TL;DR
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a rare beast: a big-budget franchise movie that actually has a soul. It’s a fantasy heist film that captures the chaotic, "failing forward" energy of a real D&D session. It’s rated PG-13 for action and some scary imagery, but for most kids 10 and up, it’s a high-quality alternative to the usual superhero fatigue.
Quick Links for the D&D Pipeline:
- The Show: Stranger Things (The reason your kids know what a Demogorgon is)
- The Pro-Play: Critical Role (Where the "Bards are cool" trend started)
- The Game: Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set (The best way to actually start playing)
- The Video Game: Baldur's Gate 3 (Rated M—read our guide before letting your middle schooler touch it)
If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, you might remember D&D as the thing "nerdy" kids did in windowless basements. Fast forward to 2025, and D&D is peak cool. Between Stranger Things and the massive success of Baldur's Gate 3, your kids probably see a d20 (that’s a 20-sided die) as a symbol of creativity rather than social exile.
Honor Among Thieves follows Edgin (a Bard who is better at making plans than fighting), Holga (a Barbarian who does the actual fighting), and a ragtag team of "losers" as they try to pull off a heist to recover a lost relic and save Edgin’s daughter.
It’s not a "chosen one" story where the hero is perfect. It’s a story about a group of people who constantly mess up, roll the metaphorical "1," and have to pivot. It’s funny, it’s fast-paced, and it doesn't require you to know a single thing about the game's 50-year history to enjoy it.
Beyond the CGI dragons and the "Ohio-level" weirdness of a half-man, half-fish creature just hanging out in the background, kids connect with this movie because it feels like how they actually play.
If your kid spends time in Roblox or Minecraft, they are already used to "emergent gameplay"—the idea that you start with a goal, everything goes wrong, and you end up doing something completely ridiculous to survive. This movie captures that specific brand of chaos.
Also, it treats its characters like real people. Edgin isn't a superhero; he’s a dad who made some really bad choices and is trying to fix them. Holga isn't just a "strong female lead"; she’s a person dealing with a messy breakup and a lot of internalized loyalty. It’s relatable in a way that "saving the multiverse" usually isn't.
The PG-13 rating is fairly accurate here, but let’s break down the "why" so you can decide if your 9-year-old is ready.
Violence and Action
It’s a fantasy movie, so there are swords, axes, and magic spells. People get hit, kicked, and tossed around. However, it’s largely bloodless. The violence is more "stylized adventure" than "gritty war movie." Think The Avengers levels of intensity.
The "Scary" Factor
This is where you might need to pause. There are "Red Wizards" who look pretty undead and creepy. There’s a scene in a graveyard involving speaking with dead bodies (it’s played for laughs, but the visuals are definitely "corpse-adjacent"). There’s also a very chunky dragon named Themberchaud who is terrifying and hilarious at the same time. If your kid is sensitive to "creepy" imagery, the Red Wizards might be a bit much.
Language and Themes
The language is mild—a few "hells" and "damns," but nothing that will make you jump for the remote. Thematically, there’s some talk of death, grief, and abandonment, but it’s handled with a lot of heart.
Check out our guide on fantasy violence vs. realistic violence
One of the best things about Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is its take on failure. In most kids' media, the hero is either naturally gifted or trains until they are perfect.
In D&D (the game and this movie), you succeed by failing. You try a plan, it fails, you lose your gear, and now you have to figure out how to get out of a dungeon using only a stale loaf of bread and a minor illusion spell.
This is a huge mental health win for kids who struggle with perfectionism. The movie reinforces that:
- Plans fail.
- It’s okay to be the "planner" even if you aren't the "winner."
- Your "found family" (your friends) are the ones who stick by you when you roll a 1.
If you watch this with your kids, here are a few ways to turn it into a real conversation:
- The "Plan A" vs. "Plan B" talk: "Edgin’s plans always fail. Why do you think he keeps making them? What would you do if our 'Plan A' for the weekend got rained out?"
- The Entrepreneurship Angle: Believe it or not, D&D is great for teaching resource management. "The team had to decide which magical items to use and when. How is that like managing your Robux or your allowance?"
- The Character Archetypes: "Which character did you relate to most? Were you the one trying to lead (Edgin), the one doing the heavy lifting (Holga), or the one still learning their 'magic' (Simon)?"
If your kid watches this and immediately asks for a 20-sided die, here is how to navigate the next steps without draining your bank account or accidentally handing them something too mature.
This is the "Goldilocks" entry point. It’s cheap (usually under $20), includes everything you need to play, and walks you through the rules. It’s a great "unplugged" activity for a rainy Sunday.
This is a group of professional voice actors playing D&D. It’s incredibly popular, but heads up: it’s often "TV-MA" in its language and themes. If your kid wants to watch "people play D&D," look for Dimension 20 (specifically their "Mice & Murder" or "Fantasy High" seasons), which are often a bit more accessible, though still check the ratings!
Warning: Do NOT let the "cartoon" look fool you. This is a very adult show based on a D&D campaign. It’s full of gore, profanity, and adult situations. If they loved the movie, they might see this on a recommendation list—this is where you say "no" until they are much older.
This is the "Game of the Year" that everyone is talking about. It is a masterpiece, but it is strictly for older teens and adults. It contains explicit content that is definitely not "Honor Among Thieves" territory. If your younger kid wants a D&D-style video game, try Minecraft Dungeons instead.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a rare 10/10 for intentional parents. It’s high-quality entertainment that respects the audience's intelligence, avoids "brain rot" tropes, and encourages creativity and persistence.
It’s the perfect "bridge" movie—something that bridges the gap between "little kid" movies and "grown-up" action, and something that bridges the gap between screen time and tabletop "real life" time.
Next Steps:
- Watch the movie on a family night.
- If they love it, grab the D&D Starter Set.
- Check if your local library or school has a D&D club—it’s one of the best ways for "quirky" kids to find their tribe.
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