By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --Orcs won't just be sword fodder in the upcoming film adaptation of the Blizzard video game franchise "Warcraft." The snarling green-skinned creatures will be respected just as much as the human characters from the fantasy saga.
"As in the game, where you can choose what side to be on, I thought it was really important that we made a film which allowed you to be on either side of the conflict and follow heroes on both sides," director Duncan Jones told a massive crowd Friday at BlizzCon, a fan-centric celebration of Blizzard Entertainment Inc.
Jones was on hand at the Anaheim Convention Center with "Warcraft" visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer to hype the upcoming film from Legendary and Universal Pictures. They were later joined on stage by "True Blood" and "Pacific Rim" actor Rob Kazinsky, who was wielding a replica of the behemoth Doomhammer weapon. Kazinsky is playing the orc warrior Orgrim in the film.
"We're fans," said Kazinsky. "We wanted it to be right. It would absolutely murder me if this thing sucked."
The director, a longtime "World of Warcraft" player who previously created the films "Source Code" and "Moon," was quick to note the "Warcraft" movie will keep the focus on the conflict between orcs and humans, which was depicted in the original "Warcraft" games from the 1990s.
"It's got so many stories," said Jones. "'World of Warcraft' has been going for 10 years, 'Warcraft' itself has been going for 20 years. Our challenge was to drill down and find a story that would work as a single film."
During the panel, Jones announced the cast members and what roles they'll be playing in the film, scheduled for release March 2016
On the human-led Alliance side, "Vikings" star Travis Fimmel will portray protagonist Anduin Lothar; Dominic Cooper has been cast as King Llane Wrynn; Ben Foster will play the mysterious mentor Medivh; and Ben Schnetzer will portray young mage Khadgar.
For the orc-filled Horde, Toby Kebbel will play Frostwolf Clan leader Durotan; Clancy Brown will portray the war chief Blackhand; and Daniel Wu will embody orc ruler Gul'Dan. The performances of the actors portraying orcs will be computer generated.
"Mission: Impossible" actress Paula Patton will portray Garona, an orc who is caught between the Alliance and the Horde. Unlike the other actors portraying members of the snarling orc race, Jones said her performance won't be completely computer generated.
After the presentation, attendees lined up for a seat in a makeshift 600-seat theater equipped with Dolby Atmos technology to watch a trailer for the film, as well as footage that illustrated how special-effects studio Industrial Light and Magic is creating computer-generated orcs with expressive faces.
"We have so many special effects," said Jones. "It's 'Avatar' and 'Lord of the Rings' at the same time."
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More