D&D Movie/TV Ravenloft TV series in development by Netflix, Forgotten Realms TV series is dead

Netflix is developing a live-action series telling the origin story of Strahd von Zarovich. Deadline reports that Netflix is developing Ravenloft, a new Dungeons & Dragons TV series covering the origins of Strahd. The series is described as a “prestige fantasy series” combining adventure, gothic horror, and tragic romance. The series is being written and executive produced by John August, who has previously worked with Tim Burton on movies like Big Fish, Corpse Bride, and Dark Shadows. Also executive producing the series is Alfonso Cuaron and Hasbro Entertainment.

In addition to the news that a new Ravenloft TV series is in development, Deadline also reports that a planned Forgotten Realms series is “no longer in development” at Netflix. That show was announced last year and featured Drew Crevello writing and Shaun Levy executive producing. No reason was given for the abandonment of the show, but previous interviews indicated that the writers were struggling to come up with a strong narrative for the story.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Christian Bale is the right age, but probably too big a star for it. James Marsden or Michael C. Hall could work. Hall in particular, I could see nailing inner monologues, the descent into darkness.

Given how Bale melted down on the set of Terminator, playing Strahd might even be considered typecasting.

 

[nyvinter]

haha, I know what you mean... but the fact that FR is far too broad of a setting and that developing ANY story there requires a lot of work, as well as that they would NOT be able to truly depend on the BG3 characters for variety of logistical reasons, makes Ravenloft seem like a very attractive alternative!

I think the big one is budget though. For it to register as a FR show, the effects and sets (physical or digital) skyrockets. Whereas you can do a Ravenloft with the Witcher budget.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Given how Bale melted down on the set of Terminator, playing Strahd might even be considered typecasting.

"Do you vant me to go trash your lights? Do you vant me to trash them? Then vy are you trashing my castle?"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think the big one is budget though. For it to register as a FR show, the effects and sets (physical or digital) skyrockets. Whereas you can do a Ravenloft with the Witcher budget.

I don't know. Green screens can do a lot, combined with filming in Ireland or something.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I think the big one is budget though. For it to register as a FR show, the effects and sets (physical or digital) skyrockets. Whereas you can do a Ravenloft with the Witcher budget.

If your clever enough you can do a FR show with a Witcher budget or less and still have it feel like an FR show, you just have to plan well, use your resources wisely and be smart about how you do the SFX.

I think the Godzilla Minus One Director could do it.

 

[nyvinter]

I don't know. Green screens can do a lot, combined with filming in Ireland or something.

Sure. But Netflix also spent record-breaking amount on the Electric State and that looked terrible with green screens used everyhere and was such a flop that it impacted everyone elses budgets. Building and reusing actual sets, keeping things in camera and use special effects where they're needed keeps costs down. And that's easier with Ravenloft.

I still think a FR show should be animated.

 

[nyvinter]

Which reminds me: I hope the production for the Magic the Gathering animated show is still at least semi-alive.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

But Netflix also spent record-breaking amount on the Electric State and that looked terrible with green screens used everyhere and was such a flop that it impacted everyone elses budgets.

I don't think we can blame Electric State's issues on the green screens.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is probably a better model for a Forgotten Realms show, used green screens extensively to turn filming at mostly a single location into a much more expansive world. Backgrounds beyond trees were replaced with more appropriate Westeros backgrounds and to conceal that they were reusing the same location from different angles over and over again to keep costs down. (Knight was the cheapest of HBO's Westeros shows by far.)

 

[nyvinter]

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a good point! But even so, for me it's a very different typ of fantasy compared to a Forgotten Realms one.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a good point! But even so, for me it's a very different typ of fantasy compared to a Forgotten Realms one.

I think you have a very specific definition about what a Forgotten Realms show/adventure might be that's not universally shared.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms would need only minimal changes to take place in the Forgotten Realms (or Oerth, for that matter).

The Forgotten Realms has featured lots of published adventures and novels that don't require any beholders, dragons, ancient elvish ruins or anything of the sort.

And having the show walk before it runs, with a full zero-to-hero arc, makes a lot of sense both narratively and financially. Let the characters start off at level 1 and not see anything requiring a lot of expensive effects until the final two episodes of the season.

That also lets the show spend their FX dollars on really convincing monsters, rather than the painful beholder guard dog of the Jeremy Irons movie.