Will the D&D Netflix Show Roll a Nat 20 or a Critical Fail?
So I’m scrolling through the depths of the internet, and bam—I hit a MovieWeb article talking about the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons TV series for Netflix. Now, I remember when Paramount+ was supposed to be handling this. They hyped it up, made some noise, and then—like a bad roll on a stealth check—it vanished without a trace. Quietly dropped. No big announcements, no dramatic farewell, just gone.
But now Netflix has picked up the project, and they’re not just looking to make a series—they want a whole universe out of it. That’s a bold move. Ambitious. But let’s be real, will it actually be good?
We’ve seen some amazing fantasy adaptations (The Witcher, Arcane) and some absolute disasters (Resident Evil, Cowboy Bebop). D&D is a tricky beast—it’s not just a story, it’s a game, built on chaos, creativity, and the magic of rolling dice. Can Netflix capture that spirit, or are we in for another corporate-produced, soulless, CGI-laden flop?
Right now, there’s zero details—no cast, no plot, no DM behind the screen. Just the promise of a big, expansive world. And look, I want this to be good. I want epic quests, legendary characters, and real D&D vibes. But until we see something solid, all we can do is hope the dice land in our favor.
What do you think? Will Netflix roll a Nat 20 or fumble this one straight into the pit?
#Netflix #DungeonsAndDragons #TTRPGAdaptations
Betting it'll be a critical fail.
Too much woke.
Needs to go Old School DnD, 2e.
Given the quality of recent Netflix productions, this has me very hopeful! I anticipate that some of the biggest pitfalls they can have would be:
- Leaning too hard on the Critical Failures. They happen, but they need to keep them from becoming the plot.
- Having the party follow the main plot without deviation. They should get distracted by the side-quests, and then have the consequences.
- Going too light on the main characters abilities. Secret Level did it well - the player characters should be doing their cool moves and combos fairly regularly. The plot should focus on the adventure they are having and the decisions they make, not on the cliche of them trying, failing, then trying again and succeeding!