D&D Movie/TV Update on D&D TV Show -- Underdark, Small, 6-10 Episodes

Writer Derek Kolstad (John Wick) has shared an insight into the upcoming D&D TV show with Collider, which he says will be 6-10 serialized episodes with an Underdark element.

His approach is a "tinier sliver" of the world, compared to epic stories like Lord of the Rings. He compares it to Star Wars and Jaws. He mentioned that he's like to go "deeper and deeper into the Underdark".

"In the first Star Wars, you heard about Jabba the Hutt and you don't see him until the third one because you earn at that point, and whatever the budget was for the third one compared to the first one, who cares, right? And I think in Dungeons and Dragons, who has this massive, dedicated community of acolytes, I don't want to suddenly throw everything on screen and say, 'Here's the buffet.' You'd much rather keep the story intimate. When you think of our favorite movies, I'd rather do the First Blood version. It's a guy in the woods being hunted. And it's very small, but you allude to the other things through conversation."

As yet the show is untitled. Kolstad talked a bit about legal meetings and available characters for use. It sounds like he wants to set it towards the end of any 'metaplot' that D&D might have -- "... don't want to go in the middle of the mythos. I want to come near the end where everything is canonical, it's biblical, it's happened. Or, it's about to happen. That way you can revisit certain sequences and storylines that everyone loved in the past through flashback, but where we go is new"

 

[DEFCON 1]

BUT DOES IT HAVE A BALROG

Why would the D&D movie include the boxing character from Street Fighter II?

 

[aco175]

Which season is it when the PCs gain enough levels that the producers want to start a new series?

I would be kind of cool to have the heroes be low level at the start and gain a few levels along the way.

 

[Steve Blunden]

Sir, I will have to ask you to stop casting Summon Lawyer.

BUT DOES IT HAVE A BALROG

Probably not a Balrog, but perhaps there might be a BALOR ? ;-)

 

[grimslade]

Comparing it to 'First Blood' is interesting. Inverse Driz'zt? A human trying to make it in the Underdark? A veteran dwarf returning from war?
The story of John Wick is not ground breaking. It is a character study of a monster made man seeking revenge, the bogeyman with a heart of gold. There is some world building that gets fleshed out over several movies, but the story is simple, Man kills many criminals in several fantastic set-piece battles working towards a battle with the BBEG. Add in some drow and an Umber Hulk and it is a D&D adventure.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I think he's hinting at something here...

Underdark (dark as in Sunless...)
Acolytes (as in those who work at a Citadel...)
Very small (as in someone of small statute...)

Chronicles of Meepo! Calling it now!

Or maybe the Meepolorian?

 

[wicked cool]

I see a mandalorian type show

 

[Fallen star]

Skip the only things that are unique IP? Doubtful.

the main villain is going to be a gelatinous cube.

 

[ART!]

Setting it in the Underdark will help distinguish it from other popular movie and tv fantasy stuff, so that's a clever move.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

the main villain is going to be a gelatinous cube.

That's not unique, the was a gelatinous cube in Onward.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Which season is it when the PCs gain enough levels that the producers want to start a new series?

I would be kind of cool to have the heroes be low level at the start and gain a few levels along the way.

The Walking Dead is a good example of this. In the pilot, Rick is terrified of one slowly shuffling little zombie girl. Several seasons later, characters are doing no-look insta-kills of multiple zombies at a time.