While everyone's still trying to keep up with the E3 madness (and it's just begun!), Blizzard steps up to announce... a long-awaited sequel? A new games franchise? Hell, no: a movie! And not just any movie - but one based on their hugely successful Warcraft universe, to be produced by Legendary Pictures (a Warner Bros. partner), whose portofolio also includes "Batman Begins" and the upcoming "Superman Returns".
Blizzard's announcement offers no details about the movie, regarding its director, cast, or release date, however a story in the New York Times predicts that we'll be treated with a big-budget "Lord of the Rings"-style live-action film. We certainly hope so, and knowing Blizzard's tendency towards perfection, it's pretty safe to assume that they'll do a lot better than all those crappy game-to-movie transitions in recent years. You can't really go any lower than Uwe Boll, after all...
"From our first Warcraft game to our latest novels, our intention has always been to develop a rich fantasy universe that could support stories and products in many forms," stated Chris Metzen, Blizzard Entertainment's vice president of creative development. "In addition to being a truly rewarding experience for us, the creation of this motion picture also feels like a natural next step for the Warcraft universe."
(N.B. Archive text, links removed)