The fantasy action-comedy “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is kicking off this year’s SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas tonight and sees the return of “Game Night” directors John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein to the screen.
The project marks the third directorial effort of the pairing (“Vacation” being the first) who rose to fame scripting films like “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” and the “Horrible Bosses” franchise. Daley is also a well-known actor best remembered for “Bones” and “Freaks and Geeks”.
One thing they’re also known for was their time spent on developing the film adaptation of the DC Comics title “The Flash”. The pair were announced as directors of the film in 2018, but a year later exited the project and jumped over to ‘Dungeons’.
Speaking with Variety about their exit from “The Flash,” they said they signed onto the film as they saw a chance to overcome “this mounting sense of fatigue” audiences had with superhero movies at the time. Daley says:
“We pitched this idea of a ground-level superhero where it isn’t entirely end-of-the-world stakes. He’s just learning his powers and is also somewhat dysfunctional with his life. The more imperfect we can make a superhero, the better, because that’s the inherent challenge: How do you give imperfection to someone that is, you know, physically perfect?”
Goldstein says they both met with Miller over dinner to discuss the project to tease out ideas before they started work on their script:
“They were intense and very bright. Later, it became clear that they didn’t want to quite do the same thing as we did.”
A number of creative differences led the co-directors to exit with Miller’s decision to team up with comics legend Grant Morrison to co-write a rival script for the film being a key factor. Daley says:
“If we feel like the powers-that-be aren’t excited about making the same movie as we are, we’re not going to win that battle, and so it’s better to cut your losses and get out of there.”
After their exit, “IT” director Andy Muschietti and “Birds of Prey” writer Christina Hodson signed onboard. Even now though, enough of Daley & Goldstein’s work remains both will receive a story by credit alongside Hodson.
Goldstein adds that they have no hard feelings about the project and are very pleased with the end result. Goldstein says “They took what we had started and really ran with it and made it a very fun and emotional movie. We’re really happy with how it all turned out.” Daley adds: “I’m so glad that the finished product is a super fun movie.”
“The Flash” hits cinemas on June 16th and will have its world premiere at CinemaCon on April 25th. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” opens in cinemas on March 31st.
