Hasbro’s eOne production company is developing a new documentary that will explore the popular tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, and it’s being billed as the definitive take. D&D fan and official ambassador Joe Manganiello will co-direct the doc with Kyle Newman (1UP).
Dungeons & Dragon was created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and it was first published by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. in 1974, and has been distributed by Hasbro subsidiary Wizards of the Coast since 1997. The game, overseen by a player known as The Dungeon Master, sees others form an adventuring party that will embark on quests through fantasy worlds, in order to take their experience to the next level. More than 50 million fans have interacted with or played D&D — one of Hasbro’s key brands — since it was first published 48 years ago, including via videogames and livestream entertainment on Twitch and YouTube."
The doc will draw from “over 400 hours of archived, never-before-seen footage going back to the game’s creation in the early 1970s, to which the Manganiellos, Newman, and Adam F. Goldberg have spent recent years acquiring exclusive rights. The film, also featuring exclusive interviews with celebrity fans of the game, will benefit from Wizards of the Coast’s offering to the filmmakers of inside access to highly confidential developments concerning the game and brand, this being the first time this level of access has been authorized.”
eOne’s Head of Global Television, Michael Lombardo said in a statement: “I have had the pleasure of working in the past with Joe on True Blood among other projects and cannot think of a better more passionate person to dive headfirst into the world of Dungeons & Dragons from both a player and fan perspective. The addition of Kyle Newman, Nick Manganiello, and Jon Peterson also bring unique and multiple dimensions to the history we plan to document. As we approach 50 years of this incredible gaming universe, the time is right for an officially authorized telling of the game’s origins and current state of play to its passionate fan based from all walks of life and its global cultural impact.”
Hasbro’s President of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming, Cynthia Williams said: “Dungeons & Dragons has sparked the imagination of fans all over the world for nearly 50 years and we continue to bring exciting and engaging experiences to new generations. As we approach this milestone celebration, I am excited to have a creative team with authentic passion for the brand producing what we hope will become a defining look at the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game’s storied history.”
Joe Manganiello added: “I couldn’t be more proud and excited to get back behind the camera for another documentary, this time with the D&D dream team of Jon, Kyle, and my brother and producing partner Nick. I lived through the rise and fall and rise again of this legacy brand that has not only meant so much to me but has served as the fountainhead of creativity for an entire generation of writers, artists, and creative minds, influencing so much of our culture. None of this would have been possible without Nathan Stewart at Wizards of the Coast and my eternally supportive boss from the HBO/True Blood days, Michael Lombardo and the fantastic team at eOne.”
This news comes as eOne and Paramount Pictures are producing their Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie, which stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Hugh Grant and Jason Wong. That movie will drop in theaters on March 3, 2023. The studio is also developing several other scripted film and TV projects based on D&D.
The film to be released in 2024, as the game celebrates its 50th anniversary.
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