Article by: Nick DiGiacomo

The first trailer for Warcraft has hit the web. Directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), the film is shaping up to be one of the most interesting of 2016. For those who are unfamiliar with the property, the film is based on the popular video game franchise of the same name created by Blizzard Entertainment. The film will follow the story of the first game, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, which revolves around the Orcs leaving their homeworld through a magic portal and arriving in the human world.

Watching the trailer for the first time, there was nothing particularly impressive about it. Some of the wide shots looked beautiful, but as soon as they started showing close-ups of the Orcs, it all felt very fake and the CGI was very noticeable. Obviously this movie is going to have a lot of CGI, but it’s important to blend it with the world to feel cohesive and real. However, after several more viewings, the more natural it appeared. It’s also important to note that the film doesn’t come out until June, so if you weren’t impressed with what you saw in the trailer, know that there is still a lot of VFX work that needs to be done.

After a slew of terrible video game adaptations for many years, Warcraft may be the deciding factor on whether Hollywood studios continue to take a chance on trying to convert popular game franchises into live-action films. Not only is this film important for the future of video game based films, but it’s also important for the fantasy genre. Other than The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy, Hollywood has been unable to create successful live-action fantasy franchises. Depending on how successful Warcraft is, it may also mark a resurgence in the genre. Look for Warcraft to hit theaters on June 10, 2016.