hoping the new Warcraft movie is for YOU! But as we potentially enter a new video game

movie renaissance like our current comic book movie renaissance, all us Marvel and DC fans

are in for a new experience - not knowing what the heck is going on. Yes, for those

of us who aren’t also gamers, we’ll get to see what it’s like to discover one of

these universes for the first time on the silver screen. Although, as someone who doesn’t

read The Hunger Games, I can assure you it still makes for a good time. And just like

I have with Hunger Games, today I’m going to give you a crash course in The World of

Warcraft! Or just Warcraft. This is actually my second time researching this world, as

I’ve written two manga stories based on these games - available in Volumes two and

five in Tokyopop’s Warcraft Legends series. Sadly Tokyopop is out of business and the

trades are out of print, but they’re out there if you’re so inclined to look... But

it will be easy to find the Warcraft movie, hitting theaters in March 2016. Duncan Jones,

director of Moon and Source Code and son of David Bowie, will make his blockbuster debut,

and apparently he likes a challenge as he hasn’t cast a single box office draw. Then

again, Warcraft is supposed to be the star here and could make stars of some of its cast

- yet that seems like it will take some magic indeed, Hollywood magic. Let’s start with

the Alliance, as they’re humanoid characters - no elves cast yet though - while The Horde

will likely be mostly motion-capture. But interestingly, like Marvel’s upcoming Civil

War, neither side will be presented as clearly right or wrong, leaving it up to you to decide

where your loyalties lie. So as you take in this cast list, think about who you’d like

to stand beside... Now as seasoned gamers will likely realize right away, Warcraft is

telling the story of The First War. And anyone who knows anything about The First War knows

Anduin Lothar! He’ll be portrayed by Vikings’ star and former model Travis Fimmel, and is

said to be our main protagonist for The Alliance - ie, we follow this guy. This human lives

in the Kingdom of Azeroth - simmer down, Teen Titans fans - which is also sometimes called

Stormwind, and is a great warrior respected by his people as he is the last of the Arathi

bloodline - the first humans to found this current civilization. Within the game, Anduin

Lothar is a very important and influential character, even beyond The First War. So get

used to Kimmel’s face unless this whole movie flops. But great wars, be they first

or last, are not fought by a single man and this one will be no different. Dominic Cooper,

who seems to alternate between playing royalty and young Howard Stark, will play human king

Llane Wrynn. In the game he’s KIND of a big deal, more like “The Boss” than THE

BOSS, but it seems this movie will try to flesh out his character as his wife will finally

be given a name! Ruth Negga will play Lady Taria, his Queen and most trusted advisor

- but I bet he says that to all the ladies. And if you think Ben Foster is cool now, wait

until you see him play Medeeve. Medeeve is also human, but he doesn’t let that stop

this childhood friend of future king Llane Wrynn from becoming Warcraft’s most powerful

wizard. If done right, he’ll be Merlin, Gandolf, Harry Potter and Loki - with Maleficent’s

showmanship - all rolled into one. Any more information would be telling but...just keep

an eye on Medeeve. By the way, in high elven his name means “keeper of secrets”. Then,

for now, the final member of the Alliance that has been revealed is Medeeve’s apprentice

Khadgar, who will be played by newcomer Ben Schnetzer. Khadgar will be a slow burn, likely

becoming more important later on if we get some Warcraft sequels... So, the Alliance

sounds all Game of Thrones-y, right? How can the Horde possibly be as cool? Uh, hello,

they’re freakin’ orcs and they eventually make allies with Trolls, a race of Minotaur-like

beings called the Tauren, and the UnDead! Plus they’re very good at compromising - sometimes

even when it comes to their morals, and their souls. But if that’s what it takes to survive...and

maybe even win? When we meet the orcs in the Warcraft movie, they’re just coming to Azeroth

from the world of Draenor - maybe the entire circumstances of their arrival will be revealed

right away, maybe they won’t. But there is one group of orcs more noble than the rest,

which makes them outsiders. In the Warcraft movie, this Frostwolf clan is led by chieftain

Durotan, who here will be played - or motion-captured - by Toby Kebbell, best known to date as Koba

from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. As the Alliance and the Horde clash, he simply wants

to save his family and his people. Robert Kazinsky, who briefly played Charlie Hunnam’s

brother and co-pilot in Pacific Rim, here will play Orgrim Doomhammer who wields his

own version of Mjolnir named - well - after him. Or is he named after the hammer? This

legendary orc weapon has never left Orgrim’s bloodline - will he be last to yield it? If

so, you might just be surprised, and touched, with where it ends up. Clancy Brown, aka the

voice of animated Lex Luthor, plays Blackhand aka The Destroyer, he heads up the Blackrock

clan. Think the Patton of Orcs. Then there’s Daniel Wu, a prolific and highly regarded

multi-hyphenate in China. He’s landed the plum role of Gul’dan, an orc wizard - orcs

call them shamans - he’s just one of Warcraft’s prime examples of how magic corrupts. Gul’dan

may pretend to be merely an advisor, but he is a key player in The First War. Finally,

last but certainly not least, there’s the half orc-half human Garona, played by Paula

Patton. This is a fantastic opportunity for Patton, as Garona would be a role likely played

by sci-fi staple Zoe Saldana if she wasn’t already playing the very similar Gamora - and

you’ll discover they share much more in common than green skin. When the orcs come

to Azeroth, Garona will find herself torn between her two people, with many powerful

orcs and humans whispering in her pointy ear. But Garona is no mere pawn and another major

player in the World of Warcraft. So, do your allegiances align with the Alliance or the

Horde? Warcraft fans, which character are you the most excited to see on the silver

screen? Non-fans, which character have you discovered here today that intrigues you the

most? And finally, does Warcraft the movie have any hope of taking on the mantle of The

Lord of the Rings franchise? Be sure to share your thoughts down below. I’m Grace Randolph

and this has been a Movie Byte! You can watch more, right now!