You Can Expect A Lot Of Dungeons & Dragons Movies And TV Shows In The Future
If you've been a hardcore "Dungeons & Dragons" (D&D) fan since a formative age, we have some good news for you. The fantasy tabletop role-playing game has been around since the 1970s, but the once-niche nerdy pastime is now more mainstream and popular than ever before. Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks recently commented about the plans of turning legacy tabletop games such as D&D into digital video games, while welcoming marketing tie-ins with "blockbuster films and streaming TV" (via The Hollywood Reporter):
"We see a bright future for 'Dungeons & Dragons.' And we only see these opportunities growing over time as we invest in an end-to-end brand blueprint for 'Dungeons & Dragons,' including blockbuster films and streaming TV, AAA video games and a major consumer products push and significant marketing tie-ins."
This is not a surprising turn of events by any means, as the game has reemerged as an important part of the popular consciousness thanks to shows such as Netflix's "Stranger Things" and an actual-play D&D web series by Critical Role Productions. The latter even birthed an animated series, "The Legend of Vox Machina," which was already renewed by Prime Video ahead of its season premiere.
D&D is in vogue like never before
Though it started out as a niche hobby, "Dungeons & Dragons" has taken hold in popular culture, even among non-players. The tabletop gaming franchise has made appearance in mainstream offerings such as Steven Spielberg's "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" and the animated series "Gravity Falls," which has definitely added to its increase in popularity over time. A "Dungeons & Dragons" film and series is currently in the making, with the series being helmed by "John Wick" franchise writer Derek Kolstad, while the film is being spearheaded by writer-director duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein ("Game Night").
However, this is not the extent of the "Dungeons & Dragons"-centered content we will be treated to, as Hasbro intends to capitalize on the game's rising popularity to the greatest extent. Chris Cocks also went on to cite the recent "strategic investment" to advance digital play via the acquisition of the "Dungeons & Dragons" toolset, "D&D Beyond," for a whopping $146 million. The Hasbro CEO also talked about the company's earnings and the direction they indeed to head towards, which will obviously include more D&D content:
"Much of this [earnings] is generated by gaming, but also by collectibles and the fan economy, which are one of our fastest growing and most important growth businesses. We see a big opportunity in embracing the agelessness of play as we unlock more value through play and entertainment across our portfolio."
Apart from more D&D movies and TV shows in the future, one can also expect books revolving around the tabletop RPG game, such as "Mordenkainen Presents Monsters Of The Multiverse," which was released on January 25, 2022. You can also expect more D&D content in season 4 of "Stranger Things," as the central gang is expected to be a part of the Hawkins High School D&D club, which could possibly tie into the plot in important ways.
The "Dungeons & Dragons" film is expected to release on March 3, 2023. A release date has not been attached to the "Dungeons & Dragons" live-action series as of yet.