In early March 2026, the Peacock TV show Ted (based on the Seth McFarlane movies of the same name) aired an episode that featured the characters playing a high-stakes game of Dungeons & Dragons, with real-life actual play star Brennan Lee Mulligan taking on the role of a drug-dealing Dungeon Master.

As part of this crossover, D&D Beyond has recently released the Ted: Premade Characters pack, which consists of five pre-generated characters based on the episode and designed for D&D 5.5E. You can download the pack now for free on D&D Beyond. Below, we take a closer look at how these legendary Thunder Buddies play at the table.

What was the Ted D&D episode about?

Dungeons & Dealers is the third episode of Season 2 of the Ted television show and aired on March 6th, 2026 on the NBC Peacock online streaming platform. The episode (which takes place in 1993 in the city of Framingham, Massachusetts) follows sixteen-year old John Bennett (played by Max Burkholder) and his loveable, foul mouthed talking teddy bear Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), both of whom are searching for weed. They soon enlist the help of John’s older sister Blaire (played by Giorgia Whigham) who learns that a local drug dealer may have a hidden stash.

The dealer (played by Brennan Lee Mulligan of Dimension 20 and Critical Role fame) offers to give them the drugs if they’re willing to play in his D&D game, which he’ll DM. Shortly after the begin, however, John and Blaire’s parents Susan and Matty (played by Alanna Ubach and Scott Grimes) arrive and join in the game, thinking it could be a chance for them to spend time together and unaware of the kids’ real reason for playing.

Notably, the episode cuts back and forth between the table and the game world, with each family member taking on a different role in a classic D&D adventuring party.

What’s included in the Ted: Premade Characters pack on D&D Beyond?

The free pack includes five pre-made characters based on the episode (with the descriptions below taken directly from D&D Beyond):

• Blaire the Rogue (Level 3: Human Rogue): A sharp-tongued thief who’s always three steps ahead. She treats every quest like a competition she fully intends to win.​
• John the Wizard (Level 3: Human Wizard): Armed with big spells and confidence, he approaches every problem like it can be solved with a dramatic incantation and a little overthinking.
• Matty the Cleric (Level 3: Human Cleric): Keeping the party alive whether he wants to do so or not. He’s practiced in healing wounds and pretending like he’s not exhausted.​
• Susan the Fighter (Level 3: Human Fighter): A no-nonsense fighter who wants to broker peace before wielding her trusty sword. If she must, she’s mastered the art of combat – especially when her party gets out of line.
• Ted the Bard (Level 3: Halfling Bard): A foul-mouthed bard who believes every battle can be avoided through wit. He thrives on attention, turning the smallest victory into a full- blown performance.​

Final thoughts

The “Dungeons & Dealers” episode of Ted continues to show just how mainstream D&D has become and feels reminiscent of the infamous “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” episode of the Community TV series which aired back in 2011.

It also appears to be an example of the growing D&D franchise model spearheaded by VP Dan Ayoub, as the episode of Ted has officially cross branded with D&D. This involved actor Max Burkholder participating in a one shot with the cast of the new Dungeon Masters actual play and also voicing over a video officially promoting the D&D Beyond platform.

You can pick up the Ted pre-gen characters for yourself now D&D Beyond. Below is also a video from the official Peacock channel showing more details on what the episode includes.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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HBO is currently developing a Baldur’s Gate TV show that will be a direct continuation of the popular Baldur’s Gate 3 D&D video game, according a recent article from Deadline. The upcoming live action series will be helmed by The Last Of Us TV series co-creator Craig Mazin who will serve as the series’ lead writer, executive producer and showrunner.

The show is only the very earliest stages of development, but according to Deadline will feature returning characters from the BG3 series as well as iconic locations from Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms lore. Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What will the new Baldur’s Gate TV show be about?

While details on the plot of the show are still heavily under wraps, according to Deadline the show will take place immediately after the events of Baldur’s Gate 3 and will essentially continue the game’s story. The show will feature returning characters from the game (although it’s not clear who will be among the cast), but the primary focus will be on a new set of D&D adventurers who are just starting out in their careers.

Deadline also mentions that Mazin has plans to reach out to voice cast members of Baldur’s Gate 3 with the goal of getting them to participate in the TV adaptation (although it’s not clear how this would work, given that in most cases the voice actors don’t exactly resemble the characters they portray).

Who will be working on the new Baldur’s Gate TV show?

Craig Mazin will be the primary creative force behind the new show, which will start full development in earnest once he wraps up the third (and possibly final) season of the Last of Us show on HBO. In the Deadline article, Mazin writes: “After putting nearly 1000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur’s Gate 3, it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of The Coast created. I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that [Larian Studios head] Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it.”

The new Baldur’s Gate show will also feature Jacqueline Lesko and Cecil O’Connor as executive producers, both of whom also worked closely on the Last of Us for HBO. Gabriel Marano, Head of Television for Hasbro Entertainment, will also be supporting as an executive producer.

