Shawn Levy Provides Update on Netflix D&D Show

Shawn Levy has provided a brief update on the Forgotten Realms series in development at Netflix. Speaking to Collider ahead of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, Levy was asked about the progress of the new Dungeons & Dragons series that he's producing for Netflix. "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," Levy told Collider. "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."

Announced earlier this year, Netflix is developing a live-action television series titled the Forgotten Realms. No further details were provided about the nature of the series, but Levy's comments suggest that they're developing an original storyline as opposed to adapting a novel or adventure story into TV. Levy is serving as the producer of the series, with Drew Crevello serving as the writer/showrunner.

Collider also asked if the Forgotten Realms series would move forward, Levy replied "I really hope so. I really really hope so."

 

[mamba]

Since their TV and movie projects are licensed/shared rather than owned, the direct revenue is their games (Monopoly, Clue, Magic, D&D) and toys (Transformers, GI Joe, Peppa)

ah, was confused because games were listed under marketing too (('how their movies, shows and games should be viewed as marketing')

 

[bedir than]

ah, was confused because games were listed under marketing too (('how their movies, shows and games should be viewed as marketing')

Sorry. To clarify, the suggestion was that most video games will be light efforts to market their owned gaming products. They are also making AAA games themselves, but those are much fewer in number.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Honestly, the intense popularity of BG3 is a great argument for the approach Levy and company are taking: nobody had heard of any of those major characters 6 years ago, Larien wrote them all from scratch.

Indeed, it stands as proof that success is based on good writing and good acting, not dredging the past.

Xenk was also a good character.

Lest the message is misunderstood, the moral is “create good original characters” not “use characters from BG3 or HAT”.

I also think that a D&D story needs to be based around an ensemble cast, not a single main protagonist with sidekicks.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm not sure what the connection between 100 and a ton is

"A ton" is a slang term for a hundred of something, usually pounds.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Even the non-success in the box office of Honor Among Thieves shows tens of millions of people who saw it in theaters and online, all seeing new characters and stories

The reason HAT is considered a failure was it cost too much too make. (Which should serve as a warning with regards to any attempt at live action fantasy).

 

[Paul Farquhar]

except for the challenge of portraying Drizzt's people

Really, no, this is a strawman. The problem with Drizzt has nothing to do with his species or skin colour (there are lots of drow in BG3). The problem with Drizzt is he is a grown man who behaves like a moody 80s teenager.

Oh, and the age-inappropriate sexual relationship. That is the real big issue these days.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Although, in Baldur's Gate 3, we do get some nice cameos! I haven't finished the game yet, but I know Minsc and Boo show up, not sure about Drizzt . . .

Minsc and Boo are a bit of a weak link in BG3, but they show up too late for it matter. The thing was, larger than life caricatures worked well in BG1, when they were limited to only a couple of lines. But he lacks the depth of BG3 characters. Jalhera, on the other hand works much better in BG3 than she did in BG1 and 2, as her intervening history has given her depth.

Drizzt isn't in BG3. He appeared in BG1 and 2. He was more popular 30 years ago. Elminster, Volo and Viconia appear in all three games.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I wonder if Hasbro's strategy could be the distribution of licences for different produces. FR for Netflix, Dragonlance for Disney, Greyhawk or Birthright for Warner. Mystara for Paramount. Don't put all the eggs in one basket.

 

[mamba]

I wonder if Hasbro's strategy could be the distribution of licences for different produces. FR for Netflix, Dragonlance for Disney, Greyhawk or Birthright for Warner. Mystara for Paramount. Don't put all the eggs in one basket.

it’s probably more the other way around, if Netflix has an FR show, they do not also want all those other D&D shows. The ‘baskets’ in your analogy are the ones deciding which eggs they want, that is not up to Hasbro

 

[Parmandur]

"A ton" is a slang term for a hundred of something, usually pounds.

Never heard that one