Dungeons & Dragons Live-Action Paramount+ Series Gets Disenchanting Update

The long-teased Dungeons & Dragons live-action series will not be moving ahead at Paramount+. The franchise, created in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, has seen a drastic surge in popularity over the last decade, thanks in large part to online streamers like Critical Role and the immensely successful live-action movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. Before the film hit theaters in March 2023, Paramount+ ordered 8 episodes of the new show.

However, Paramount+ have canceled their order and will not be hosting the new series (via Deadline). That’s not to say the show has been canceled entirely. The project is reportedly undergoing an entire creative overhaul. The original version bought by Paramount+ was created by Rawson Marshall Thurber, the writer of Netflix’s Red Notice – the most viewed movie on the streaming platform. However, a new creative team is being brought in for the overhaul, before the series is re-released to potential buyers.

No plot details have been teased or released by anyone involved, as the story was being kept tightly under wraps before the show’s release. The series was expected to tie-in directly with the 2023 live-action movie.

Chris Pine is ‘Pretty Confident’ Dungeons & Dragons 2 Will Happen

Despite decent reviews from critics and audiences, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves was far from a box office sensation. As a result, a sequel still hasn’t been officially greenlit. However, one of the film’s leading actors, Chris Pine, is still hopeful a sequel could happen. Speaking to GamesRadar+ in late 2023, Pine was asked about his hopes for Dungeons & Dragons 2.

“I’ve heard some rumors about it,” Pine said. In the film, Pine plays Edgin Darvis, a thief and bard who ‘masterminds’ the group’s plan to retrieve a lost relic. While he doesn’t know any more than the rest of the fan base, Pine said he’s confident that a sequel will happen down the road. He continued:

“I don’t know anything yet. But I feel pretty confident that it may happen.”

Chris Pine’s co-star Sophia Lillis, who plays the druid Doric in Honour Among Thieves, is also hopeful that a sequel will be made. Speaking to IndieWire, Lillis said “I don’t know, I hope so. It was fun to work on, and maybe they’ll make another one.” However, the actress also expressed her pride towards the first film, saying “but I think they made a good one by itself.” Again, the same as Chris Pine, Lillis knows as much about a sequel as the fan base, continuing:

“But you know as much as I do, to be honest. I wish I knew more, but as for now, I think it’s kind of up in the air. A lot of things are up in the air right now … it is very odd, because I’m attached to a few projects, but none of them have funding.”

There is no official time schedule for the Dungeons & Dragons series. However, given the show is undergoing a complete overhaul, expect news to take a while as a new pilot will likely be re-written before the show is re-sold.