D&D General Benedict Cumberbatch Narrates A Drizzt Short [Updated]

On WotC’s YouTube channel, this animated short has just appeared.

“Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch and written by R.A. Salvatore, Sleep Sound reintroduces the origin story of the iconic Dungeons & Dragons hero, Drizzt Do’Urden.”

UPDATE! A summer of Drizzt has been announced (Scroll down to post #5).

The video appears to have been since set to Private.

Update again — There’s a different working link floating round Twitter. It's a poem narrated by Cumberbatch along with animated images of Drizzt as a baby, Menzoberranzan (and spiders!), and also Drizzt as he first emerged from the Underdark into Icewind Dale, with glimpses of his later companions.


There’s also a link to a page called “Legend of Drizzt” which currently leads to the main D&D page.

Also on WotC’s channel a video called “All Things Drizzt” has appeared. It has no description but it appears to be some kind of live event starting tomorrow.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

This... could be a big deal. Like an animated series, or the next book, big deal.

EDIT: The reason why I think this could be major, is D&D spends very little on it's marketing; for new books, they largely take pieces from the book itself and recycle them through social media channels and articles, accompanied with interviews when necessary. For D&D to both hire a celebrity to voice a story, and animate the story (with decent quality), is more of a spend than I have seen them commit. It could just be promotion for the new Dark Alliance game, or something more newsworthy.

 

[ninjayeti]

Wait, the guy who famously can't pronounce the word "penguins" is going to narrate a story about a guy named Drizzt? What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Morrus]

Looks like it’s been switched to private!

 

[Morrus]

Mystery solved! This dropped in my inbox just now. From WotC’s PR agency.

Wizards of the Coast today announced a summer-long celebration of all things Drizzt Do’Urden, the iconic Dungeons & Dragons hero made famous in countless (30+) novels penned by New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore.

Kicking things off is an animated short narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch and written by R.A. Salvatore released today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azdo0yra-LI.

Called “Sleep Sound,” the short introduces new fantasy fans to the hero and his Companions and debuts as part of a longer video hosted by B. Dave Walters that provides an exclusive look at all of the Drizzt offerings this summer including interviews with the developers of the Dark Alliance video game staring Drizzt and the Companions (June 22), new details about R.A. Salvatore’s newest Legend of Drizzt novel (August 3) and a preview of (3) new Magic: The Gathering cards from the upcoming Adventures in the Forgotten Realms set (July 23). The All Things Drizzt video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNMRbRedKic.

“Born” in the 80s, Drizzt is very much as relevant today as he was then and continues to be a hero for new and old fans discovering or rediscovering him. He may not have the biggest sword but he does what is right even when it is the hard choice, with themes including:

• · The battle between our principles and beliefs and the things in our life that challenge them.
• · The evils and fundamental unfairness of racism, bigotry and other forms of narrow-minded thinking.
• · The strength of family, friendship, and loyalty.
• · The importance of living life fully and bravely.

In addition to videogames and novels, the Legend of Drizzt has action figures, Magic: The Gathering cards, Funko POP figures, Halloween costumes, t-shirts, replica scimitars and more. A live action tv show is in development with eOne entertainment and, although not focused on Drizzt, a movie set in the Forgotten Realms starring Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, Rege-Jean Page, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis, and Justice Smith is in production.

The link in the PR to the animated short doesn't work. I found a working link on Twitter which is in the OP.

 

[Parmandur]

A live action tv show is in development with eOne entertainment

Wait, does this mean the TV show is Drizzt focused?

 

[EthanSental]

Probably just me but I pick up a little Vincent Price Thriller vibe at the start as Cumberbatch sounds similar.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Wait, does this mean the TV show is Drizzt focused?

That is the rumour I had heard.

 

[HawaiiSteveO]

Video is really fun, oddly enough I have been rereading the novels for light summer reading, just started The Halfling's Gem. I never read past the first 6 and plan to work my way through them all.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Spoiler: Drizzt will be a future skin in Fortnite: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!