Dungeons & Dragons fans may also be happy to know that Chris Perkins, who previously worked as a Creative Director at Wizards of the Coast before leaving for Critical Role publisher Darrington Press, will be serving as a consultant on the show.

The article doesn’t mention if Larian studios will be involved, although it seems likely they’d be brought on in a consulting capacity at the very least.

When will the new Baldur’s Gate TV show air?

It’s unclear when exactly the new HBO Baldur’s Gate show will air, but given Mazin’s current production schedule and the demands of a major project it would likely be sometime in 2028. It’s also entirely possible that the project may end up cancelled or in development hell, which is an all too common occurrence in Hollywood.

In fact, that’s exactly what happened to the ill-fatted Dragonlance TV series which was in the works from actor, producer and D&D superfan Joe Manganiello. Similarly, Hollywood pulled the plug on a D&D TV show that was in development for the Paramount+ streaming service.

Final Thoughts

HBO’s Baldur’s Gate isn’t the only Dungeons & Dragons TV show in development, with a Forgotten Realms TV series also in the works at Netflix from Stranger Things and Deadpool 3 producer Shawn Levy. And while things are still far from certain, the potential for a small screen continuation of Dungeons & Dragon’s greatest video game is something that fans are undoubtedly on board with.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this new page with new information as it’s made available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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There’s no doubt that Dungeons & Dragons owes a ton of its recent popularity to Stranger Things, with the blockbuster Netflix series driving a ton of mainstream attention to the game. Wizards of the Coast has since jumped on the bandwagon in a big way, with recent tie-in products like the D&D x Stranger Things Welcome to the Hellfire Club box set and the Tales from the Table gamebook.

Yet for a show where D&D is front and center, this most recent season of Stranger Things had a surprising number of glaring errors that had grognards around the world foaming at the mouth. At the risk of joining this small but obnoxiously vocal nitpicky minority, we’ve put together a list of some of the biggest errors we noticed in our watch of the final season of the show.

*** WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***

1. Will is Described as a Sorcerer

Throughout season 5 of Stranger Things, the character of Will Byers is repeatedly referred to as a “Sorcerer,” with the character of Mike Wheeler even going so far as to say: “”In real life, you’re more like a sorcerer because your powers don’t come from a book of spells. They’re innate.” This is of course a reference to the D&D Sorcerer class, which wasn’t introduced until 3rd edition in 2000, long before 1987, which is when the final season of the show takes place.

Some fans online have noted that if anything, Will is really more of a Warlock in that he draws his power from his “Patron” Vecna rather than being born with innate power. Following this line of reasoning, others have pointed out that if the characters were D&D classes, Eleven would really be a Sorcerer.

2. The Spell Prismatic Spray Casts Blindness

In one pivotal scene, the character of Dustin Henderson mentions that in a campaign he cast the Prismatic Spray spell and rolled a 7, which resulted in the color violet which causes blindness. In the AD&D 1st edition rules that would have existed at the time, however, a role of 7 banishes the target to another plane of existence. That being said, in the new 5th edition rules, the roll does indeed cause blindness, so this mistake may have been the result of the show’s writers simply referencing the wrong edition.

3. Clerics Can’t Cast Dimension Door

In another scene in the show, Mike Wheeler gifts his sister Holly a D&D miniature noting: “She’s a Cleric, which means she has divine powers and can cast spells of protection to ward against evil spirit. Even cooler she can cast a Dimension Door.” In the rules at the time, this not a spell that a Cleric could cast (although notably in the current 5th edition rules it is possible for a Trickery Domain Cleric to get access to the spell).

4. Dwarven Forge Terrain Appears

Several times in the show we see characters gathered around the gaming table filled with terrain from Dwarven Forge, a company that didn’t exist until 1996 and which has only really taken off in the past decade or so.

It’s something that the vast majority of viewers likely never noticed, but was hard not to spot for any modern D&D player who has drooled over the company’s expensive, high-end physicals sets for use with miniatures.

5. Mike’s terrible Dungeon Mastering

In Season 5 (and really throughout the show) whenever Mike Wheeler is behind the DM screen he generally does a pretty terrible job of it. This is particularly evident in Season 5 when he essentially railroads the entire party at the end of their campaign. There’s no player choice or even die rolls, with Mike instead just narrating what happens.

For most watchers it’s a satisfying narrative wrap, but for longtime D&D fans it seems like something that even the most inexperienced DM would avoid doing.

Final Thoughts

In past seasons we’ve seen a few other minor D&D blunders (for example calling thieves “rogues”), but Season 5 seemed particularly glaring in what it got wrong. It’s surprising for a show that’s become so tightly intertwined with D&D. Yet it’s possible they were legitimately missed by the show’s writers and the Duffer Brothers, who pointed out in a recent interview that D&D was never really supposed to be a major of the series

One other possibility, however, is that these weren’t actually errors, but deliberate changes, with Wizards of the Coast perhaps insisting that any mention to rules use the current 5th edition to avoid confusing new players brought in by the show.

