The Best D&D Movie Ever Is About To Get A Second Life On Netflix
Before Baldur’s Gate 3, Dungeons & Dragons got another amazing adaptation.
Dungeons & Dragons is so much more than a game. It’s a franchise so intricate and so beloved, it feels totally timeless — in spite of its medieval influences. That said, it’s been a long time since it first took the world by storm. It will likely always be a cultural behemoth, but as the years pass, the franchise needs something to boost its relevance — or at least bring a few “normies” into the fold to bolster ranks.
The 2020s, in turn, have been pretty good to D&D. Baldur’s Gate 3 revolutionized role-playing in 2023, cleverly adapting the game’s classic tabletop format into a sprawling virtual world. But it wasn’t the only addition to the universe released that year: before Baldur’s Gate took the world by storm, there was Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the first big-screen D&D adaptation in nearly 20 years.
Directed by Game Night duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Honor Among Thieves is just the update D&D needed. The film twists the beats of a classic campaign in a winking, meta direction, leaning more into what it feels like to play a game with friends. Sure, it cribs heavily from the self-aware superhero adventures that Marvel Studios made popular, and it also plays a bit fast and loose with the lore that D&D fans would expect from a faithful adaptation. In a way, though, that’s exactly what makes Honor Among Thieves an ideal entry point for those unfamiliar with D&D at all.
The best part about Honor Among Thieves is that it feels made by true fans. Daley and Goldstein clearly know their way around the Forgotten Realms (the main setting of D&D), as their script — co-written with Michael Gilio — is packed with references and callbacks to every corner of the universe. Somehow, though, Honor Among Thieves manages to feel lived-in and immersive. For all its mentions of wild magic and the city of Waterdeep, Daley and Goldstein work hard to keep newbies from getting lost in the minutiae.
The film’s greatest merits, however, are embodied in its cast. Honor Among Thieves is mostly the story of Edgin the bard (Chris Pine) and Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), a no-nonsense barbarian. The duo have been inseparable for years: not only have they pulled off a few successful heists, but Holga also helped Edgin raise his daughter Kira (Chloe Coleman) after the death of his wife. Their lives aren’t perfect, but they’re lucky enough to have each other. When they’re betrayed by a member of their crew, a smooth-talking rogue named Forge (Hugh Grant), and imprisoned at the appropriately named Revel’s End, their partnership is put to the ultimate test.
After two years of incarceration, Edgin and Holga escape to learn that Forge has adopted Kira as his own. He’s also allied himself with a powerful Red Wizard, Sofina (Daisy Head), the true mastermind of a plan to take over the realm and consume the souls of innocents. The specifics of her plot aren’t that important; all that matters is that our heroes assemble a new team to save the day — and fast.
Honor Among Thieves is the perfect entry point for D&D novices, cluing you into the world and all its hurdles.
Edgin and Holga’s new companions include the self-doubting sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), the shape-shifting druid Doris (Sophia Lillis), and a suave — if utterly oblivious — paladin named Xenk (Regé-Jean Page). They don’t exactly get along at the outset; in fact, executing their quest is a struggle every step of the way. Everything that can go wrong does, and in spectacular fashion. Simon’s wild magic hinders more than it helps, while Edgin’s past regrets haunt his every decision. But all that angst makes for a truly unpredictable adventure, one that effortlessly captures what it feels like to roll the dice in a real D&D campaign... and scramble to make a new plan when the original implodes.
The chemistry within the cast is one of many virtues in Honor Among Thieves. Even if it does follow the same beats as a film like Guardians of the Galaxy, the film is so much more than a generic action romp. Daley and Goldstein’s love of the material — along with their crackling sense of humor — buoys a story that could have easily alienated the novices tuning in. That Honor Among Thieves manages to pay homage to one of the most complex intellectual properties around, all while poking fun at the intricacies of its world, is nothing short of a miracle. The film is a super-nerdy comedy that lets you in on the joke, perfect for both avid D&D players and those who’ve never had to worry about charisma checks or character builds. Though we’re still holding out hope for a sequel, it also makes for a succinct standalone adventure. Normally, one campaign would take days, even weeks to finish. Honor Among Thieves lets you jump into the world with no strings attached — but don’t be surprised if you’re hooked after your first encounter.
