While production of the World of Warcraft movie has sailed on without Sam Raimi – “they had to start making it”, said the Spider-Man director – another man Hollywood would call a ‘creative’ has climbed aboard: writer Charles Leavitt. I’ve always assumed you need both director and writer to make a film, but it’s still progress of sorts.
Leavitt’s most notable prior credit is the screenplay for Blood Diamond, which – if you’ll allow me to tap into a hazy critical assessment I made in the depths of 2006 – was one of the stronger exponents of the Hollywood Does Africa with a White Star genre.
The only new word on the movie comes from Activision man Bobby Kotick, who told Variety that if it’s “important to Blizzard, it’s important to me”.
“They’re very excited about having a ‘World of Warcraft’ film. They’ve been very careful and thoughtful about the development process.”
Our Tim’s hoping for orcs; I’ll say that if Leavitt has any sense he’ll dedicate at least three of his best writing fingers to fan service.