Sam Raimi Directing Warcraft Movie News

King of the cult horrors (along with a trilogy based around the antics of an arachnid loving superhero), Blizzard Entertainment today announced that Sam Raimi has signed on to direct the movie based on the Warcraft franchise.

"At its core, Warcraft is a fantastic, action-packed story," said Raimi. "I am thrilled to work with such a dynamite production team to bring this project to the big screen."

Charles Roven will serve as producer on the film, having previously worked on The Dark Knight, Batman Begins and 12 Monkeys, alongside Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner, Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull, Legendary's Chief Creative Officer Jon Jashni and Raimi's producing partner Joshua Donen. Raimi's partner, Robert Tapert, will be an Executive Producer and Blizzard Entertainment's Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Chris Metzen, will serve as Co-Producer.

"Partnering with Sam Raimi exemplifies Legendary's mandate of marrying the highest quality intellectual property to world-class filmmakers," said Legendary's Tull. "Sam's passion for 'Warcraft' is undeniable and we know that he will create an incredible film worthy of Blizzard's phenomenal franchise. We look forward to collaborating with our partners at Warner Bros. and continuing our successful relationship with Chuck in bringing this rich new world to the screen."

"Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures have a shared vision for this film and we searched at length to find the very best director to bring that vision to life," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "From our first conversation with Sam, we could tell he was the perfect choice. Sam knows how to simultaneously satisfy the enthusiasts and the mainstream audience that might be experiencing that content for the first time. We're looking forward to working with him to achieve that here."

"Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft has become a second home for millions of players and Sam's experience and talent make him the perfect director for this remarkable and action-packed world," said Atlas' Roven. "Alex and I are proud to be working with Sam and re-teaming with our friends at Legendary and Warner Bros."