If you’ve ever put on a fantasy film marathon after a late-night raiding session, you’ve probably wondered how many World of Warcraft movies are there. Blizzard has dabbled in screen content for decades, from short expansion tie-in animations to big-budget theatrical releases, and it’s easy to lose track of what’s official, what’s scrapped, and what’s still in the works. This guide breaks down every official Warcraft film project, plus context for how each ties into the game’s sprawling canon, so you don’t have to sift through 10-year-old forum threads to get the full story.
How Many World of Warcraft Movies Are There Officially Released?
If you only recognize one Warcraft movie, it’s almost certainly the 2016 theatrical release directed by Duncan Jones. It pulled in over $439 million at the global box office, making it one of the highest-grossing video game adaptations of all time, even if it underperformed in U.S. markets. It’s the only fully released, theatrical World of Warcraft movie to date, though Blizzard has put out dozens of short animated films tied to expansion releases over the years. Those shorts are usually only 3 to 10 minutes long, so they don’t count as feature-length movies.
The 2016 film covers the events of the First War, when the Orc Horde first crossed through the Dark Portal from Draenor to Azeroth, and follows core characters like Alliance commander Anduin Lothar and Orc chieftain Durotan. It took significant creative liberties with canon lore to fit its 2 hour runtime, which left some long-time fans frustrated, but it’s still widely considered a solid love letter to the franchise’s core conflict. Fan-made Warcraft films are not considered official canon, even if some of them have incredibly high production value and loyal fan followings, so they don’t count toward the official tally.
Canceled Warcraft Movie Projects You Might Not Know About
If you’ve spent time digging through old WoW forum threads asking how many World of Warcraft movies are there, you’ve probably stumbled on mentions of these scrapped projects. The first attempt at a Warcraft feature film was in development as early as 2006, shortly after the launch of World of Warcraft’s first expansion, The Burning Crusade. Blizzard famously rejected a pitch from infamously bad video game adaptation director Uwe Boll, and the project sat in limbo for years before Duncan Jones signed on to direct the 2016 release.
After the 2016 film’s strong international box office performance, a sequel was quickly greenlit, with Jones attached to return as director. The planned 2016 sequel would have covered the rise of the Lich King, one of the most popular story arcs in WoW history, and would have leaned more heavily into fan-favorite lore from the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. The sequel was canceled in 2018 after disagreements between Blizzard and Legendary Pictures over creative direction and distribution rights, and the rights to Warcraft film projects reverted back to Blizzard shortly after.
There was also a planned standalone animated Warcraft feature in development at Blizzard’s in-house animation studio in 2020, focused on the story of Sylvanas Windrunner. That project was scrapped during Blizzard’s 2021 restructuring, when the company shifted focus away from standalone media projects to tie content directly to game releases.
Upcoming Warcraft Film and TV Projects in Development
For fans still asking how many World of Warcraft movies are there, the list is going to grow a lot in the next few years. Blizzard signed a deal with Prime Video in 2022 to develop a live action Warcraft series, the first long-form screen content for the franchise since the 2016 film. The project is still in early script development as of 2024, but early details have been shared by the showrunners. The upcoming Prime Video Warcraft series will focus on new lore rather than retreading the First War story, and will be set in a timeline that doesn’t conflict with existing game canon, so it won’t retcon any events from the games.
Blizzard is also continuing to release short animated content tied to game expansions, which often fill in lore gaps between major patch releases. While these aren’t feature-length movies, they’re official canon and often include story beats that aren’t covered in the game itself. There are also a handful of unannounced film and TV projects in early development, per comments from Blizzard leadership in 2023. Confirmed upcoming Warcraft screen projects include:
- Prime Video live action Warcraft series, currently in early script development with a planned 3-season order
- Animated expansion tie-in shorts, released regularly 1 to 2 months before new WoW content drops
- Long-rumored standalone animated feature focused on Horde lore, unconfirmed but heavily teased by senior Blizzard writing staff
There’s no official release date for the Prime Video series yet, but production is expected to start in late 2024 if the script is approved, with a possible 2026 release window. Blizzard has also hinted that they’re open to developing more standalone feature films if the Prime Video series performs well with both existing fans and general audiences.
Should You Watch the 2016 Warcraft Movie If You’re New to WoW?
If you’re just getting into World of Warcraft for the first time, you might be wondering if the 2016 movie is a good way to learn the game’s lore. The short answer is that it’s a fun watch, but it shouldn’t be your only source for canon lore. You don’t need any prior WoW knowledge to follow the 2016 film’s core plot, since it explains the basics of the Alliance vs Horde conflict and the Dark Portal clearly for casual viewers. I watched it with a friend who had never touched a WoW game before, and she had no trouble following the core story, even if she missed most of the small Easter eggs for long-time fans.
That said, the movie cuts a lot of lore to fit its runtime, and changes key details about major characters and events to make the plot more accessible for general audiences. For example, the timeline of the First War is condensed from several years to just a few weeks, and many core character deaths are changed for dramatic effect. If you want to learn the official canon version of the First War, you’re better off reading Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, which is the official source for all early WoW lore.
If you’re a new player, the movie is still a fun way to get excited about the world of Azeroth before you dive into the game. Just keep in mind that not everything you see on screen will match what you experience in-game, and don’t be surprised if long-time fans correct you if you reference movie events as canon in group chat.
So when someone asks how many World of Warcraft movies are there, the short answer is one official theatrical release, with plenty of scrapped projects and new content on the horizon. The 2016 film might not have lived up to every fan’s highest expectations, but it’s still a fun celebration of the franchise that’s perfect for a cozy night in after a long grind session. Keep an eye out for updates on the Prime Video series over the next year, because it has the potential to be the deep, lore-accurate screen adaptation that WoW fans have been asking for for decades.
