Ryan Reynolds is in talks to produce the live action adaptation of 80’s video game classic “Dragon’s Lair,” for Netflix and star as the main character, Dirk the Daring, multiple individuals with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The streamer closed a deal to acquire the rights to the laser game after almost a year of negotiations. Roy Lee will produce “Dragon’s Lair” via his Vertigo Entertainment banner with Trevor Engelson of Underground Entertainment. The game’s original designer Don Bluth, along with Gary Goldman and Jon Pomeroy are also producing. Reynolds will produce via his Maximum Effort banner.
Screenwriters Dan and Kevin Hageman, who received story credit on “The Lego Movie” and most recently wrote “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” will write the screenplay.
The story centers on Dirk the Daring, a knight of the kingdom, who was entrusted with the rescue of Princess Daphne from the wizard Mordroc and the evil dragon Singe.
Originally released for arcades in 1983 by Cinematronics, “Dragon’s Lair” was revolutionary for its time. The game used laserdisc technology and film quality animation from Don Bluth Studios. Gameplay is composed of numerous animated individual scenes which required the player to move the joystick in the right direction, or press the fire button at key moments in the animated sequences, that governed the hero’s actions and moved the story forward. Another laserdisc game from Don Bluth called “Space Ace” followed in the spring of 1984, and a “Dragon’s Lair” sequel called “Dragon’s Lair II: Time Wrap” was released in 1991. Bluth would later go on to direct animated movies “An American Tail” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven.”
“Dragon’s Lair” marks the third project with the streamer for Reynolds, who was most recently seen in “6 Underground” and wasin production on action movie “Red Notice” with Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot. Production was temporarily shut down on “Red Notice” because of the coronavirus pandemic. Next up, Reynolds has another video-game movie “Free Guy” where he plays a normal guy who discovers he’s a NPC (on player character) in a violent open world game called “Free City” that will soon be discontinued. So think, “The Matrix” meets “Grand Theft Auto” and “Tron.” “Free Guy” is currently scheduled to be released in “July,” but may be postponed due to coronavirus closures.
Reynolds is repped by WME and Sloane Offer.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.