had its shot at the perfect TV show but lost its chance in 2024. The huge franchise is based on a tabletop game but has expanded to include movies, TV shows, video games, and much more. With a mass of loyal followers growing since the 1970s, D&D has had many opportunities to develop even further. For instance, the is even more spectacular than the beginning suggests it will be. However, the box office performance didn't reflect that fact, leaving more Dungeons & Dragons adaptations uncertain.
The box office disappointment of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves had a big impact on the franchise, dissuading Dungeons & Dragons executives from bold commercial decisions that would involve risk. For example, a Paramount D&D TV show was recently, unfortunately axed. Many fans were excited about the possibility of this bringing R.A. Salvatore's character Drizzt Do'Urden to life, but now that will have to wait. Yet the cancelation of a TV series about the Dragonlance campaign setting remains one of Dungeons & Dragon's biggest failures and missed opportunities to date.
Why Dragonlance Would Be A Perfect Dungeons & Dragons TV Show
Dragonlance Has All The Makings Of A Great Fantasy Show
Dragonlance would make for the perfect Dungeons & Dragons adaptation, with its sweeping narrative and high fantasy atmosphere. The world of Krynn is full of stories that have inspired gamers and readers for generations. Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis started writing Dragonlance novels in the 1980s, with Dragons of Autumn Twilight in 1984 debuting the series. Perhaps only Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt books can claim equal renown in Dungeons & Dragons. Adapting these books would lock millions of D&D fans onto screens while converting new ones.
Related
A live-action Dungeons & Dragons TV show needs to feature one specific episode in order to reinvent a classic story format from the tabletop.
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A would make infinite sense, based on the books' success alone. The Dragonlance novels written by Weis and Hickman made over 20 bestseller lists in their time, with over $22 million in sales. But the campaign setting is successful in its own right, including the hit The Shadow of the Dragon Queen campaign. There are clearly a good many players and Dungeons Masters who would tune in for this series. Additionally, a Dragonlance series could adapt pop culture icon Raistlin Majere, another one of D&D's best characters.
Joe Manganiello Was Hired To Adapt Dragonlance, And It Was Scrapped In 2024
Joe Manganiello Would Have Been The Ideal Dungeons & Dragons Showrunner
Fantasy and sci-fi TV stalwart Joe Manganiello was on board to adapt Dragonlance into a TV show before this fell through. American actor Joe Manganiello is known for his roles in Magic Mike, True Blood, and Spider-Man, with a voice part coming up in Netflix's live-action One Piece. This exciting talent and historical Dungeon Master was passionate about adapting Dragonlance for about 10 years and got fairly far with the plan. However, it wasn't to be. Manganiello confirmed that Dungeons & Dragons had stepped away from the opportunity in 2024.
This 40-year-old series could have been the best Dungeons & Dragons adaptation ever made.
Speaking with ComicBook.com in February 2024, Manganiello said: "Dragonlance is not a property [Wizards of the Coast] are interested in developing further, currently." Yet this 40-year-old series could have been the best Dungeons & Dragons adaptation ever made — Manganiello's credentials and plan said as much. Manganiello confirmed that a literary agent had called the script "the best fantasy pilot he had read since the original Game of Thrones." Unfortunately, Hasbro sold eOne to Lionsgate at a bad time for the adaptation to be considered a worthwhile investment.
Could A Dragonlance Adaptation Still Happen?
There Is A Chance Of More Dungeons & Dragons TV
There are a lot of abandoned Dungeons & Dragons adaptations floating around, but still the chance of more in the future. Although the Paramount series has been canceled and Manganiello's Dragonlance show likely won't happen in the foreseeable future, the series that Paramount dropped out of is now being shopped. Hasbro has not shut down the idea, leaving the possibility that could still see screens. There are a few reasons that a streaming giant should be happy to pick up this D&D show.
The Legend of Vox Machina premiered on Amazon in January 2022.
The success of Amazon's The Legend of Vox Machina points to a solid future for Dungeons & Dragons on small screens. This animated series has a near-perfect streak on Rotten Tomatoes and is adored by fans for its blend of dark and adult humor with anime-style graphics that are perfect for D&D's fantasy creatures, spells, and magic. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves may have underperformed, but movies getting a theatrical release face a far higher mountain to climb, in terms of success, than most TV shows. As such, D&D TV shows may be more likely than movies in the future.
With actual play web series garnering just as many viewers as live-action or animated series, there are many routes to the next Dragonlance Dungeons & Dragons TV show.
With Legend of Vox Machina presenting a blueprint of a successful D&D show while the ex-Paramount show is considered by others, fans could well be looking at a new D&D adaptation within a few years time. Perhaps Manganiello's Dragonlance script will get picked up if a major studio or streaming giant buys the Hasbro TV show. This would be ideal, but there is still scope for other creators to forge a new Dragonlance idea. With actual play web series garnering just as many viewers as live-action or animated series, there are many routes to the next Dragonlance Dungeons & Dragons TV show.
Source: ComicBook.com
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The Dungeons & Dragons franchise is a fantasy adventure series based on the iconic tabletop role-playing game. The franchise includes both live-action and animated adaptations, with the most notable being the recent film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), which brought the fantasy world of D&D to a broader audience with its blend of humor, action, and classic D&D elements. The franchise explores themes of heroism, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of adventuring in a magical world filled with dragons, wizards, and mythical creatures.
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- E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley
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- Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Bradley Cooper, Jason Wong
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