Whatever the reason may be, none of these mistakes are the end of the world and only the most uptight D&D grognards are likely going to be upset by them. If anything, Stranger Things has been an epic boon for the game and proof that RPGs have gone mainstream.

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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post Five Strange Things Stranger Things Five Got Wrong About D&D appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Back in February 2025, Deadline reported that a Netflix was developing a new live action Dungeons & Dragons TV series entitled The Forgotten Realms which, as the name suggests, will be set in the iconic D&D campaign setting. The project has a script and production team in place, not to mention the involvement of Netflix and Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast, although a cast and more details on the story have yet to be announced.

Since then, there’s been very little information on how the project is progressing, with one of the show’s senior producers only recently offering a few scraps of information. So is this Forgotten Realms TV show actually happening and, if so, what can fans expect to see on the small screen? Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What is the new Forgotten Realms D&D TV series about?

Currently, we know very little about what the upcoming Forgotten Realms show will be about (although it does currently have an IMDB page). According to the February 2025 Deadline article “the proposed series will take place in the iconic campaign setting and centerpiece of the Dungeons & Dragons universe, a fantasy world that is home to some of the brand’s most famous characters and launchpad for some of D&D’s most popular adventures.”

The show project is currently spearheaded by Shawn Levy (who is a producer and director on Stranger Things and recently co-wrote and directed Deadpool & Wolverine). It also feature the involvement of Dan Levine and will be run through the production company 21 Laps Entertainment. Writing and showrunning duties falling to Drew Crevello (who is best known for the TV mini series WeCrashed). In fact, according to the Deadline articles, Crevello has already written the pilot.

In a recent interview with Collide on November 10th to promote the fifth season of Stranger Things, Shawn Levy was specifically about the status of the new Dungeons & Dragons TV series. “I think that the reason it’s taken so long and the reason why it is a challenging process is you’re not adapting story IP,” he said. “You’re adapting a world and a lexicon and a spirit, but story needs to be invented largely from scratch. And it needs to be invented in a way that feels organic to everything that’s great about DnD. So that one is in very active every day chipping-away-at-it development at Netflix.”

Levy didn’t provide any further details on the series, and his comments suggest that they’re developing an original storyline as opposed to adapting an existing novel or adventure. This means we may not see an appearance from the legendary drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden, although given his popularity, it is possible (in fact, the producers of the Honor Among Thieves film had originally considered adding the dark elf character in an early draft of the script).

When will the Forgotten Realms TV show come out?

Currently, no release date has been announced. In fact, there is no guarantee the show will come out at all. That being said, having the full financial and logistical backing of Netflix, not to mention the involvement of major producers means it has a decent shot. That being said, it could take years for it to see the light of day, if indeed it makes it out of the early development stages.

In fact, despite Dungeons & Dragons incredibly popularity, the last time the game actually made it to the small screen was in 1983 with the CBS cartoon series. Over the decades there have been numerous other failed attempts to port the franchise over to the big and small screens. At one point, the idea was actually a majority priority for the Hasbro owned eOne production company, but that changed when it was sold off to Lionsgate in 2023.

Most recently, actor and producer Joe Manganiello had shopped around a Dragonlance TV series that eventually fell apart due to studio interest. Around the same time, another live action D&D series was reportedly in development for Paramount+. It was also to be set in the Forgotten Realms and was created by Rawson Marhsall Thurber (writer and director of the 2021 Netflix film Red Notice). Notably, Drew Crevello was also brought on as executive producer and showrunner for that series, before it was axed by Paramount.

Hasbro later said it was shopping around the TV project to other studios and it now appears that Netflix has bitten on it. According to Deadline, the new Forgotten Realms show will be different than what Thurber has originally proposed, and the concept has been further refined in-house by Hasbro.

Final Thoughts

Hollywood has been trying to make a live action Dungeons & Dragons TV series for decades. In fact, D&D co-creator Gary Gygax relocated to Hollywood for several years to try to get film and TV projects off the ground before he was ousted from TSR. In recent years, fans have also been frustrated after hearing about major announcements that later fall through, so it’s hard not to be a little skeptical. The closest we’ve got so far, has been the D&D episode of the Amazon Secret Level TV series.

At the same time, this new Forgotten Realms series feels different, given that clout of Netflix and the production team behind it. It remains to be seen, however, if actually passes it’s saving throw versus development hell.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with more information as it becomes available.

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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post Shawn Levy Gives Update On Netflix Dungeons & Dragons TV Show appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

The new Amazon Prime animated series Secret Level has become a bonafide hit with both mainstream audiences and Dungeons & Dragons fans alike, with the episode entitled “The Queen’s Cradle” earning overwhelmingly positive reviews.

One of the most talked about characters in the episode is Oriel, a powerful and benevolent gold dragon who plays a pivotal role in the story, in addition to showcasing some of the show’s most jaw dropping animation and facing down one of D&D’s most iconic villains.

So just who is Oriel and where does he fit into the larger lore of D&D? Below, we shine a golden light on all the details.

Who is Oriel in D&D Lore?

