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?

 

[Parmandur]

If I remember correctly, MANGANIELLO has repeatedly expressed his desire to work on a live-action series based on the Dragonlance books, which, with the release of the second trilogy, would allow for a publishing project spanning at least 5-6 years. I just hope they don't upset the HEROES with propaganda that would be, frankly, inappropriate (a la RINGS OF POWER) and would risk ruining a project that, on paper, would be fantastic.

What "propeganda" specifically are you referring to in Rings of Power?

 

[Azzy]

What "propeganda" specifically are you referring to in Rings of Power?

It probably culture war nonsense.

 

[Parmandur]

It probably culture war nonsense.

I was juat curious, the themes of the show are all straight from Tolkien, soooooooooooooooooo...

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I was juat curious, the themes of the show are all straight from Tolkien, soooooooooooooooooo...

I suspect the issue the poster has is it had black people in it. Hence it’s relevance to this discussion.

 

[nyvinter]

Weis wasn’t arguing for anything 80s - again, born 1948, not her aesthetic. She just didn’t like the amount of bare flesh on display.

Yeah. According to an interview with Elmore she said "Goldmoon is holy, she [in the painting] looks like a whore" and that was specifically about her being pantless.

Had it just been about the 80s influences than no doubt the hair and the padded shoulder pauldrons would have gotten changed as well.

 

[Parmandur]

I suspect the issue the poster has is it had black people in it. Hence it’s relevance to this discussion.

Whaaaaaaaaat, you don't say.

I don't knownif we can assume that, I am sure the poster would be more than willong to explain what they meant and clear that up.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I discovered Dragonlance in the 90s when I was a teenage but I hadn't dirty thoughts with the female characters. The age of rule34 in internet hadn't arrived yet.

And I was too used to watch characters from "Masters of the Universe" showing the legs, or the amazon with that "chainmail bikini" from the arcade "Golden Axe".

Maybe it was a different age, for example today in the old anime "Ramma 1/2" some things were showed and today they can't although we should understand the reason.

If we look for images of Goldmoon most of them her legs are covered.

* Do you believe today filming can be cheaper thanks FXs?

 

[gban007]

I was juat curious, the themes of the show are all straight from Tolkien, soooooooooooooooooo...

Possibly depends if you think the Silmarillion is anti elf propaganda?

On more serious note, I agree with other posters on this one, doesn't directly say it but original post feels problematic.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Whaaaaaaaaat, you don't say.

I don't knownif we can assume that, I am sure the poster would be more than willong to explain what they meant and clear that up.

The weird capitalisation is a strong indicator. I doubt we will hear more from that username.

Who are these HEROES that we are being warned not to antagonise? Coded message is coded.

 

[Parmandur]

Possibly depends if you think the Silmarillion is anti elf propaganda?

On more serious note, I agree with other posters on this one, doesn't directly say it but original post feels problematic.

The two main non-culture war negative responses I have seen are people who know too much about the lore and can't stand changes, and then people who only knew the films who are horrified by Silmirillion accurate Elven lore.