Netflix is going all-in on fantasy. In one of its biggest moves in the genre to date, the streamer has picked up “The Forgotten Realms,” a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series, according to Deadline sources. This ambitious project hails from a powerful team: executive producer Shawn Levy (Stranger Things, Deadpool & Wolverine), writer-showrunner Drew Crevello (WeCrashed), and Hasbro Entertainment.
As the title suggests, the series will be set in the iconic Forgotten Realms campaign setting, the heart of the D&D universe. This fantasy world, introduced in 1987, is home to some of D&D’s most beloved characters and has served as the backdrop for countless popular adventures, including the source material for the 2023 hit movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Crevello penned the pilot and will serve as showrunner, executive producing alongside Levy and Dan Levine of Levy’s 21 Laps. Neither Netflix nor Hasbro Entertainment offered a comment on the news.
Netflix has long seemed a natural fit for a live-action D&D series, especially given the game’s prominent role in Stranger Things. The project’s journey to Netflix, however, has been a winding one. Initially, a different iteration, with Rawson Marshall Thurber at the helm and Crevello later joining as showrunner, landed at Paramount+ with a straight-to-series order. That version ultimately fell apart due to strategic shifts at Paramount+ and the sale of eOne.
Now, with Hasbro Entertainment taking the reins, the D&D adaptation has been reimagined under Crevello’s leadership, with a fresh concept unrelated to previous D&D projects. Enter Shawn Levy, whose involvement proved to be a serendipitous match, given his connection to Stranger Things.
With Levy on board, “The Forgotten Realms” was pitched to Netflix, where 21 Laps has an existing deal. After extensive negotiations, the fantasy series has reportedly found its home at the streamer and is moving forward with development. Rumors suggest that, if successful, this series could potentially launch a broader D&D universe.
Dungeons & Dragons, a key Hasbro franchise from Wizards of the Coast, is a tabletop role-playing game featuring humans, elves, orcs, and other fantastical creatures engaged in epic quests. Guided by a Dungeon Master and utilizing distinctive multi-sided dice, D&D has captivated over 50 million fans since its inception 49 years ago. The D&D multimedia library spans novels, comics, video games, and live stream entertainment, with The Forgotten Realms represented across all these formats, providing rich source material for the new series.
Levy’s recent work includes co-writing, producing, and directing Marvel’s blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine. He is also currently immersed in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. Crevello created and executive produced the Apple limited series WeCrashed, starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway.
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