— SPOILERS AHEAD —

While “The Queen’s Cradle” episode of Secret Level features some familiar aspects of Dungeons & Dragons, including classes, spells, gods and the popular Forgotten Realms campaign setting, many fans may be surprised to learn that Oriel is a completely new character. In fact, the ancient gold dragon has not appeared in any previous D&D materials and was created specifically for the show by Oscar nominated screenwriters KD Davila and Levin Menekse, based on a short story from fantasy author Brooke Bolander. Notably, Oriel is voiced by British character actor Paul Ridley

While the episode is quite short (coming in at just under 13 minutes in length, excluding the opening and closing credits), what we do know about Oriel is that he is an ancient gold dragon who dwells within a sacred temple that appears to be dedicated to Torm, the Faerûnian god of courage, self-sacrifice, duty and loyalty, who is also known as “The Loyal Fury.”

We also know that Oriel serve as a guardian of the lands around the temple as noted when the character of Mora (a goliath Paladin of Torm) states: “These are hallowed lands of the Loyal Fury. Protected by the great Oriel.”

He also appears to work closely with a powerful party of adventurers that includes the aforementioned Mora, as well as Tally, a gnome wizard, Luzum, a dwarven monk and Ahokal, an orc druid. Like all gold dragons, he also possesses incredible magical abilities, which he demonstrates in the episode by attempting to remove a powerful “curse” placed on the human boy Solon.

— END OF SPOILERS —

What are Gold Dragons?

Gold dragons are one of the most revered and powerful creatures in D&D lore, representing the pinnacle of lawfully-good aligned chromatic dragons. Known for their wisdom, strength and dedication to protecting the weak, gold dragons often serve as guardians of justice and champions against evil. They have a majestic appearance, with shimmering golden scales and a radiant aura that reflects their benevolent nature. In combat, they wield both powerful magical spells and can breathe a combination of deadly fire and poison gas.

While the gold dragon has existed in D&D for decades, the Wizards of the Coast design team recently revealed an updated look for the gold dragon for use in the upcoming 2025 Monster Manual. The redesign blends many of the creature’s classic elements with a more stylized and fluid appearance, complete with an almost eel-like body. Notably, in “The Queen’s Cradel” episode of Secret Level, Oriel uses the older, more traditional design of the D&D gold dragon.

Who is Tiamat in D&D lore?

— SPOILERS AHEAD —

Tiamat is a five-headed dragon goddess and one of the most iconic and fearsome deities in D&D lore. She embodies the essence of evil dragonkind and is a symbol of greed, tyranny and destruction. Each of her heads represents a different chromatic dragon—red, blue, green, black, and white—and her presence in the lore is synonymous with apocalyptic danger.

While over the decades she has appeared in countless D&D adventures, novels, and video games, the most recent incarnation of Tiamat finds her trapped in the Nine Hells. She is later worshipped by the Cult of the Dragon who has dedicated themselves to freeing her from her infernal prison (a narrative that was explored in the Tyranny of Dragons campaign for D&D fitfh edition, which was re-released in 2023).

In “The Queen’s Cradle” episode, Tiamat’s shadow looms large over the story. The Cult of the Dragon seemingly wants to sacrifice the human boy Solon to facilitate her return to the Forgotten Realms. Oriel plays a pivotal role in thwarting their plans—or so it seems. In a shocking twist, we learn that Solon is in fact a vessel holding the spirit of Tiamat (the “Queen’s Cradle” from the title). Oriel draws the spirit of Tiamat out of Solon, only to be consumed by it. Tiamat then uses Oriel’s body as a vessel to manifest her own power, setting the stage for her potential full-scale return and leaving the adventurers with a nearly insurmountable challenge.

— END OF SPOILERS —

Final Thoughts

Oriel’s introduction in the D&D episode of Secret Level has already made a significant impact, and his tragic fate raises compelling questions about his future in the series. Will we see Oriel again in Secret Level or in other D&D content is this golden oldie gone for good?

While there are still plenty of questions unanswered, fans may be happy to know that Secret Level has been renewed by Amazon for a second season (although it’s not clear if we’ll see another Dungeons & Dragons episode). Whether or not Oriel’s story continues, however, his presence in “The Queen’s Cradle” marks yet another chapter in the epic saga of D&D lore.

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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post Who is Oriel from the D&D Secret Level Episode? appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

It’s been almost 40 years since Dungeons & Dragons last appeared on television, with the popular 1980s animated cartoon series ending back in December 1985. Now, however, D&D is back on the small screen thanks to a new Prime Video animated TV series entitled Secret Level, which just premiered on December 10th, 2024.

Developed by the creators of the popular Netflix adult animated series Love, Death + Robots, each episode of Secret Level is based on a popular gaming franchise, with the first episode taking place in the Dungeons & Dragons universe and showcasing many of the aspects fans have been longing for (namely, plenty of dungeons and plenty of dragons).

So is the latest D&D foray into television worth tuning into? Below, we stream together all the details.

What is the D&D Secret Level episode about?

