Red Notice director, Rawson Marshall Thurber, is set to write and the direct the pilot for the in-development Dungeons & Dragons TV series adaptation, which is based on Hasbro’s deeply popular fantasy role-playing game franchise. Dungeons & Dragons (or commonly referred to as D&D) originally launched over 45 years ago and is known as one of the highest selling role-playing games of all time in the US. Hasbro's entertainment studio, eOne, has been developing the live-action TV series for over a year since the project was originally announced.
Thurber is fresh off the success of the Netflix hit Red Notice, which is reportedly the most-viewed movie of all time on the streaming platform. Thurber is also currently set to direct two sequels to that film, with stars Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot all returning. The increasingly successful D&D property was previously adapted to the big screen in 2000 and was seen as a financial critical failure. Two further, lower-budgeted sequels were later released directly to video. There have also been various notable names attached to live-action D&D projects in recent years, including West Side Story star, Ansel Elgort, in 2016, although that project never reached production.
According to Deadline, Thurber is writing and directing the Dungeons & Dragons pilot, in addition to his role as executive producer on the TV series. The project is said to already have the interest of multiple buyers, which likely includes Netflix and other platforms who have expressed interest in acquiring the series. Thurber is said to be shepherding the series, which is to be the cornerstone of a wider TV universe, consisting of other yet to be announced spinoffs and projects.
The Dungeons & Dragons series and its TV universe will accompany the full length feature film that recently completed production in a joint venture between Hasbro's eOne and Paramount. The film adaptation is written and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and stars Star Trek film series actor, Chris Pine, Regé-Jean Page, and Michelle Rodriguez. The untitled Dungeons & Dragons film is set for release in 2023. Although it is unknown at this time exactly how that film will tie in with the TV series universe that is being developed.
The film and TV-spanning universe for Dungeons & Dragons is just the latest property to be following a similar formula, as many other high-profile projects and platforms seem to be developing their own versions of it. Among those properties is Suicide Squad, which recently launched its tie-in Peacemaker series on HBO Max. The team behind the cinematic epic, Dune, is also developing a spinoff series, along with The Batman, with each of those set for HBO Max as well. Dungeons & Dragons is known to generations of countless fans across the globe, and each of the D&D projects holds great promise. This is especially true with big-budget talent attached such as Thurber, and undoubtedly other big names, which will likely be announced in the months to come.
Source: Deadline