Netflix’s New Dungeons & Dragons Series Is Making TV History

For decades, the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop roleplaying game (TRPG) has been one of the most influential works of fantasy, with some surprising modern movies and TV shows based on Dungeons & Dragons. With the game casting its players as heroes in fantasy worlds of their own creation, shows like Stranger Things and Firefly reflect this camaraderie, with their “band of misfits” dynamic being one of fantasy’s most enduring set-ups. With the success of Dungeons & Dragons bringing it mainstream recognition, the fact that there has not yet been a live-action TV adaptation is surprising. However, this is set to change.

Netflix is developing a live-action TV series based on the Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Ravenloft, with the news exciting fans who have spent decades waiting for the franchise to finally get the onscreen recognition it deserves. Rather than simply adapting a story, the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons TV show has the chance to explore the mythology that has built up over time, bringing a new wave of interest to the franchise. The series officially replaces the shelved plan for a Forgotten Realms TV show, which would have been set in the same world as the Honor Among Thieves movie.

Ravenloft Marks Dungeons & Dragons’ First Foray Into Live-Action TV

The past decade has been a golden age for the franchise, leaving many wondering why Dungeons & Dragons has never had a live-action TV show. With Stranger Things bringing a generation of new fans to the games by using its terminology and centering much of the story around its monsters, it is easy to forget that this has been a relatively recent development. Despite the success of Honor Among Thieves, and the animated TV series The Legend of Vox Machina, Dungeons & Dragons has been somewhat niche. This may be why its first foray into live-action TV is following an unexpected path.

Rather than the typical fantasy quest with a Lord of the Rings-style tone, Ravenloft is a much darker story that is full of Gothic lore. Deadline reports that Ravenloft will follow “the making of the vampire Darklord Strahd von Zarovich, whose story of power, love, obsession, and undead transformation charts his origins from tragic antihero to one of Dungeons & Dragons’ most notorious villains.” The choice is intriguing, suggesting that the writers are highly aware that The Witcher‘s fall from grace has left a dark monster horror shaped gap in the fantasy landscape, with the upcoming series poised to fill it.

The Success Of Honor Among Thieves & Critical Role Is A Positive Sign For Ravenloft

The 2023 movie Honor Among Thieves might not have had the required box office success for its planned sequel, which appears to have been put on hold, but its Rotten Tomatoes scores have proven that there is a place for live-action Dungeons & Dragons projects onscreen. The movie received 91% and 92% positive Rotten Tomatoes scores from critics and audiences, respectively, with the eccentric humor, references to gameplay, and great acting performances being widely praised. These are all essential elements for any Dungeons & Dragons project, but even more important for a live-action story.

The popularity of Critical Role reinforces this, featuring professional voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons together, turning their campaigns into long-running stories with character development. Not only could Critical Role last forever, but its premise proves that Dungeons & Dragons already has the raw material to succeed, before a high-budget TV series then brings visual effects into the mix. The animated adaptations based on Critical Role, The Mighty Nein and The Legend of Vox Machina, both have 100% positive Rotten Tomatoes scores, adding to the excitement around Ravenloft, which will make TV history as Dungeons & Dragons‘ first live-action TV show.

Ravenloft already has a skilled team onboard. Netflix is a streaming juggernaut with a proven record of producing excellent fantasy TV series, while writer and executive producer John August is a perfect fit for the project, having worked on Gothic hits like Corpse Bride and Dark Shadows. With no release date announced yet, the project might be a long way from casting characters, but as many celebrities play Dungeons & Dragons, there will likely be no shortage of genuine Dungeons & Dragons fans ready to get involved in beginning a new era for the iconic franchise.

Source: Deadline