— SPOILERS AHEAD —

The D&D episode of Secret Level is entitled “The Queen’s Cradle” and is 13 minutes in length. The story takes place in the popular Forgotten Realms D&D campaign setting and follows the exploits of a group of powerful adventurers: Mora, a Goliath Paladin, Tally, a gnome wizard, Luzum, a dwarven monk and Ahokal, an orc druid.

The heroes soon find themselves coming to the rescue of a human boy named Solon, who has been kidnapped by the infamous Cult of the Dragon and has been afflicted with a terrible curse. To aid in his recovery, the group of adventurers take him to the dwelling of Oriel, a powerful and benevolent gold dragon.

Unfortunately, the dreaded Cult of the Dragon is in hot pursuit, with their forces led by a vicious Lich who rides atop a demonic bat creature. The heroes soon learn that Solon is earmarked as a sacrifice to the legendary dragon goddess Tiamat and must make a fateful choice between saving their own lives and saving the Realms.

— END SPOILERS —

Who was involved in the creation of the D&D episode?

Secret Level itself was created by Academy-award nominated American filmmaker Tim Miller, who is best known for his work directing the 2016 Deadpool film and creating the adult animated anthology series Love, Death + Robots. Miller also is the co-founder of the visual effects company Blur Studio, which worked extensively on Secret Level.

“The Queen’s Cradel” episode is written by Oscar nominated screenwriters KD Davila and Levin Menekse and is based on a short story by fantasy author Brooke Bolander. It was also co-directed by the team of Maxime Luère, Léon Bérelle, Dominique Boidin, Rémi Kozyra, all of whom had previously worked on Love, Death + Robots.

It’s not clear how deeply Wizards of the Coast was involved in the development of the episode, other than signing off on the official license for Dungeons & Dragons, but it’s likely they had some say on how the material was shaped given how closely the guard the brand and the lore.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

“The Queen’s Cradle” may be one of the greatest adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons ever made. And that’s saying something considering we’ve seen recent releases like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Honor Among Thieves. For an episode that’s just 13 minutes long, Secret Level packs in an incredible amount of story, character development and D&D lore.

It’s an impressive visual feat as well, with jaw dropping animation and realistic characters (despite occasionally treading close to the uncanny valley). What’s really unique about Secret Level’s D&D episode, however, is just how well it captures the overall feel of playing the game. Watching the dwarven monk Luzum unleash a Ki-powered attack or seeing the gnome wizard Luzum cast a fireball spell, is not only visually stunning, but beautifully captures what’s made D&D so endearing for over 50 years.

In short, “The Queen’s Cradle” is an absolute masterpiece of Dungeons & Dragons entertainment. It’s not clear how fans and the general public will react to Secret Level, but if nothing else it’s proof that D&D still has plenty of stories left to tell. You can stream the complete episode of Secret Level now on Amazon Prime Video.

Final Review Score: 20 out of 20

More D&D Movies & TV Show Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D Movies & TV page.

Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post D&D Secret Level “The Queen’s Cradle” (Episode Review) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In a recent article from Bloomberg, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks announced that the company will no longer be financing any films based on Dungeons & Dragons or any other Hasbro-owned intellectual properties. At least for the foreseeable future.

The move is the direct result of the financial performance of the recent Honor Among Thieves and Transformers One films, both of which were co-funded by Hasbro and underperformed at the box office, despite receiving glowing reviews from both critics and fans.

So just what does the mean for any future D&D movies? Below, we break out all the details.

Why is Hasbro no longer funding movies?

The Honor Among Thieves film was considered a significant financial failure at the box office, earning roughly $208 million on a $150 million budget, which essentially made it break even after marketing and other expenses. In Hollywood terms this is essentially a financial disaster, with films generally considered to be a success if they generate 200% or more of their production value in revenue.

Hasbro, who had helped fund the film along with Paramount Pictures, took an estimated $25 million dollar write down (an accounting term to indicate a loss) from Honor Among Thieves, which likely soured the company on any future film projects. Hasbro has also been somewhat bullish on film and television after selling off their eOne film & TV business in August 2023 for a significant loss.

In the Bloomberg interview, Chris Cocks notes that going forward Hasbro will be pivoting to more of a focus on video games and digital entertainment. This includes a lucrative licensing deal from the video game Baldur’s Gate 3, the purchase of D&D Beyond in 2022, the development of their upcoming Project Sigil VTT and investment in a recently announced D&D video game, along with several other third-party D&D video game titles.

Will there be any future Dungeons & Dragons movies?

While Hasbro is no longer in the movie business (at least for now), that doesn’t mean we won’t see any future D&D movies. According to the Bloomberg article, Sony and Lions Gate will continue to make films based on Hasbro properties. There’s also still hope that we’ll eventually see an Honor Among Thieves sequel given its popularity and strong performance on streaming platforms like Netflix.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it becomes available.

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D News page.

Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post Hasbro Will Not Be Funding Any Future D&D Movies appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dungeons & Dragons will be heading back to the small screen, with the game featured in an episode of “Secret Level,” an upcoming adult animated series from Amazon Studios being produced by the team behind the popular LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS TV show.

