exclusive footage was screened
Along with the trailer, some unfinished exclusive footage was screened for Hall H attendees. In the clip, the team are searching for a mystery relic – which involves digging up graves and magically trying to raise a few corpses from the dead. If that wasn't enough, there's also flashbacks to an epic battle with a dragon raining down fire. In keeping with that light tone, though, Chris Pine is bringing plenty of humor, and there are some funny deaths. Plus, the prosthetics on the corpses look great, too.
A second clip focuses on Hugh Grant's character. He introduces three groups of adventurers to a huge colosseum, and a maze appears… followed by a jaguar-looking beast with snakes emerging from its body. The creature attacks and the adventurers flee through the maze, which is when they come across a chest – but that turns out to be a monster. There's also a gelatinous cube.
The tone will be light and fun
Expect a fun fantasy flick when the film arrives. Star Chris Pine said Dungeons & Dragons has a "Spielbergian quality to it," with a light tone and a kinetic energy. The movie will channel the experience of actually playing the game, too, according to co-director John Francis Daley. "It's not just a game, it's a feeling you get when you play the game," he said. "And that's what we're doing with this movie, that is what we wanted to capture."
The cast and crew shared their love of D&D
Directors Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, and producer Jeremy Latcham, opened up about playing Dungeons & Dragons as kids. Daley in particular said he grew to love the game when he was acting on the sitcom Freaks & Geeks. The cast of the upcoming movie also spoke about their love for the role-playing game.
Pine shared his new-found love for the 'gospel of D&D' as he said the game "should be played at every school."
"Role playing games are awesome," said star Michelle Rodriguez. "I think I've always been DnD adjacent," adds Regé-Jean Page. "I was always playing computer games… but I always found role playing games inspiring."
Fans will recognize familiar elements – including cartoon characters
Dungeons & Dragons fans can rest assured that the movie will feature shoutouts to things we know and love, with the filmmakers promising lots of recognizable monsters and characters. That doesn't mean everything made the cut, though. The filmmakers made tough choices over which creatures to include and which to leave out – and they worked with the game's creators to stick close to the lore. If you're a particular fan of the '80s cartoons, keep an eye out for those characters in live-action, too: in fact, one of the groups of adventurers in the maze will look very familiar...
The filmmakers are hoping for "multiple films"
The filmmakers promised to bring in multiple villains, monsters, and characters from the D&D lore with the hope they'll get a sequel. Speaking about the possibility, the filmmakers said: "If we're lucky, [there will be] multiple films."
The people behind Baby Yoda are doing the visual effects
Goldstein and Daley opened up about the special effects for the movie, explaining Industrial Light and Magic and Legacy – the people who made Baby Yoda – are behind them. "It's the chance to bring these characters to life that we have only imagined in our heads," says Goldstein. The film also mainly makes use of practical effects – something Michelle Rodriquez is very happy about. "Acting in front of tennis balls is crap," she said.
No word on Vecna or the Mind Flayer
Vecna and the Mind Flayer aren't just Stranger Things villains – they have their origins in the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, so, naturally, you might be wondering if they'll appear in the film. The directors are staying tight-lipped, though…
And that's a wrap on the Dungeons & Dragons Comic-Con panel! For everything else coming your way at this year's convention, check out our guide to the SDCC 2022 schedule. If you want to go back to the source material, on the other hand, be sure to check out the best Dungeons and Dragons books.
