"Dungeons and Dragons" has been the most popular fantasy tabletop role-playing game for decades, but until very recently, the word "cool" probably wouldn't crack the top 10 adjectives to describe it, or the people who play it. Don't get me wrong, "D&D" is a blast and a half, but let's not be ahistorical and pretend that kids who played "D&D" in high school were also the most popular. However, thanks to shows like "Stranger Things" reigniting public interest by thrusting the game into the mainstream (and the fact the film industry is dominated by "geek" properties), "Dungeons and Dragons" could now very well be described as "cool."

Filmmaking duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley ("Horrible Bosses," "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Game Night") are the latest to try and bring D&D to the big screen, with the upcoming "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" heading our way in March 2023. When it was announced that Chris Pine ("Star Trek," "Wonder Woman") would be starring in the film, some diehard fans of the game feared that casting such a mainstream Hollywood star would mean the film would lose the "uncool" energy that made the game so important to so many outsiders. Fortunately, thanks to a recent interview with Collider, Pine has assured fans everywhere that there's nothing to worry about. Pine praised Goldstein and Francis Daley for their previous works, noting that "they have a history of making really great comedy." But it's the "earnest, real heart" they're bringing to the table that keeps the film from becoming, as Pine described, "too cool for school."

'The Comedy's Really On Point'

Chris Pine told Collider that John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are "really funny guys," and have a solid track record in the world of comedy. Before becoming a screenwriter and director, John Francis Daley famously played Sam Weir on "Freaks and Geeks," so it's safe to assume he knows a thing or two about being an underdog. "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, real heart to it with a really sweet message."

Arguably most important, Pine also said that the comedy of "Dungeons of Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" is "really on point." He highlighted the practical visual elements and the way old-school techniques were incorporated to tell the best possible story. "I think, especially nowadays, with all the green screen, to do stuff practically with real monsters made by super craftsmen, and effects on set that you can feel, and touch, and interact with … and they are technicians." This echoes what we heard during San Diego Comic-Con, where it was emphasized how many of the memorable monsters were created using practical FX.

Pine also praised the directing duo's talent, adding, "It takes a real samurai mind to figure out how to shoot a film of this size and scope, and you could feel them wanting to knock it out of the park." Their previous film, "Game Night," was made with a much smaller budget and certainly didn't include any practical monsters, so this is a whole new world for the pair. "You could feel them really wanting to win, so I like their ambition, too," said Pine.

"Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" rolls into theaters on March 31, 2023.

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