It marks yet another chapter in D&D’s descent into Hollywood, following the recent Honor Among thieves film, a now defunct Dragonlance TV series helmed by actor Joe Manganiello, and the ongoing development of a possible D&D TV Series.

So just what will the D&D episode of “Secret Level” be about? Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What is the “Secret Level” Amazon Animated TV series?

Secret Level is an adult animated TV series that will air on Amazon Prime Video on December 10th, 2024. Each of the 15 episodes features original animated short stories based on popular gaming franchises, including:

●                Armored Core

●                Concord

●                Crossfire

●                Dungeons & Dragons

●                Exodus

●                Honor of Kings

●                Mega Man

●                New World: Aeternum

●                PAC-MAN

●                PlayStation Studios

●                Sifu

●                Spelunky

●                The Outer Worlds

●                Unreal Tournament

●                Warhammer 40,000

Notably, Secret Level will be created by and executive produced by Tim Miller, who also created the critically acclaimed Netflix animated series LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS and directed the first Deadpool film, so the level of quality here seems like it will be incredibly high.

What will the D&D “Secret Level” episode be about?

So far, we know very little about what the Dungeons & Dragons episode of Secret Level will be about. The recent teaser trailer for the series, however, does offer a few tantalizing hints.

First, in the trailer for a brief second we see what appears to be the evil goddess Tiamat unleashing an attack from her multiple dragon heads. Tiamat is of course, a mainstay in the D&D cosmology and has appeared in multiple adventures and media tie-ins over the years, so it makes sense that she’d be featured in the D&D episode.

There’s also a scene which appears to feature a D&D gold dragon meeting with several individuals in a large cavern, followed by a quick shot of the creature’s face. Notably, gold dragons are a wise and lawful good chromatic dragon type, so it’s likely this particular dragon will be a central part of the story.

Final Thoughts

It’s strange to think that the last time Dungeons & Dragons appeared on the small screen was almost 40 years ago, with the 80s D&D animated series, so it’s great to see the franchise reemerging, especially in what appears to be a major love letter to game fandom.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with more information as it’s made available. In the meantime, below is also a teaser trailer from Amazon Prime Video, showing more details on what to expect in Secret Level.

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D News page.

Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post D&D to Appear in “Secret Level” Amazon Animated TV Series appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Back in January 2023, it was announced that a new Dungeons & Dragons TV series was in development for the Paramount+ streaming service. The news came at a time when interest in the D&D brand was high, thanks to the Honor Among Thieves film and buzz around the then soon-to-be-released video game Baldur’s Gate 3.

Unfortunately, it now looks like the D&D Television series has failed its death saving throw, with Deadline recently reporting that the project has been offically scrapped. Fans, however, will be happy to learn that Hasbro still has plans to go ahead with a D&D TV show, which they plan to shop around to other networks and streaming platforms.

So just what happened and what does this mean for the future of D&D on the small screen? Below we break out all the details.

What was the Paramount+ D&D TV Show going to be about?

The original Paramount+ live action show Dungeons & Dragons TV show was planned for eight-episodes and set in the Forgotten Realms. The concept for the show was created by Rawson Marhsall Thurber (who also wrote and directed the 2021 Netflix film Red Notice), with Hollywood veteran Drew Crevello brought on as executive producer and showrunner. Reportedly, Thurber had written the pilot and was set to direct the first episode.

The series was being co-produced by Paramount and eOne, the latter being a film and television production company which Dungeons & Dragons owner Hasbro purchased in 2019 and later sold to Lionsgate in late 2023.

Why was the Paramount+ D&D TV show cancelled?

Details are sparse as to why Paramount ultimately pulled the plug on the project. One likely reason, however, is the performance of Honor Among Thieves, which, despite earning audience and critical acclaim, failed to deliver at the box office. In fact, a D&D sequel now seems unlikely, unless it can be created for a significantly smaller budget.

Another key issue may have been recent changes in management at eOne following the sale of the company to Lionsgate in August 2023. According to Deadline, getting a Dungeons & Dragons television show off the ground had been a major focus for eOne President of Global Television Michael Lombardo before he left the company last year. New leadership, however, may have cooled on the idea.

Yet another factor may be recent financial woes at Paramount, with the studio’s global branch reportedly up for sale. Funding a costly live action series may simply not be financially feasible in the current market.

Similarly, Hasbro has found itself facing mounting financial pressures, with the company announcing massive layoffs in December 2023. More recently, Wizards of the Coast President Cynthia Williams stepped down, which could have also been a factor (although it’s not clear what her role was – if any – in the development of the Paramount+ series).

Notably, this isn’t the only D&D television project to be shut down in 2024. In fact, a Dragonlance TV series helmed by actor and producer Joe Manganiello was also scraped due to creative and financial challenges.

Will a Dungeons & Dragons TV show still happen?

