D&D General What Are Dragonlance's Weis & Hickman, and Actor Manganiello Cooking Up?

Actor and D&D superfan Joe Manganiello and Dragonlance co-author Tracy Hickman have both posted a cryptic image on their respective social medias showing themselves, along with Margaret Weis standing together in front of a large dragon statue at Wizards of the Coast's offices in Renton, Washington.

Hickman's image was accompanied by the words "Something is coming...", and in Manganiello's case "WE'RE BACK", to which Wizards of the Coast replied "Welcome back to the table!" A later photograph from Weis also included Laura Hickman and Dan Ayoub, who was named head of Dungeons & Dragons back in July of this year.

The posts have sparked speculation as to what they might mean, with guesses ranging from a revival of Manganiello's Dragonlance TV show project--which was no longer in development after he stated in February 2024 that "Dragonlance is not a property WotC are interested in developing further currently"--to a new Dragonlance-based D&D adventure.

Weis and Hickman co-wrote a new Dragonlance trilogy in recent years following a legal dust-up with Wizards of the Coast which was ultimately dismissed without prejudice, so it would seem that any bad blood from the dispute has been left in the past.

The question now remains--what are they all cooking up this time?

 

[pukunui]

They're decidedly Young Adult fiction.

Given how much effort the authors put into describing how hot all the ladies are, they're decidedly young adult male fiction. That other people can enjoy them too is a bonus.

These books are fun action fantasy popcorn literature. They're not mature as in something only adults would find meaningful because younger folks would find it boring. On the opposite, the books are enjoyable for adults when taken as light and childlike entertainment.

I wouldn't describe them as literature ... they would've needed a better editor for that. They certainly are light, childlike entertainment, though!

 

[AnotherGuy]

About the WoW film, I also think it made the mistake a lot of tv shows and movies make (I see you Halo) they decided to do an origin film instead of getting the parts people actually liked. Could have made a WC3 film instead we got something set like even before WC1.

I'm with China on this. Movie was great as is.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I'm with China on this. Movie was great as is.

I liked the film. Give a rewatch now and then. But I wanted to see WC3.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

About the WoW film, I also think it made the mistake a lot of tv shows and movies make (I see you Halo) they decided to do an origin film instead of getting the parts people actually liked. Could have made a WC3 film instead we got something set like even before WC1.

Whilst that was the problem with Halo, I don’t Warcraft go far enough for that to matter. It was the more-fake-than-children’s-toys weapons and shields that killed any suspension of disbelief before it got to the point where the plot mattered.

 

[Parmandur]

Given how much effort the authors put into describing how hot all the ladies are, they're decidedly young adult male fiction. That other people can enjoy them too is a bonus.


I wouldn't describe them as literature ... they would've needed a better editor for that. They certainly are light, childlike entertainment, though!

That's why I see it as great fodder for an adaptation: some good bones, bit not too much of a precious artistic opus to cause discomfort with major changes.