Movies News Talk
Originally intended to cooperate on the now-cancelled D&D show, Paramount Pictures and Hasbro's eOne was After eOne was sold to Lionsgate in late 2023, Hasbro Entertainment, the in-house production business behind the forthcoming Transformers One, Monopoly, Clue and G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant movies, among other projects, was left in charge.
Hasbro will now reportedly show the program around to possible partners after Paramount+ backing out of Dungeons & Dragons. Additionally apparently taking over will be a new creative team. Originally contracted to write the pilot script and film the first episode, Rawson Marshall Thurber was then joined as showrunner by Drew Crevello (WeCrashed), but both seem to be out as the project undergoes a "creative update."
Notwithstanding a series order, Paramount+ allegedly will not proceed with its Dungeons & Dragons live-action TV project. As an IP with prospective live-action adaptation, the introduction of 2023's Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves revitalized the venerable D&D universe. Already on its way to a successful $204 million film office run, Paramount+ was keen to work with Hasbro on a Dungeons & Dragons live-action program, which they awarded a straight-to-series order back in January 2023 even before the movie was on screens.
But Paramount+ has clearly had second thoughts since the streamer allegedly stopped development on the intended D&D show, leaving Hasbro, the owners of the fantasy role-playing game, looking for other partners in realizing a possible series (via Deadline).
Why Paramount+ decided to terminate its participation in Dungeons & Dragons is not known. After Game of Thrones, HBO released House of the Dragon and Prime Video doubled-down with The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time, the market for live-action fantasy shows appeared strong; but, that market may have cooled in the meantime. Given the genre's more recent performance, Paramount has shown a readiness to commit large sums of money on shows like the hit period drama 1923, but may have become nervous about the idea of laying a major bet on a fantasy-leaning series.
While the termination of the show surely hurts viewers, it is not shocking. Though Paramount+ seems to have been more focused on expanding its current library of established franchises, it has also shown some resistance to invest in fresh originals in the fantasy genre.
Available on Paramount+ is Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The film received conflicting responses. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie got a 91% audience score; but, critics gave it a 69% Rotten Tomatoes score, citing several of its convoluted storyline and dependence on formulaic elements. Still, its box office performance points to a sizable enough audience to justify a sequel, and its popularity on Paramount+ might also have influence on the streamer's choice to create fresh material for its platform depending on the franchise.
The film had both a critical and financial triumph, and Paramount+ might be trying to capitalize on that. Even if the streamer could have had cold feet about a full-fledged series, they might still be interested in creating other D&D ventures.