According to Deadline, Hasbro still has plans to develop a D&D television show, with the project getting a “creative update” before being shopped to other buyers. In the meantime, Hasbro’s in-house team at Hasbro Entertainment will be guiding the series, with Rawson Marshall Thurbe and Drew Crevello believed to be no longer involved.  So while it’s a major blow for a potential D&D series, there is still the hope that the project could land at another studio.

In the meantime, Hasbro has other fish to fry, including celebrating the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons and preparing for the role out of a new set of DnD Core Books for the fifth edition of the game.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story and will update this page with more information on any future Dungeons & Dragons TV series developments.

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D News page.

Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massechustes, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post Dungeons & Dragons TV Show Axed by Paramount+ appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Actor and screenwriter Joe Manganiello confirms that live action project is no longer in pre-production

In recent interviews, actor, producer and longtime Dungeons & Dragons fan Joe Manganiello has often mentioned the he’s been working on a live action Dragonlance TV series. And it seemed like a project that actually could happen. The DnD game has never been more popular or more mainstream, the Honor Among Thieves film was released to critical and fan acclaim, and there has even been recent rumblings from Hasbro that a possible DnD TV Series was in the works.

Unfortunately, it looks like a live action Dragonlance TV series simply isn’t meant to be. At least for now. In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, the True Blood and Justice League actor confirmed that his Dragonlance project has failed its death saving throw and will not being moving forward, despite a having a completed script and interest from several Hollywood producers.

So just what happened and what might have been? Below we take a closer look at all the details.

What was the Dragonlance movie going to be about?

In the interview with ComicBook.com, Manganiello spoke about his work adapting the Dragonlance books into a TV series, with the action focused primarily on the Dragonlance Chronicles novels, which follow the adventures of a group of heroes during the tumultuous war that ravages the world of Krynn. During the development of the TV pilot script, Manganiello indicated he had consulted closely with Dragonlance creators and writers Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis.

“Tracy and Margaret were all about it,” Manganiello said. “It was really me getting in there and fleshing out the world they built, and a world they hinted at in some places but didn’t shine the magnifying glass on.”

“What I had planned for the first season was mind blowing,” Manganiello added. “I have a look book with over 1,000 pages, but it’s not what you expect. The design concepts I had for the world, for the armor, for the swords….I had a fresh take on what the dragons were going to look like, it was going to be nothing like anyone has ever seen.”

Manganiello also said that the pilot he prepared for the Dragonlance series was well-received by a number of Hollywood producers and industry veterans. “The biggest fantasy literary agent in town, he said and these are his words and not mine, that it was the best fantasy pilot he had read since the original Game of Thrones,” Manganiello said. “There was another executive that read it and said it was one of the best fantasy scripts he’s ever read. I actually got an email just this morning from a producer who said it was awesome and that he wanted to send it to the rest of his company and hopes I develop another fantasy IP.”

Why was the project cancelled?

In the interview with ComicBook.com, Manganiello indicated that the Dragonlance TV series was not moving forward for a few key reasons. The biggest is Hasbro recently selling off eOne, the TV and film company they had been using to develop a number of projects based on their intellectual properties. Manganiello cites the departure of eOne President Michael Lombardo (whom he had also worked with at HBO on True Blood) as another key factor, as Lombardo had been a champion of the project. Manganiello also indicated that the relatively poor performance of the 2022 DnD 5e adventure Shadow of the Dragon Queen (and the related board game) was also a factor.

“I didn’t write a script that was terrible,” Manganiello said. “Calls were made to say this is what you should be making, this is what you should be doing, but currently it is to no avail.”

Manganiello also mentioned in the interview that at one point he had even attempted to acquire the rights to the IP himself. “I offered to buy Dragonlance. I was talking to people with money just to get it and separate it so that I could get the option and take it out on the town.”

Unfortunately, it looks like his effort were in vain, with Wizards of the Coast recently informing Manganiello that they would not be selling the rights or moving forward with his project.

Final Thoughts

It’s disappointing that a Dragonlance TV series won’t be happening anytime soon. It was clearly a passion project for Joe Manganiello and something that has a ton of potential, with established characters and ton of source material to draw on.

That being said, in the interview Manganiello offered a hint of optimism that the world of Krynn might someday still have a chance to make it onto the small screen. “Maybe somewhere down the line, someone comes back or the company switches hands and somebody sees the value.”

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D News page.

Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post Dragonlance TV Series Will Not Be Moving Forward appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

As a big screen adaptation of the world’s most popular role playing game, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was a genuine critical hit among both audiences and reviewers alike, currently sitting at a solid 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Combining humor, action, Hollywood A-listers, and plenty of fan service, the 2023 film has all the hallmarks of a possible big screen franchise.

So is Hollywood ready to roll the dice on a possible D&D sequel? We look at everything we know so far.

Will There Be a Dungeons & Dragons Sequel?

As of December 2023 a D&D sequel has not been confirmed. That being said, there is the possibility it may happen. In fact, in a recent interview with GamesRadar+, actor Chris Pine indicated that: “I’ve heard some rumors about it, but I don’t know anything yet. But I feel pretty confident that it may happen.” That news – and Pine’s confidence – sent a ripple through the online fan community, who had largely assumed that any chances of a sequel were slim to none.

