Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is Paramount’s newest fantasy adventure heist film based on the popular tabletop game. The film not only is comedic but was able to bring the viewers along for the ride, featuring a stellar cast list from Hollywood’s best romance leads to new and established faces in the industry. Over 60 people were involved in the making of this film, and production took place in multiple countries.
While waiting for the film’s post-credits scenes to emerge, you might have noticed a name that popped up. There was a dedication for Brian Goldner, and it would make sense if you don’t know who this person is, although Goldner is someone worth knowing and has played a huge role not only for this D&D film but other projects as well. So who is Mr. Goldner and why was he featured in the film’s credits?
Who is Brian Goldner? The Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves dedication explained
Brian Goldner may not be a huge name in Hollywood ,but he is a big deal for Dungeon and Dragons’ parent company, Hasbro. He was the CEO of the company from 2008 to his eventual death in 2021. Goldner was described as someone who “transformed Hasbro” during his tenure with the company and was named CEO of the Year by Marketwatch in 2008. Not only was he the CEO, but he oversaw many of the films that used the Hasbro IP as executive producer.
Goldner’s name has appeared in a variety of films and media projects since 2005, in titles like Transformers, Battleship, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves, just to name a few. And if you look at his IMDb page, he’s still credited for future projects like the rumored Monopoly film starring Kevin Hart and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
In addition to playing a major role in Hasbro’s film projects, it was reported by The New York Times that he ensured that Hasbro would be the official toy and game licensee for Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, meaning that Hasbro has the rights to produce toys for the popular superhero film franchise. Goldner also received praise from Lucasarts in Hasbro’s official memorial video, claiming that “he understood Lucasarts’ relationship with Hasbro when driving toy sales” and was able to use that knowledge when transforming Transformers into the film franchise we know today.
Prior to his time in Hasbro, Golder worked in Bandai’s American branch and made connections with Power Rangers‘ creator Haim Saban. It was his longtime friendship with Saban that led to Hasbro’s acquisition to licensing the Power Rangers IP after Disney sold it back to its original creator.
In August 2020, it was reported that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. According to AP News, Goldner had been receiving treatment since 2014. Unfortunately, Goldner died in October 2021, leaving behind a wife and daughter.
Goldner was an influential person in Hasbro and a visionary. Not only did he play a major role in the company’s film projects, but he also played a role in making Hasbro the successful and recognizable toy company it is today. While his illness led to his death at age 58, he has left a tremendous legacy for the toy company.