After adapting Sony’s The Last of Us into a TV series, HBO has set its sights on a TV series based on Larian Studios’ critically acclaimed role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3. According to reports, the show will be directed by Craig Mazin, co-creator of HBO’s “The Last of Us.” However, unlike The Last of Us, the TV series co-created by Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, Larian will not be involved in the Baldur’s Gate 3 adaptation.
Massing, who co-created HBO’s “Chernobyl,” will create, write, executive produce and executive produce the new adaptation, according to a report published Thursday by Deadline.
According to reports, the Baldur’s Gate TV show will continue the story of Larian’s best role-playing game of the year, taking place after the events of the game. It will feature characters from Baldur’s Gate 3, dealing with the aftermath of the game’s ending.
Mazin is reportedly a fan of the game and a long-time fan of the Dungeons & Dragons game that Baldur’s Gate 3 is based on. He claims to have put nearly 1,000 hours into the RPG. Mazin called the opportunity to adapt the game for television a “dream come true.”
“I’m a huge fan of Dungeons & Dragons and the incredible way Sven Vink and his talented team have adapted it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as possible, and I’m so grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property,” said the show’s producer.
Craig Mazin co-created HBO’s The Last of Us with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Discovery Channel
Larian Studios is not participating in the show
Larian Studios is not involved in the HBO adaptation of the game, and the intellectual property rights for the game belong to Wizards of the Coast. After the Deadline report was published, The Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley confirmed that Larian was not involved in the project.
Larian CEO Swen Vincke said he was “eager” to see where the show goes.
“It’s crazy that a story that happened in a small hotel conference room ended up being a narrative that was inspiring enough to become a series on HBO,” Vincke said on X Friday.
“We worked incredibly hard to make Baldur’s Gate 3 live up to its name. Its characters and narrative were the result of a lot of teamwork, and I think I can speak for all of them when I say they think it’s cool and hope that the next installments enjoy the same enthusiasm.
“The ending of BG3 is designed to serve as narrative ground for new adventures. There are so many directions they could go. I’m interested to see which directions Craig and his team will choose. He reached out to us so we could have a chance to tell him our ideas.”
Baldur’s Gate 3 was released in 2023 to critical acclaim. The Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game went on to win Game of the Year at the 2023 Game Awards and is considered one of the best games of all time.