In fact, in an August 2023 interview with Variety, Paramount CEO Brian Robbins explained that there is interest in making Honor Among Thieves 2, but the biggest challenges is budget. “We’ve got to figure out a way to make it for less,” Robbins said in the interview.

That’s because despite the positive reception, the film made just $208 million, according to revenue tracker Box Office Mojo. For a much smaller film, that would be a resounding success. Unfortunately, the D&D movie cost over $150 million to make. Throw in marketing costs and the cut of revenue given to theatres, and Honor Among Thieves would need to make $350 million just to break even. In other words, it’s considered a financial flop by Hollywood standards and, if Paramount did decide to produce a Dungeons & Dragons sequel, it would require a significantly reduced budget.

It’s also worth noting that Honor Among Thieves was never meant to be the start of a franchise. In fact, in a May 2023 interview with Polygon, the co-directors and co-screenwriters of the film, John Frances Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, stated that they always saw it as a standalone film. Daley notes that “The cardinal mistake many studios make is to put the cart before the horse, where they start crafting a cinematic universe before they even make a good single film. So first and foremost for us was getting this right.”

That being said, the two filmmakers said they would definitely be on board for a sequel, ideally with the same characters and a continuation of their adventures from Honor Among Thieves. As with so many things in Hollywood, however, it all comes down to whether or not the dollars make sense.

What is the Potential Release Date for a D&D Sequel?

Hollywood has been attempting to make a Dungeons & Dragons movies for decades, with their first attempt resulting in the disastrous 2000 film. Honor Among Thieves has also been in various stages of production since 2013 and was almost shut down numerous times due to legal and financial issues until Paramount officially gave the greenlight to begin production in 2021. In many ways, it’s a miracle that the film was made at all and that it turned out to be so good.

The development of the script, principal photography and the editing process all took several years to complete. The 2023 Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strikes also resulted in numerous film projects being backlogged, which could make producing Honor Among Thieves 2 even more challenging.

Combine these factors together and that means that even if Paramount were to greenlight a sequel it would likely be several years from that point before a Dungeons & Dragons sequel hit the big screen.

Will the Honor Among Thieves Cast Return in the Sequel?

Hollywood A-lister Chris Pine is no stranger to sequels as he’s appeared as Captain James Kirk in multiple Star Trek movies and Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman and its sequel. And Paramount was willing to pay handsomely for his appearance in Honor Among Thieves, with Pine raking in a reported $11.5 million for his role as Elgin the bard according to Variety. Given that we know budget is a concern for Paramount, that’s a hefty chunk of change that might be hard to justify spending in a D&D sequel film. When asked by GamesRadar+ if he’d be happy to return to the role, Pine responded: “Absolutely.” 

Similarly, actress Michelle Rodriguez is also someone who is more than familiar with Hollywood franchises, having appeared in numerous Fast and Furious films. She was reportedly paid $2 million for her role in the D&D film. Again, it might be hard for Paramount to justify that salary in a possible sequel.

That being said, all of the cast have said they would be interested in reprising their roles if the opportunity arose. Whether or not Paramount is willing to pay for their services, however, is a different matter entirely.

What Will Honor Among Thieves 2 Be About?

Currently there is no script for a D&D sequel film. We have, however, had a few tantalizing clues about what could be included in a possible follow-up movie. In an interview, co-writer and co-director John Frances Daley has said: “I think if we were lucky enough to do another one of these, we would want to see our characters level up,” adding that they’d probably stick with the established party, but would likely add some new characters, new locations and new monsters.

There’s also the possibility that the film might look at new D&D settings. “Yeah, you know, we did the Forgotten Realms for this one, partly because it’s kind of a recognizable medieval setting,” co-director Jonathan Goldstein says. “But there are so many worlds within D&D that we could explore.”

“Now that we’ve finished it, and we’re relying on the fates to decide if this thing is a success, we would absolutely love to continue to tell stories in this world,” Daley added. “We think it’s absolutely ripe with potential.”

The two directors have also hinted that the dark elf ranger Drizzt Do’Urden might make an appearance in a sequel.

“Drizzt did come up, actually, as we were figuring out what our first film was going to be,” Daley says. “But the general consensus was to not go there yet. That said, he’s definitely a popular character in the world, and one who could be exciting to explore. There are so many characters in this world. It would be really fun either to have them join the group we’ve established, or do some sort of an offshoot of our film, to get into their backstories.”

So while the story is still in the works, it seems that Daley and Goldstein have plenty of material and inspiration to draw on.

Final Thoughts

While fans are definitely hoping that a Dungeons & Dragons sequel appears sometime in the near future, Hollywood can be a difficult monster to slay, with strikes, budget issues and studio politics to battle. That being said, as of now an Honor Among Thieves 2 is still very much a real possibility.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story and update this page with new information as it’s available.

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D News page.

Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).

The post The Dungeons & Dragons Sequel: What We Know So Far appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.