Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse
A prequel to the original Dragonheart, released direct-to-video in 2015.
Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse is a 2015 direct-to-video fantasy adventure directed by Colin Teague. As the third installment in the Dragonheart series, it serves as a prequel to the original film.
The story takes place in 9th century Northern Britain. A druid circle foresees a "falling star" from the constellation Draco. One druid, Brude, summons a Pict clan called the Painted tribe to slaughter the other druids, then leads the clans to war against the southern kingdoms beyond Hadrian's Wall. Only a druid apprentice named Lorne escapes the massacre.
On the wall's southern side, a squire named Gareth undergoes final tests to earn his knighthood. Though he proves the best fighter, he fails to collect enough money from peasants. His superior, Sir Horsa, refuses to knight him and demands 100 crowns first. Homeless, Gareth is taken in by a peasant couple. That night, a meteor falls north of the wall. Believing it contains riches, Gareth steals a knight's sword and heads to find it.
When Gareth reaches the meteor, it bursts open to reveal a dragon with nine eggs. The dragon attacks Painted tribe members who also tracked the meteor. Gareth saves one egg despite being badly wounded. Impressed by his mercy, the dragon shares its heart with Gareth, saving his life. Brude then curses the dragon and claims the eggs. Lorne rescues Gareth and explains the bond he now shares with the dragon.
Gareth meets rebel leader Rhonu, her uncle Traevor, and clans opposing Brude. They hope Gareth will get the dragon to fight for them. Gareth reunites with the dragon, now able to talk, and names it Drago. Drago needs help retrieving the eggs. The group infiltrates Brude's camp, but Drago fails due to a curse that renders him powerless in daylight or near flame. Drago explains he brought the young dragons to be friends with humanity. Gareth is captured, but Brude spares him upon learning of his connection to Drago. With Rhonu and Lorne's help, Gareth escapes with the eggs.
The group heads toward the wall. Rhonu sends Traevor to gather opposing clans. Traveling on foot after accidentally destroying one egg, Drago tries teaching Gareth to shadow-jump. Lorne reveals Brude cast the Sorcerer's Curse on Drago, who will fall under Brude's control by the full moon. During a rescue attempt, Gareth briefly frees Drago from the curse, but Brude recasts it.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Colin Teague
- Producer
- Raffaella De Laurentiis
- Writer
- Matthew Feitshans
- Based On
- Dragonheart by Patrick Read Johnson & Charles Edward Pogue
- Starring
- Julian Morris / Tamzin Merchant / Jassa Ahluwalia / Jonjo O'Neill / Ben Kingsley
- Music
- Mark McKenzie
- Cinematography
- David Luther
- Editing
- Fiona Colbeck / Charlene Short / Eric Strand
- Studio
- Raffaella Productions / Universal 1440 Entertainment
- Distributor
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
- Released
- 10 February 2015
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film is a prequel to the original Dragonheart, set in 9th century Northern Britain. The plot involves a druid circle foreseeing a falling star from the constellation Draco, leading to a conflict between northern clans and southern kingdoms. A druid apprentice named Lorne escapes a slaughter, while a squire named Gareth seeks a meteor that contains a dragon with nine eggs. Gareth bonds with the dragon, naming it Drago, and must retrieve the eggs from the druid Brude, who has cast a curse on Drago. The story culminates in a battle at Hadrian's Wall, which is renamed the Dragon's Gate after peace is achieved.
Reader's Guide
The film was announced in summer 2014 after long speculation by fans of the previous two films. It was green-lit by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, with a $7,000,000 budget for the CGI effects work for Drago alone. Raffaella De Laurentiis, producer of the two previous films, reprised her role, and her stepson Matthew Feitshans wrote the screenplay, his first. Filming took place in Romania around 2013. The score was composed by Mark McKenzie, who also scored Dragonheart: A New Beginning, and includes the original theme by Randy Edelman. Visual effects were done by Terminal FX. The film received mixed but generally positive reception, with reviews noting impressive CGI for a direct-to-video release, improvement over Dragonheart 2, and being on par with the original film. It earned $2,158,271 from domestic home video sales. Two sequels followed: Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire (2017) and Dragonheart: Vengeance (2020).
Did You Know?
- The budget for the CGI effects work for Drago alone was $7,000,000.
- The film was written by Matthew Feitshans, his first screenplay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse?
It is a 2015 direct-to-video fantasy adventure film and the third entry in the Dragonheart franchise. Colin Teague directed the movie, and Julian Morris headlines the cast.
Is Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse a sequel or a prequel?
Although it is the third film released in the series, it actually functions as a prequel to the original 1996 Dragonheart movie. The narrative is set in 9th-century Northern Britain, long before the events of the first film.
Who is the main villain in Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse?
The antagonist is Brude, a druid who turns on his own circle by calling the Painted tribe, a Pict clan, to slaughter the other druids. He then rallies the northern clans into a war against the kingdoms south of Hadrian's Wall.
Who survives the druid massacre in Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse?
Only Lorne, a young druid apprentice, escapes the slaughter that Brude and the Painted tribe orchestrate. His survival becomes the emotional anchor for the rest of the story.
How did Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse perform on home video?
The film grossed roughly $2.16 million in domestic home-video sales. Production reportedly spent around $7 million on the Drago CGI alone, making it an unusually costly direct-to-video release.
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