The first film in the planned "Warcraft" trilogy is now available as a global release, and the first reviews are already in. The film had an impressive opening, and observers say that this is largely due to the wide fan base that the franchise has.
According to Variety, the global opening of "Warcraft: The Beginning" has shown how large the worldwide fanbase of the series is. Russia has the highest launch figures, gathering $2.8 million in the movie opening; this figure is also the second worldwide for this year, just behind the opening sales of "Deadpool." Other regions also posted high sales, such as Germany with $2.2 million, France with $983,000, and Austria with $280,000. The movie is also the number one opener in other locations worldwide.
Sales of "Warcraft: The Beginning" are still expected to spike as the movie is set for global release in other parts of the world until June 10.
With the film already opening in other countries, reviews are already up, with some hardcore fans saying that the movie fell short of their expectations. Even fans new to the franchise are saying that one really needs basic a backgrounder of the game to be able to capture the story and plot of the movie. RTE mentions how director Duncan Jones tried to convey a cinematic feel to the story but just fell short of how to do it for fans not familiar with the "World of Warcraft" franchise.
According to The Guardian, Jones admits that conveying the familiarity for both gamers and first-timers with a game franchise is one of the concerns that he tackled with the film.
The director said, "How can I make a fantasy film with engaging characters, with a storyline that really brings you along, but at the same time there's an entirely different film there if you're watching as a fan?"
"Warcraft: The Beginning" is still being screened worldwide.
