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Ravenloft Live-Action Series Headed to Netflix – Strahd Origin Story in the Works

ByDaniel Kling Lorentsen

Netflix is sinking its teeth into the Dungeons & Dragons universe with a new live-action series based on the gothic horror setting Ravenloft, Deadline reports.

The project comes from writer/executive producer John August (Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride) and executive producer Alfonso Cuarón (Roma, Gravity), with Hasbro Entertainment attached. The series is described as a prestige fantasy where adventure collides with gothic horror and tragic romance, centered on the origin story of vampire Darklord Strahd von Zarovich—tracking his fall from tragic antihero to one of D&D’s most notorious villains.

This new Ravenloft project replaces a previously announced Forgotten Realms series that had been in development at Netflix with Shawn Levy and Drew Crevello, which is no longer moving forward, per Deadline.

Ravenloft, introduced in 1983 by Tracy and Laura Hickman, has spawned over a hundred novels, modules, video games, and fan creations over the decades. The setting and Strahd himself even got a nod in the Stranger Things series finale, which wove D&D into its core throughout its run.

Cuarón’s involvement marks his return to Netflix following his Oscar-winning film Roma, while August brings plenty of gothic cred from his Burton collaborations. The series would join Netflix’s lineup of darkly comedic supernatural fare alongside hits like Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Hasbro also has Baldur’s Gate in development at HBO from The Last of Us creator Craig Mazin.

Daniel Kling Lorentsen is the editor of Tabletop Gaming News, with a passion for tabletop games that began in the '90s. Starting with Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer, his journey in the gaming industry has been diverse—from working at a prominent gaming store and illustrating RPG books and board games, to consulting hedge funds on RPG trends. Since 2005, Daniel has written extensively about games and managed several gaming websites, applying his deep industry knowledge to keep readers informed about the latest in tabletop gaming.