Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves / Paramount Pictures
Landmarker & Global AR
Here There Be Dragons
Paramount Pictures looked to Pretty Big Monster to bring the spectacular monsters of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves to life in augmented reality for audiences around the globe—with a featured execution unleashing the legendary black dragon known as Rakor on the historic Flatiron Building in NYC.
Using Snapchat's Landmarker AR Lens technology to anchor the three-dimensional flying dragon, and with the inclusion of an irritable owlbear (half-owl, half-bear, naturally), we were able to provide viewers with a chance to capture the creatures raging through lower Manhattan.
To ensure a smooth and consistent user experience, we carefully adapted an original model from the film's production, optimizing and re-rigging the 3D dragon for use in a real-time experience. Extra care was taken in animating its movements—and the action of the acid spray it spits from its mouth—so that it could convincingly circle and land on the uniquely shaped building, no matter which side the viewer approached from.
So as not to limit the excitement to New York City, the concept was extended so that fans across the globe were able to participate in the fun. Location-independent versions of the lens were created for popular platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, allowing users to witness the dragon in action soaring above them and the owlbear bursting into the scene—creating numerous opportunities to create memorable user-generated videos wherever fans might be.
The campaign's AR effects quickly gained popularity, amassing hundreds of thousands of views as audiences enthusiastically showcased their anticipation for the film and proudly celebrated their love for Dungeons & Dragons in the lead-up to the film's release.