Netflix is developing Ravenloft, a live-action series set in the popular gothic horror corner of the Dungeons & Dragons universe.
The drama comes from writer and executive producer John August, executive producer Alfonso Cuarón, and Hasbro Entertainment. This marks a fresh television effort at Netflix for the Dungeons & Dragons franchise and is separate from the previously announced The Forgotten Realms series, which is no longer moving forward at the streamer.
About Ravenloft
Described as a prestige fantasy series, Ravenloft will intertwine themes of adventure with gothic horror and tragic romance. The show will explore the setting’s Domains of Dread, focusing on character-driven stories filled with dark magic and supernatural intrigue. At the heart of the series is the origin story of vampire Darklord Strahd von Zarovich, tracking his transformation from tragic antihero to one of Dungeons & Dragons’s most notorious villains.
Strahd’s journey will delve into powerful themes of love, obsession, and the ultimate rise to becoming an undead tyrant.
Creative Team Background
August brings a wealth of experience to the project, with noted screenwriting credentials including five films directed by Tim Burton: Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Dark Shadows, and Frankenweenie.
Ravenloft’s Legacy
First introduced in 1983 by Tracy and Laura Hickman, Ravenloft has maintained its status as a beloved setting within the Dungeons & Dragons universe. This gothic-horror realm has far exceeded its tabletop beginnings, inspiring more than 100 official novels, role-playing modules, video games, and companion rulebooks, in addition to numerous fan-generated content.
Expanding the D&D Universe
This series is part of Hasbro’s broader strategy to expand Dungeons & Dragons beyond the tabletop. Over the past five years, the toy and entertainment giant has focused on creating live-action adaptations of its franchise, working alongside the 2023 feature film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Previous television projects have included the discontinued Forgotten Realms series and a Dungeons & Dragons drama created by Rawson Marshall Thurber and Crevello, which received a straight-to-series order at Paramount+ in early 2023 but ultimately did not proceed.
Future Developments
Hasbro Entertainment is also developing Baldur’s Gate, a drama series at HBO based on Wizards of the Coast’s popular video game franchise set in the Dungeons & Dragons world. This high-profile project is anticipated to be Emmy winner Craig Mazin’s follow-up to HBO’s acclaimed adaptation of The Last of Us.
With Ravenloft, Netflix and Hasbro aim to successfully adapt one of tabletop gaming’s most recognizable properties into an engaging small-screen experience, focusing on the darker, more romantic, and horror-driven myths surrounding one of the franchise’s most iconic villains.
