Interview with Uwe Boll with UGO on WarCraft film.

[Marine]

Uwe Boll Interview
By Jordan Hoffman

I am not boxing again. There are fewer controversial figures in cinema or gaming today than Uwe Boll. He is the godfather of the video game movie, for better or for worse. His latest feature is In The Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. We were lucky enough to speak to the man via telephone. Please note that English is not the man's first language, so when he starts making no sense (particularly toward the end) please cut him some slack.

UGO: I'm calling you in your native land of Germany, are you in a Castle right now?

Uwe Boll: [laughs] No, not in Castle, but in a very old town, Mainz, it's near Frankfurt. Here's the first Gutenberg bible, for example. Gutenberg lived here.

UGO: Well that would make sense, Gutenberg's bible is one of the first printed materials of mass communication, and you are the trailblazer in the next stage of storytelling evolution, which is the video game to cinema transfer.

UB: Yeah, absolutely.

UGO: We're all very excited because your newest picture, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. What can you tell me about this new film? How does it extend your cinematic oeuvre?

UB: It was by far my biggest movie with over a sixty million dollar budget. It took two and a half years to finish it. We have like thirteen hundred CGI shots in it. We shot four months, which is unusual for me, usually I'm done in two months of shooting. It was a big adventure to shoot that movie but the bigger adventure was the post production because it took one and a half years. We had a lot of different vendors. We had to fire many vendors to find the right ones for the more complicated CGI scenes.

UGO: What are some of the new things you've done in this film that you haven't done before, specifically with the technology?

UB: First of all, what has nothing to do with the technology, we had like fifteen hundred people on set, over a hundred horses. We shot it all in British Columbia in the Rocky Mountains. A lot of times, we only had helicopter access to the set. Basically, I showed that we have locations like what [Peter] Jackson had in Lord of the Rings we have the same in North America. We didn't use CGI to create landscapes, this is all real. What we did was the normal things like wire removal, crowd dupes and that kind of stuff. But we had some really cool effects. We have two wizards in the movie, John Rhys-Davies plays the good magician and Ray Liotta, we know him as a gangster normally, he plays the bad guy. They do a lot of things that I haven't seen in other movies. You have to see it.

UGO: I'm very excited you're working with Mr. Burt Reynolds on this film. Can tell me a little about getting him involved in the project?

UB: I offered the part to Ron Perlman and he took it and then his manager was also representing Burt Reynolds. So, called me and Burt wants to play the king. I thought at first that it's not a great idea, particularly in a movie like this. But, he has the age to play a part like this. One hundred percent also the voice. So I think, if he comes into the movie, a lot of the people who see the movie, they smile about it but after one and half two minutes, it's okay. He's a good actor and he pulls off the King part very well. We have some many names in the movie, what makes it interesting for me, some people say Matthew Lillard is not fitting in the movie or whatever, but the reality is that they are all good actors. We follow a lot of different characters through a big adventure. For me, it was important that the smaller parts are cast with people everyone knows. So it's not only a Jason Statham movie.

UGO: It sounds to me that you're going after a much wider audience, you intend this to be a favorite among the average moviegoer. Whereas, a film like Postal, I think you're aware is dedicated to a cult following.

UW: Exactly, it's a totally different setup. I shot this one year before I shot Postal and Seed. Both movies are really for a different audience. This movie [em>In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale] is PG-13, my first movie ever that is PG-13. I think it's important that a lot of young people have the opportunity to see it. It's more a big fantasy adventure, not a copy of Lord of the Rings. We have no chance against Lord of the Rings, but on the other hand, why can't we do any fantasy movies? Story-wise, it's a little harder...it's not the Golden Compass or something. It is more a "real story" like in Braveheart or Gladiator, for example. You have a real story about a man and his family and his family is almost wiped out and his wife gets kidnapped. He goes out to find his wife and to have revenge for his dead son. At the same time, he recognizes that he has to save the whole kingdom to save his wife. This adventure gets bigger than his plan was. It's an interesting story, and I think Jason Statham played it because there's a lot of action in movie and he liked the straightforward character.

