Dante's Inferno

[detective392]

Warner Bros. Will Descend Through Dante’s Inferno

Warner Bros. Pictures has plans for a new big screen take on Dante’s Inferno

A new film version of Dante’s Inferno is in the works at Warner Bros. Pictures. Deadline has the news, reporting that the studio has picked up a pitch for a new big screen take on the first third of Dante Alighieri’s 14th century epic poem, The Divine Comedy. The pitch hails from screenwriter Dwain Worrell, who scripted the 2010 low budget zombie film, Walking the Dead.

The original poem, which begins on Easter weekend in the year 1300, is divided in 100 cantos and split into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. Dante himself is the main character who, finding himself lost after the death of his beloved Beatrice, is met in the woods by the long-dead poet Virgil. In Dante’s Inferno, Virgil guides Dante through the nine circles of Hell, revealing various eternal torments suffered by different kinds of sinners.

According to the outlet this new version of Dante’s Inferno will see Dante travel “through the nine circles of hell to save the woman he loves.”

Although the specifics of this iteration of the tale have not yet been revealed, an attempt to “save” Beatrice is not part of the original poem. In fact, it is Beatrice (in real life, the inspiration for Dante’s “Vita Nuova”) who saves Dante, appearing in the Earthly paradise at the very end of “Purgatorio,” taking over for Virgil and serving as Dante’s guide through “Paradiso”.

Various filmic takes on Dante’s Inferno stretch as far back as Giuseppe de Liguoro’s 1911 silent film, L’Inferno. This Warner Bros. version has contemporary competition, however, as Universal Pictures has their own plans for a Dante’s Inferno movie. To be directed by Evil Dead‘s Fede Alvarez, the Universal version is based on the Electronic Arts video game of the same name. Although it its set in the early 14th century, the game version reimagines Alighieri as a Templar Knight and also sets Dante on a mission to save Beatrice’s soul.

[L.J.]

This could potentialy be good but could go bad to.

[jamesdevil]

The pitch hails from screenwriter Dwain Worrell, who scripted the 2010 low budget zombie film, Walking the Dead

Ah of course. A natural fit.

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by detective392

Warner Bros. Will Descend Through Dante’s Inferno

According to the outlet this new version of Dante’s Inferno will see Dante travel “through the nine circles of hell to save the woman he loves.”

So it's going to be just like that terrible video game from a few years ago.

[Canada]

This could be good.

[willtopower]

Give it to Guillermo Del Toro

[GC Riot]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

So it's going to be just like that terrible video game from a few years ago.

That game was actually pretty good. Sure, it was the most shameless God of War-rip off I've ever seen, but the gameplay was solid enough. Wouldn't want to see that particular version of Dante's Inferno as a film though, besides, it's already been done...

Dante's Inferno Animated Trailer - YouTube

[lolwut]

Director of the Evil Dead remake? I'm in.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

So it's going to be just like that terrible video game from a few years ago.

I loved the game, I thought the experience of it was quite harrowing. The anime spinoff wasn't anything to scream about though.

If Universal is turning the game into a movie, then it sounds like it'll be just another uninspired action/horror flick.

It sounds like the WB movie could be a pretty freaky horror flick though, I'm not expecting any rip-roaring scythe fights or gigantic monsters or anything. Plot sounds the same as the game (which I don't mind, since it seems to be the only way to make the narrative work in any other medium; if they don't have Dante try to save the girl, it'll just be Dante wandering around Hell for a couple of hours ). I'm actually hoping it'll be atmospheric, like Antichrist or something.

[Det. Bullock]

Originally Posted by GC Riot

That game was actually pretty good. Sure, it was the most shameless God of War-rip off I've ever seen, but the gameplay was solid enough. Wouldn't want to see that particular version of Dante's Inferno as a film though, besides, it's already been done...

And it was a massive insult to the source material in every single way possible, it's like transforming Wuthering Heights in an action movie directed by Michael Bay.

Beatrice was no damsel in distress, the one in distress was Dante (and even then the distress was moral rather than physical, the poem is allegoric) and she is the one who is pulling strings to save him first by sending Virgilio to see him through hell and purgatory and then by guiding him herself through Heaven to be purified and see God.

The poem was also a pungent commentary on the political, social and religious situation of the time, Dante was a man of orthodox catholic faith but was also against Florence falling under the dominion of the Papal Monarchy, he wrote love poems in his youth as part of the Dolce Stil Nuovo poetic movement and was exiled for his political ideas and all of this (and more) is reflected in the Divina Commedia.

