Summary
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesrolled a natural 20 when it hit theaters, giving fantasy andD&Dfans something they haven’t seen sinceThe Lord of the Rings: a successful fantasy movie on the big screen. The movie delivered a lighthearted yet meaningful story that kept the audience engaged. The directors managed to make it enjoyable for both D&D and non-D&D fans alike, incorporating Easter eggs throughout the movie that don’t require prior knowledge to enjoy. The characters were easily the best part, as every D&D player recognized themselves somewhere in the film.
Now that directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein proved thatDungeons & Dragonscan be successfulon the big screen, it’s time to expand the world by introducing the fan-favorite Drizzt Do’Urden. This is a name that Forgotten Realms readers know well. The name of a character has been around since 1988, and he’s only become more popular through the decades. Drizzt could introduce places within Forgotten Realms that other characters can’t, and could bring in an influx of players to the tabletop role-playing game.
Class
Ranger
Drizzt Do’Urden is aDrow (Dark Elf) from the Underdarkcity of Menzoberranzan. In the early days ofDungeons & Dragons, players had never heard of a Drow fighting for the forces of good. Many of them worshipped the malevolent goddess Lolth, a spider deity who demanded cruel and terrible actions from her followers. Drizzt leaving Menzoberranzan for the surface and befriending humans, dwarves, other elves, and fighting for their right to live wasn’t even a consideration until R.A. Salvatore created Drizzt. Not to mention, Salvatore created the character on the fly when his editor asked him to create a sidekick. He wasn’t given any time to think, and just threw out the name Drizzt Do’Urden and went from there.
Drizzt evaded certain deathafter refusing to kill an elven child from the surface world when he partook in a raiding party that killed the child’s parents. When other Dark Elves discovered that Drizzt failed to kill the child, they sacrificed his father. This pushed Drizzt to flee the Underdark completely and abandon their ways. Drizzt never truly fit in with the Drow culture. He went on many adventures on the surface, adjusting the bright light and taking up the ranger profession. He found friendship and even romance in unlikely places. He rarely returned to Menzoberranzan, except when he was taken hostage and to defend Mithral Hall. The Dark Elf eventually finds himself married to his longtime companion Catti-Brie, raising their daughter Briennelle Zaharina.
Drizzt fights with two scimitars, named Twinkle and Icingdeath. He also uses a variety of magical abilities, with which he’s exceptionally talented. Some fans have noted that he would be a powerful wizard if he ever chose to follow that path. He also travels with a unique figurine that summons a spiritual black panther named Guenhwyvar. The two have fought alongside one another sinceDrizzt’s escape from Menzoberranzan.
Why Wasn’t Drizzt in Honor Among Thieves?
TheHonor Among Thievesdirectors knew all about Drizzt and had a role for him in the original script. They enjoyed the idea of a beacon of heroism walking on set, acting as a contrast to the ragtag group of protagonists and progressing the plot forward. Drizzt was originally going to fill that role. Producer ofHonor Among Thieves,Jeremy Latcham, sat down withComicBookfor an interview and discussed their original intentions with Drizzt in the movie:
The original plan was for the Xenk character to be Drizzt. And Wizards [of the Coast] had wanted us to add Drizzt.
However, they pulled the Drow Ranger from the movie due to some controversy surrounding his race and the way they’re depicted. Latcham went on to say:
There was some controversy around Drizzt, and we were like, ‘We might not want to be in the middle of that controversy, so let’s take Drizzt out of the movie.’
Wizards of the Coast released a statement in June 2020 announcing changes to its approach to different races explored inDungeons & Dragons. The company felt that certain intelligent races in the game used harmful stereotypes, and worked to change that. This was most likely the controversy the directors referred to in regards toDrizzt Do’Urden being in their movie, since the announcement specifically referenced Drow.
Instead of using the famous Forgotten Realms character, the production team opted to create their own character in Xenk the Paladin.
Why Drizzt Deserves His Own Movie
Forgotten Realms fans know Drizzt by name and love him dearly. He’s not far from being theD&Dversion of Aragorn, minus hailing royalty. Drizzt Do’Urden is everything fantasy fans look for in a hero. He’s brave, skillful, and virtuous. With the character’s rich history in the Forgotten Realms, there’s no shortage of material to pull from when crafting a movie around him. He’s surrounded by companions who bring out the best in him.
A story following Drizzt would tell a rich and fascinating tale about racial prejudice, found family, tyranny, and forging one’s own path in life.Honor Among Thieveswas a lighthearted comedy with some action and dramatic moments. A Drizzt-focused film, meanwhile, could be more serious in tone with comedic moments. The Forgotten Realms is large enough for a variety of styles, tones, and stories. It has the potential to beStar Warsfor fans of the fantasy genre. A film following the famed Drizzt Do’Urden could be as big asThe Lord of the RingsorGame of Thrones.
Drizzt would be the perfect vehicle to expose audiences to the deepest reaches of the Forgotten Realms, as few would know about the Underdark. Meanwhile, those who have read the books desperately want to see Menzoberranzan come to life in a cinematic feature.
MORE:D&D Honor Among Thieves: Forgotten Realms Stories A Sequel Film Can Explore