UGO: What video games are you playing right now? What excites you as a gamer?

UB: Right now I play only Golf - Tiger Woods. I need it to calm me down, I had so much stress this year. I shot Far Cry, based on the game and Tunnel Rats, a Viet Nam war movie where we reversed it - this time we created a game, for the first time. Replay, in Hamburg, they have created a game on the movie, so this is very interesting for me. And then I did all the promotion for Postal and In The Name of the King. In The Name of the King is very popular - it is already out in Russia as #1 and in Germany is in the top 10 for three weeks, and now the U.S. comes later.

UGO: Well, we in the States can sometimes be a beat behind Europe when it comes to the cinematic arts....

UB: No, no, it is about the strategy of distribution. We in Europe haven't had I Am Legend yet.

UGO: A question: A cinematic take on Halo, how would Uwe Boll pitch this?

UB: With Halo there is a problem - this is one of the best games of all time, maybe even THE best game, but I don't think it would be a great movie. And it would need to be a $200 million movie. I'm not sure that the movie can top the game, or if you could do something with a different value in the movie that could surpass the game. What I don't do - and what a lot of people don't like - is that I don't believe in duplicating the game on screen. I try to do something different or that maybe has an impact on the next game or in the merchandising perhaps. Sometimes I am lucky and sometimes I am not. Warcraft, I think, would be a great movie.

UGO: What would your take on Warcraft be?

UB: A little bit like what I did with In The Name of the King with Dunegon Siege is basically -- well, let's face it, I did this because I didn't get Warcraft, right? I wanted to do a fantasy, epic adventure movie, and this was my opportunity. Warcraft would need to be R, not PG-13, and of course we would need to add stuff that isn't in the game, but I would present it as a mix between the Antonio Banderas movie The Last Warrior and Lord of the Rings, but rougher?

UGO: How would you interpret something far different in tone - say, Super Mario Galaxy?

UB: Yahhhh. I would not do it. And I could not do Tetris either. I had an opportunity to do Fear Effect but there were many creative difficulties and the deal fell through. I still hope to do Hunter: The Reckoning, the property from White Wolf. We had a really good script for that, so maybe I will come back to that.

UGO: You mentioned before that deviations from the game has garnered you some critics. And you have become notorious for dealing with your critics in very unique ways. What do you plan to do if your newest films aren't met with warm reviews?

UB: I am not boxing again. I will only box Jean-Claude Van Damme to make money on HBO. No, my boxing was a once in a lifetime thing - to make a statement. I think some critics don't care about giving information to readers. I have nothing against a bad review. If you can see that the writer considered the film and thought about it, but to just bash me and personally insult me, no one knows anything about the movie anymore!

UGO: They said some extravagant things. Some of this is addressed in the film Postal. The rumor that goes around quite a bit is that your films are simply tax write-offs for studios.

UB: This is completely wrong. I raise my money in Germany with funds. And this happens in America if you raise a budget that is under $15 million -- in Germany it is not limited -- but if you have, say, a dentist puts in $200,000, he can then write this movie off his personal income. But, of course, this is only 50%. The other 50%, if he didn't invest in the movie, he would have in his pocket - so it isn't like I should destroy that investment. Everyone who invests hopes that the movie makes money. From many German funds, they produce Wicker Man, they produce Lord of the Rings, they produce Rush Hour, Mission: Impossible II and from all of those movies I paid the most money back to my investors. And this has to do with Hollywood accounting and what major studios are doing. And I was able to sell my movies on my own. The problem for me is that I was never integrated into the Hollywood system. I take care of my investors. So I have to make sure I get the maximum. All of these media funds, though, changed at the end of 2005. They changed the tax laws. But I am still making movies. Why is that? Because I am stupid, or I don't know what I am doing? Nobody who is investing now in my movies [Uwe's cellphone rings] Oh! My other phone is ringing. Please hold on. [In other phone] Hello? Yes, I am on the other line. Just call me in one and a half hours. Okay? Okay. Okay, I tell him to, okay. [Back to us.] So to finish my statement up, I think this is a very important point, for people who make research, see that people who finance, say, The Black Dahlia, there are tons of movies. They are all bankrupt or disappeared. And I shoot still movies and I have still investors without tax advantage.

