Finally,Dungeons & Dragonshas a live-action television series in development, and its glorious choice ofThe Forgotten Realmsas a setting (and title) necessitates a few key inclusions to be a roaring success (Deadline). Hugh Grant rightly commented thatDungeons & Dragonsbranding probably didn’t helpDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesat the box office (Vanity Fair). Wisely, Netflix dispenses with theD&Dprefix, targeting the mainstream success thatStranger Thingsproved was possible. Far more successful thantheDungeons & Dragonsmovies,Stranger Thingswill guide the newD&DTV show to success.
Not only will the show own its own name and brand, it will replaceThe WitcherandStranger Thingsas Netflix’s flagship fantasy show - they are soon to end.Stranger Things’D&Dreferences makeD&Dthe natural IP to pass the torch to as Netflix’s leading fantasy. Suitably,Stranger Thingsexecutive producer and director Shawn Levy will produceThe Forgotten Realms. The realms may be forgotten, but Levy and showrunner Drew Crevello should remember the campaign settings’keyDungeons & Dragonsdeities, characters, and locations. Only then can they truly honorD&D’score fanbase.
10Jarnathan
Secretly Honor Among Thieves' Best Character
Jarnathan is the oneHonor Among Thievescharacter that Crevello’s live-actionD&Dshow should stretch to include.Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieveswas made between Paramount Pictures and eOne. Paramount+ pulled out of streaming the show after Hasbro sold eOne, and the show switched hands creatively. Suffice it to say, for many reasons,Honor Among Thieves’characters will not be appearing in the live-action show.
The Perfect Dungeons & Dragons TV Show Would Be Nothing Like Honor Among Thieves But Just As Fun
Dungeons & Dragons is contemplating its live-action TV show, and while Honor Among Thieves was brilliant, it is no template for the show.
However, Jarnathan must be an exception. Jarnathan is simply too good to miss. Hasbro poached eOne’s co-head, Gabe Marano, just after its sale of eOne to Lionsgate was announced. Now leading Hasbro Entertainment, one might have thought thatif anyone could call in favors at eOne or maybe even Paramount, it would be Marano. Fragile rights situation notwithstanding, Jarnathan is the comic relief that will propel any TV show to stardom.
9Dracoliches
Dragons But The Level Up
The Forgotten Realmsmay be losing theDungeons & Dragonsbranding, but it still wouldn’t be complete without a dragon or two. Tiamat started in the Greyhawk campaign setting but is perfectly usable in the Realms, andit would be hard to say no to a Tiamat in live-action. But whileDragonlance has necromantic dragons, which would give anyD&DTV show horror fantasy appeal, the Realms' dracoliches could be the way to go for Netflix.
More can be read about dracoliches in the Dragonlance books by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, which popularized the famousD&Dcampaign setting.
These undead dragons are the perfect way for theD&DTV show to deliver onGame of Thrones’coolest concept, or one of its coolest concepts, at least. Undead dragons would be recognizable viaGame of Thrones’Night King, but his dragon was critically underused.TheD&DTV show could focus in on this ideaand give it the screen time it deserves. One of these scary beasts could create the perfect, near-impossible-to-defeat foe.
8Elminster
Forgotten Realms' Key Wizard
Elminster must be one of theForgotten Realms characters most important toD&Dlore, offering lifelong fans a huge reason to watch the live-action show on Netflix.Elminster Aumar could easily lead a storyline on the show, but it may make sense for the show to wait to establish itself before introducing key characters. This could secure the loyalty it needs in terms of viewership before it creates any divisive portrayals of classic characters.
Elminster appears in the Baldur’s Gate video games.
But either way, Ed Greenwood’s muse seems like a must for the show, even if he only appears in a brief cameo. This would nod to the years of important stories around the character. As the chosen Magister of Mystra, he can be used in a variety of ways - as a mentor, a guide, or a protagonist in an adventuring party.This incredibly powerful mage would giveD&Dits Gandalf, a fantasy position that Netflix may want to occupy.
7Menzoberranzan
The Underdark’s Most Dangerous City
Menzoberranzan may be the most well-known drow city in Faerûn, which is probably the most storied continent on the planet of Toril.It is subject to more cut-throat political intrigue than King’s Landing on coronation day, and populated by what is essentially a spider-worshipping cult underground. Importantly, Menzoberranzan could factor in thedrow that should be in theD&DTV show.
American writer R.A. Salvatore dived deep into Menzoberranzan inThe Dark Elf Trilogy, the second miniseries ofThe Legend of Drizzt. Like Hickman, Weis, and Greenwood,Salvatore is one of the novelists credited with bringingD&Dto a far wider audience. Tapping into beloved settings from Salvatore’s books could draw in whoever bought the 30 million copies of his books thus far.Honor Among Thievesteased the Underdark, but there is far more of this dangerous world to explore.
6Harpers
The Secretive Society Serving The Realms
Composed of commonfolk, fighters, rangers, and the odd unique MVP of extreme power,the Harpers areD&D’ssecret agents. Chris Pine’s exceptional Edgin the Bard was a Harper inDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, breathing new life into this key part ofD&Dmyth. Pine played the Bard hilariously, butthe joy of the Harpers is that they could go any way- funny, dark, or downright awe-inspiring.
The TV show has a wealth of source material to adapt in the form of the Harpers books.