Now, a good graphic adventure might reflect those themes, but a God of War-style game? Not so much.

[GC Riot]

Originally Posted by Det. Bullock

And it was a massive insult to the source material in every single way possible, it's like transforming Wuthering Heights in an action movie directed by Michael Bay.

I remember this Penny Arcade strip that was released at the time of the Dante's Inferno game.

[Hellraiserfan]

Originally Posted by Det. Bullock

And it was a massive insult to the source material in every single way possible, it's like transforming Wuthering Heights in an action movie directed by Michael Bay.

Beatrice was no damsel in distress, the one in distress was Dante (and even then the distress was moral rather than physical, the poem is allegoric) and she is the one who is pulling strings to save him first by sending Virgilio to see him through hell and purgatory and then by guiding him herself through Heaven to be purified and see God.

The poem was also a pungent commentary on the political, social and religious situation of the time, Dante was a man of orthodox catholic faith but was also against Florence falling under the dominion of the Papal Monarchy, he wrote love poems in his youth as part of the Dolce Stil Nuovo poetic movement and was exiled for his political ideas and all of this (and more) is reflected in the Divina Commedia.

Now, a good graphic adventure might reflect those themes, but a God of War-style game? Not so much.

I still chuckle at people who seem to take offense to the game as a loose adaptation. The Divine Comedy is something that doesn't really have anything about it that would translate well into an actual Entertaining game.

[morningtoke]

Sounds like it's based more on the video game than the poem. I greatly enjoyed the game though.

[detective392]

Originally Posted by morningtoke

Sounds like it's based more on the video game than the poem. I greatly enjoyed the game though.

Universal's Dante's Inferno is based on the video game. I don't see WB also releasing a movie based on the game as well. Could be similar but I don't see 2 video game adaptions.

[P-Rock]

Bad idea, very bad idea. I love Dante's Divine Comedy. This can only go one way: the wrong way.

They could, however, opt to make a movie of David Niven & Jerry Pournelle's Inferno book, which is heavily inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy. It's about a sci-fi writer who falls to his death, ends up in hell and has to escape it. While there he befriends Mussolini who helps him escape.

[Det. Bullock]

Originally Posted by Hellraiserfan

I still chuckle at people who seem to take offense to the game as a loose adaptation. The Divine Comedy is something that doesn't really have anything about it that would translate well into an actual Entertaining game.

If they did a game titled "dudetemplar saves the girl" I wouldn't have had a problem with it, but they titled it Dante's Inferno because some marketing ****wad decided that they needed brand recognition and that pisses me off to no end.
And unless you consider entertainment exclusively games in which you have to punch stuff thoughtful adventure games can be too, just have a look at the Blackwell series on PC, something like thatwould make a much better game adaptation than a God of War style game.

Originally Posted by GC Riot

I remember this Penny Arcade strip that was released at the time of the Dante's Inferno game.

So true and sad at the same time...

[Alfred McGuffin]

Originally Posted by Det. Bullock

If they did a game titled "dudetemplar saves the girl" I wouldn't have had a problem with it, but they titled it Dante's Inferno because some marketing ****wad decided that they needed brand recognition and that pisses me off to no end.

I agree with you, and it appears that this movie is being titled for the same reason: brand recognition. And considering that Dante is the one being saved (in part by "the women he loves") in the poem, this shows ignorance of or (more likely) lack of respect for Dante's Comedy.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Canada

This could be good.

Warners? I expect it to go to Ben Affleck, the King of Middlebrow.

[LegacyCosts]

The game kicked ass, sure it was stupid as hell but visually their version of hell was pretty stunning. The walls of screaming dead people was classy.

[willtopower]

Not sure why the game keeps being brought up.

This Warner Bros. version has contemporary competition, however, as Universal Pictures has their own plans for a Dante’s Inferno movie. To be directed by Evil Dead‘s Fede Alvarez, the Universal version is based on the Electronic Arts video game of the same name. Although it its set in the early 14th century, the game version reimagines Alighieri as a Templar Knight and also sets Dante on a mission to save Beatrice’s soul.

This thread is about the Warner Bros version, not related to the video game.
This thread is not about the Universal version, which is based on the video game.

Unless we can lump both versions into this thread?

The only confirmed difference in WB version between source material and screen adaptation is Beatrice's role. Granted it's not a minor thing, but this isn't related to the video game.
They could very well still have Beatrice be Dante's redeemer at the end. If they did, it wouldn't make sense to announce the ending of their movie.