Dungeons & Dragons would have the perfect Game of Thrones replacement if it adapted one fan-favorite campaign. Some signs indicate that another Dungeons & Dragons TV series may not be coming for a while. The D&D TV show being considered with Paramount was canceled. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves earned rave reviews, but its slow-moving box office performance means an Honor Among Thieves sequel is on the rocks. However, TV has been trying to recreate Game of Thrones’ success since it ended, and Dungeons & Dragons may have the answer.
Even despite setbacks like the Paramount show getting scrapped and Joe Manganiello’s Dragonlance movie idea being rejected, D&D still does seem to be having a moment. The Legend of Vox Machina is dominating on Amazon Prime Video with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, proving the world’s readiness for Dungeons & Dragons TV. R.A. Salvatore’s The Legend of Drizzt books are overdue an adaptation, and while the D&D TV show is still getting shopped, that adaptation remains a possibility. But studios may want to look to Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for a gritty fantasy with a twist.
A Waterdeep: Dragon Heist TV Show Would Make A Great Game Of Thrones Replacement
The Game Of Thrones Format Is Popular With Streaming Giants
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist has all the grit to provide TV with its next Game of Thrones. Ever since the close of 2011’s iconic high fantasy, based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, streaming giants have been trying to recreate its water cooler success. Sexposition (the reveal of crucial info via a sex scene), politics, and violence could easily factor into a Waterdeep: Dragon Heist adaptation, making it perfectly suited to emulate Game of Thrones. This Dungeons & Dragons campaign could replace Game of Thrones as the gritty story TV needs.
This D&D Campaign’s Heist Story Would Set It Apart From Other Big Fantasy Shows
A Waterdeep TV Show Would Be Entirely Original
A Waterdeep: Dragon Heist TV show would have a heist element, which Game of Thrones did not. Likewise, the TV series that have been launched since Game of Thrones ended and were of a similar ilk have not contained this heist focus. Heists are a frequently chosen path for Dungeon Masters and adventuring parties, with the Waterdeep campaign providing a blueprint for many homebrew campaigns. A TV show based on the Dragonlance campaign setting would be amazing but wouldn’t have this unique feature that would make it stand out from the crowd.
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Whether it’s because of their cruelty, their brilliance, or their sheer power, these foes could all challenge any party of plucky adventurers.
For Dungeons & Dragons to choose Waterdeep: Dragon Heist as its next TV or movie adaptation would celebrate its history and the many fans running heist campaigns the world over. It would also move the dialogue on from high fantasy TV with generic heroes and villains. Mixing the heist into the formula enables crossover moments with the thriller and action genres, with heist territory also a breeding ground for comedy gold. A live-action D&D show should repeat Honor Among Thieves’ strength – humor. Either way, a Waterdeep Dungeons & Dragons TV show presents a promising premise to Game of Thrones fans.
Dungeons & Dragons
The Dungeons & Dragons franchise is a fantasy adventure series based on the iconic tabletop role-playing game. The franchise includes both live-action and animated adaptations, with the most notable being the recent film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), which brought the fantasy world of D&D to a broader audience with its blend of humor, action, and classic D&D elements. The franchise explores themes of heroism, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of adventuring in a magical world filled with dragons, wizards, and mythical creatures.
- Created by
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E. Gary Gygax
, Dave Arneson
, Jonathan Goldstein
, John Francis Daley