Dungeons & Dragons TV Show Axed by Paramount+
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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.
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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).
