MOVIE NEWS – Warcraft failed both at the box office and with critics, but its success in international markets saved it from total failure. It’s unlikely it’ll get a sequel, though…

In the early 2010s, it seemed like there was no bigger video game in the world than the MMORPG called World of Warcraft. The series, which began in 1994 with Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, had been running for a decade, but exploded into the public consciousness with online play. It has been referenced and parodied in popular mainstream shows like South Park and How I Met Your Mother. By 2014, there were more than one million registered players. It was only a matter of time before a big-budget feature film set in the world arrived. 2016’s Warcraft looked set to be the next big franchise.

In 2016, the idea of ​​a video game movie still evoked negative connotations of movies like Doom, Street Fighter or Super Mario Bros.

Still, Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures wanted audiences to see Warcraft as something more from the start. Duncan Jones, known for critical hits like The Moon and Source Code, was tapped to direct. They secured a talented cast of currently the biggest rising stars. They spent $160 million to bring the richly detailed world to the big screen in a way no video game has done before. However, the end result was not rewarding.

The Warcraft movie debuted in theaters on June 10, 2016. Although it opened in second place behind The Conjuring 2, the American’s earnings were woeful. On the contrary, it achieved a significant international income. The film’s critical reception was also mixed, with a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences were divided about the story. Warcraft fell quickly in its second weekend, falling out of the top 10 in a month, making just $47 million in the US market.

Despite this, it was a significant success in international markets, particularly in China, where the film earned $225 million, bringing its global gross to $439 million.

It has to be mentioned, though, that the studio only saw a portion of the revenue due to restrictions on the Chinese box office. However, the result saved the film from being a total failure.

No Warcraft sequel on the horizon

Warcraft was one-sided regarding American and international revenues. This put the film in a difficult position. There have certainly been films that disappointed at the domestic box office but did well enough worldwide to warrant a sequel, such as Legendary’s own Pacific Rim, which ended up getting a sequel. However, Legendary Pictures already had a series of severe film failures behind it. He probably learned his lesson and decided not to take another chance with Warcraft since the first one barely came out.

Aside from the critical and audience response to the first film, the other major factor that could have hurt future Warcraft films was the waning popularity of the World of Warcraft brand.

Although still popular, it no longer holds the power in pop culture it once did. Just two weeks before Warcraft hits theatres, game series developer Blizzard released Overwatch, which has quickly become one of the biggest games in the world. This quickly faded as Fortnite became the dominant online video game in 2017. The latter has been one of the most-played games of all time for nearly seven years.

Back in 2016, the idea of ​​making a Warcraft movie seemed like cashing in on a trendy brand. Now, however, he would be following a film that is not fondly remembered. Which is based on a game series that is nowhere near as popular as it once was. But we live in an age defined by reboots, sequels and revivals. No doubt someone will pick up Warcraft again in the future. Whether it’s a new movie, a live-action TV series, or a streaming animation project. It’s not a question of if Warcraft will return. Only when. However, the answer may be sooner rather than later.

Source: Screen Rant