D&D Movie/TV Paramount+ Will Not Proceed with Dungeons & Dragons Live-Action TV Show

Deadline reports that the live-action Dungeons & Dragons television series will not continue at Paramount+. The show was originally announced in January 2023 as Paramount+ placed an eight episode straight-to-series order. Normally that’s the best you can hope for in terms of a guarantee of the show happening as the show would produce the entire first season instead of needing to make a pilot to be approved.

Two big corporate changes happened since then, however. First, Hasbro sold the show’s co-producer Entertainment One to Lionsgate in December 2023 and shifted the production to Hasbro Entertainment. Currently, Paramount is searching for a buyer for the company with the current front runner according to reports being Sony Pictures, who have partnered with private equity firms to place a rumored $26 billion offer for the studio.

Little was announced about the plot other than it would be character-focused and involve the Underdark. These tidbits plus the fact that the character of Xenk from the 2023 film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was originally intended to be Drizzt Do'Urden but changed during pre-production led to speculation that the series would be an adaptation of the Drizzt novels, particularly the origin story novel Homeland.

Creator Rawson Marshall Thurber (Red Notice, Easy A, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) and showrunner Drew Crevello (The Grudge 2, WeCrashed) are still attached to the project. Hasbro will repackage and update the pitch for the show and stop it around to other distributors.

 

[payn]

What's "the Prime template"?

Different studio/streamers have different release methods and writing styles. HBO does a traditional weekly release on schedule. Netflix drops all at once (usually). Each series is written for its release style. Binge or schedule.

The Prime template is in-between. It usually starts with a three episode arc that sets up the entire season. Then, followed by weekly releases leading to a final episode.

The issue I have with the Prime template is the initial hook 3 episodes are by far the best material. I mean, its job is to hook folks and they do that well enough, My big issue comes next with 4 episodes of wheel spinning go nowhere boring keep ya coming material. Finally, a final episode that has to cover a ton of material in a very short run time and set up the next season. I find it to be the most consistently disappointing approach of any producer currently. YMMV.

 

[payn]

Think John Wick and Mario blew up more than what anyone expected.

I dont think it was very surprising. I mean, Mario going bonkers big was a little surprising, but it drawing families in like crazy didnt surprise.

 

[Zardnaar]

I dont think it was very surprising. I mean, Mario going bonkers big was a little surprising, but it drawing families in like crazy didnt surprise.

I was expected to be a hit but maybe not a billion dollar hit.

John Wick 4 was the biggest BO of the franchise. Once again expected to do well maybe not as big as it was.

Prime examples of a prime IP and one building up from smaller, modest beginnings.

 

[payn]

I was expected to be a hit but maybe not a billion dollar hit.

John Wick 4 was the biggest BO of the franchise. Once again expected to do well maybe not as big as it was.

Prime examples of a prime IP and one building up from smaller, modest beginnings.

Yeah, what this all tells me is that Paramount picked both the right and wrong time. The season was primed for a theatrical movie come back, but DADHAT just got dwarfed.

 

[Queer Venger]

I'm definitely not of the "f*ck WotC/Hasbro" camp but I can't help but feel that all their inept bumbling of fan goodwill over the last couple years killed a very real and intangible resource of fan enthusiasm which could have helped push these sorts of projects over the finishline.

yep, this. It's like they are purposely making bad decisions. The response from Larian about BG3 kind of cemented it for me. Hopefully this changes..

 

[Mistwell]

Must be nice. Full price movie tickets in Japan have been over twenty bucks for twenty years.

Uh, what? Average price in 2023 was 1,424 Japanese yen. That's $9. Price at one chain was 1,900 yen. That's $12.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yeah, what this all tells me is that Paramount picked both the right and wrong time. The season was primed for a theatrical movie come back, but DADHAT just got dwarfed.

They didn't have much choice though.

12 super hero movies and something like 6 blockbusters back to back that summer.

I don't think it was the biggest factor but one of the contributing ones.

 

[Zardnaar]

Uh, what? Average price in 2023 was 1,424 Japanese yen. That's $9.

Movie ticket price in Japan?

 

[Mistwell]

Movie ticket price in Japan?

Yes. Hussar said it was over $20 in Japan for 20 years. So i looked it up because that didn't sound right based on a pricing chart I had read. Sure enough, it was not right. So I looked up a popular theater chain in Tokyo, went to buy tickets, and yup, it was $12, or as low as $6.

 

[sevenbastard]

Movie ticket price in Japan?

What I never understood was movie prices in Los Angeles were super high? I can literally see where the movie was made from the top of the parking lot? Shouldnt they be cheaper than Connecticut?

When I am in Idaho pottatoes don't cost more.