Blizzard’s upcoming Warcraft film based on first game ‘Orcs & Humans’

Blizzard’s annual event this week is offering a ton of new news and further details about the movie adaptation of its popular game franchise, Warcraft . At BlizzCon 2013, a Warcraft film panel has been set up to divulge information about the upcoming Warcraft movie.

As reported in a liveblog by Joystiq, the director behind movies such as Moon and Source Code, Duncan Jones, is in charge of the Warcraft film.

Blizzard’s Warcraft franchise has been exceptionally popular with its attention to art, story-telling and epic cinematography. Jones says that it’s going to be an “origin story” focusing on the conflict between the Orcs and Humans.

It’s seems like there are going to be no Undead, Night Elves or Murlocks races featured in the film. Instead, it’s going to be more similar to the first game Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and less giant pandas.

The human race is to be led by Anduin Lothar who features in Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness who will be pitted against Durotan, father of the legendary orc Thrall.

Visual effects director, Bill Westenhofer, is well-known for his contribution to popular movies such as Life of Pi, The Chronicles of Narnia and Men in Black 2. He is noted for saying that he wants to create a “gritty, muddy, down in the dirt, covered in grime” feel to the movie, comparing it to Gladiator.

The panel noted that the film’s probably going to be rated PG-13. Jones further says “When you look at films that have come out PG-13 recently you’ll see there’s a constantly shifting, sliding line of what’s allowed. Remember Joker scene with the pencil? That’s PG-13, so … you can get away with some shit in PG-13!”

Furthermore, Simon Duggan who is famous for The Great Gatsby and I, Robot will be in charge of cinematography with Avatar’s Mayes Rubeo looking after costume designs. Industrial Light & Magic will also be helping out and is the same effects studio that was working on Star Wars.

The violent tale of struggle between Orcs, Humans is expected to hit theatres at the end of 2015.