They are a surefire way forThe Forgotten Realmsto create recognizable supporting or leading characters. Not to mention, the TV show has a wealth of source material to adapt in the form of the Harpers books, written by a variety of different authors including Elaine Cunningham, Mark Anthony, and Ed Greenwood.The Harpers books have great crossover potentialwithD&D’sother book series, including characters like Elminster and Alustriel of Silverymoon.
5Neverwinter
Faerûn’s Jewel Of The North
Considered the Jewel of the North in Faerûn,Neverwinter has been the site of many legendary tales inDungeons & Dragons. Its status as one of the most beautiful and civilized places in the Forgotten Realms has made it a mainstay of the franchise’s campaigns, games, and novels. It’s for that same reason that Neverwinter should feature inThe Forgotten Realmson Netflix, allowing more sumptuous scenes of urban high fantasy life at its finest.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesis streaming on Paramount+.
Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley,Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesput Neverwinter in the spotlight.Hugh Grant was iconic as the devious Lord of Neverwinter, Forge Fitzwilliam, demonstrating the kind of rogues that theD&Dlive-action show could explore here. Salvatore’sNeverwinterminiseries also offers theD&DTV series perfect source material for this extravagant city.
4Drizzt Do’Urden
The Drow Warrior With A Heart Of Gold
Created by R.A. Salvatore for his first ever novel,The Crystal Shard, in 1988,Drizzt becameD&D’sbest-known character. Not only did he become the lead character ofThe Legend of Drizzt, but he spawned a legion of other media. Graphic novels, comics, video games, and more made Drizzt and his species a point of interest for the franchise.Honor Among Thieves’wide range of fantasy species looked incredible, proving that the drow can be done well. The TV show should ensure its first season is a roaring success.
Casting A Drizzt TV Show: 10 Actors Who Would Be Perfect For Dungeons & Dragons' Dark Elf Hero
Drizzt Do’Urden, the Dark Elf of Dungeons & Dragons fame, is overdue for a TV show or movie, with certain actors seeming suitable for the role.
If it is, Hasbro Entertainment may be able to launch aD&Duniverse at Netflix. Utilizing a high enough budget to make its fantasy world look believable will be key here, but it’s also important that the show doesn’t have such a high budget as to make low viewership risky. Makingdrow ranger Drizzt Do’Urdenand allies like Jarlaxle, Kimmuriel, and Zaknefein look good will take the right balance of makeup, CGI, and prosthetics. However,if done right, drow like Drizzt could makeThe Forgotten Realmsthe most exciting prospect of recent TV.
3Baldur’s Gate
The Most Famous City In Faerûn
Baldur’s Gate is a huge city on the Sword Coast, whichThe Forgotten Realmswould be remiss not to explore. From Candlekeep to Neverwinter,the Sword Coast offers the live-actionD&DTV show every kind of gem. Baldur’s Gate is a strategic location for players of the tabletop game and for the live-action show, seeing as it is located conveniently between many of Faerûn’s other major locations.
It is full of Guild assassins, operating in the Lower City or outside the city walls, ensuring danger for heroes to bump into - or allies. The Dead Three are also an important feature of Baldur’s Gate, offering the live-action show what could be its best villains. Up there with Lolth and Vecna, the Dead Three could be pulling the strings of a lot of trouble inThe Forgotten Realms. But most of all,Baldur’s Gate is a hub of trade and society, guaranteeing world-building excess, coincidental meetings, and adventure galore.
2Mystra
Mistress Of Magic & Mother Of Mysteries
Over the years, the realms have nurtured some ofD&D’sbest deities, but Mystra is a great example of one that would work inThe Forgotten RealmsTV series. Her appearance in theBaldur’s Gatevideo game confirms her importance and will do some of the work of spreading her gospel before an appearance in live-action. Present in many incarnations,this crucial goddess of magic regulates the Weave, which is how wizards cast spells.
Alustriel and Elminster are both Chosen of Mystra, and this trio of characters would be a perfect focal point for some of the show, if not all of it. Alustriel, at one point, carries a locket containing a photo of Drizzt, so it isn’t too far-fetched for her arc to lead to a Drizzt cameo - if he wasn’t a main character.Mystra has all her own intrigue, however, as the neutral good deity with a huge history behind her. With strong casting, Mystra could be the otherworldly, benevolent being giving many heroes a reason to live.
1Waterdeep
High Fantasy With A Heist Flavor
The live-actionD&Dshow could be based on Waterdeepto ensure the perfect introduction to theDungeons & Dragonsworld for new fans while enticing gamers and readers alike.This beautiful, metropolitan, historical city lies to the north of Baldur’s Gate, making it the perfect launchpad for other adventures. Waterdeep is high fantasy perfection but could also have the kind of heist flavor popularized byHonor Among Thieves.
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is one of 5e’s best campaigns, giving the TV show an optional storyline, should it choose to adapt a campaign. Then, the live-action show could feature Xanathar, the beholder crime boss - andHonor Among Thieves’director Goldstein did indicate his interest in these Lovecraftian monsters (Polygon). Also, Waterdeep’sJarlaxle could offer D&D the icon it needson TV. Even with entirely new characters, Waterdeep is the perfect place to situate an arc ofDungeons & Dragons’upcomingThe Forgotten Realms.
Dungeons & Dragons
TheDungeons & Dragonsfranchise 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 filmDungeons & 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.