UGO: It sounds to me you are sick of this rumor.

UB: Yes.

UGO: Lastly, who would win in a fight, a Minotaur armed with a trident or a Centaur armed with a crossbow?

UB: I answered this already.

[chris]

Uwe Boll

I've lost all hope....

edit: hold on! I think I just found something! http://www.petitiononline.com/RRH53888/petition.html This could save Warcraft. Its already got 17000 signatures, we just need to spread it around.

[Thalraxal]

Uwe Boll

I've lost all hope....

edit: hold on! I think I just found something! http://www.petitiononline.com/RRH53888/petition.html This could save Warcraft. Its already got 17000 signatures, we just need to spread it around.

It doesn't say that he is, just that he'd like to.  There's a world of difference there.  Besides, this would be Blizzard outsourcing a project.  We've seen what happens whenever they do that (WC: Lord of the Clans, SC: Ghost...).

I'm also going to admit, that I do want to see Dungeon Siege: In the Name of the King.  But mostly because I'm a huge John Rhys-Davies fan.

[Marine]

Uwe Boll

I've lost all hope....

edit: hold on! I think I just found something! http://www.petitiononline.com/RRH53888/petition.html This could save Warcraft. Its already got 17000 signatures, we just need to spread it around.

Those petitions online dont do anything.
People just think they'll send it out and Blizzard will do something, like people made five petitions for Blizzard to make a WarCraft movie like 3 years ago, now they finally annoucne a WC movie.

[JimmyJames]

What would've gotten him the job would be

What I don't do - and what a lot of people don't like - is that I don't believe in duplicating the game on screen. I try to do something different or that maybe has an impact on the next game or in the merchandising perhaps. Sometimes I am lucky and sometimes I am not. Warcraft, I think, would be a great movie.

Besides, this would be Blizzard outsourcing a project.  We've seen what happens whenever they do that (WC: Lord of the Clans, SC: Ghost...).

But at least we know Blizzard still QC's (Quality Checks) their franchises. 

[Gemini]

Blizzard would never hand off their IP to Uwe Boll.

[AA7Dragoon]

The man needs to stay far away from WarCraft.  Far away.

[Maglok]

The man needs to stay far away from WarCraft.  Far away.

The goon speaks truth!

[Mr.]

The man needs to stay far away from WarCraft the film industry.  Far away.

[chris]

now THATS the truth.

[Spiderking]

I heard he might do a Legacy of Kain movie. If he does that will kill the series, forever. 

[chris]

kain?
you mean C&C?

[Thalraxal]

kain?
you mean C&C?

I think Spiderking's refering to the Soul Reaver: Legacy of Kain series.  I seem to recall it being a 3rd person action game.  It's got vampires and stuff.  I haven't really played it, just heard about.  I think it's been inactive for a while though, but not having an Uwe Bole movie based on the franchise would probably increase its chances of getting another installment.  Or atleast give more hope for one.

[Spiderking]

Legacy of Kain has been inactive because key people either left the company or passed away. The story is by far one of the best I have seen in a game series. Really I suggest playing the games. To avoid confusion if you are wondering the story goes. Blood Omen, Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2, Blood Omen 2, and lastly LoK; Defiance. The games themselves are kinda easy but still fun. 

[muaddib]

some games, or films best left untouched . 
dead or alive- the movie- waste of time, game was preferble.
pirates of the carrabean [might have mistyped :s] the game looked,,horrid, i managed to some what understand , and enjoy the plot of movies 1-3.

if that man truely destroyed stuff he touched,, well, re-made,, lets hope warcraft series [or any other] wont be ...violated.