Summary

• Drizzt Do'Urden's complex character and rich backstory make him an iconic figure in the D&D universe deserving of his own adaptation.
• A TV series would be the perfect platform for Drizzt's exploration, allowing for deeper character development and story arcs.
• The resurgence of interest in D&D adaptations, as seen with successful projects like The Legend of Vox Machina, sets the stage for a potential hit with Drizzt's story.

With him in an early draft of a recent Dungeons & Dragons' Drizzt Do'Urden as "the classic romantic hero—misunderstood, holding to a code of ideals even when the going gets tough, and getting no appreciation for it most of the time." (via Dragon magazine, #252)

Drizzt is a drow, one of the dark elves, born in the corrupt Underdark city of Menzoberranzan. However, as an atypical drow, Drizzt shunned the evil and malicious ways of his kind, choosing instead to live on the surface as a noble and heroic ranger. His choice puts a symbolic target on his back, both from drow society and from his family of House Do'Urden – even when it's revealed that his father, Zaknafein, had secretly been teaching Drizzt to uphold a moral code the entire time. Drizzt is a complex and fascinating character who has earned his rightful place as one of the most beloved and iconic characters in the D&D pantheon. Unfortunately, he hasn't yet gotten his on-screen due. It's long past time to change that.

A TV Show Would Make Up For Drizzt Being Cut From Honor Among Thieves

The Legendary Forgotten Realms Character Needs His Own Adaptation

Producer Jeremy Latcham revealed last year that Drizzt was originally to be in Honor Among Thieves. His role would have been a significant one, too. Drizzt was originally the character meant to lead the party through the Underdark, which makes sense considering Drizzt's backstory. However, as the script evolved, the producers couldn't acquire his character rights so Drizzt was written out and his character was eventually replaced by Regé-Jean Page's original character of Xenk the paladin.

While it would have been incredibly cool to see the legendary drow ranger come to life on the big screen, it would have had serious implications for the future of the franchise. Drizzt is too well-known and too well-loved by the Dungeons & Dragons faithful to merely show up as a side character. A character of his magnitude deserves his own standalone project, and giving him his own TV series would make up for his being axed from Honor Among Thieves.

Drizzt is too well-known and too well-loved by the Dungeons & Dragons faithful to merely show up as a side character.

A TV Series Is The Safest Bet For Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons Works Best In TV Format

It would be tempting to give Drizzt Do'Urden another crack at a movie considering his first live-action appearance was supposed to be a feature film. Recent D&D history has shown, however, that Drizzt's best bet for success might be on the small screen. While Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was well-received by those who saw it and performed better after it hit steaming, its budget was simply too big to justify a sequel, unless the sequel significantly cut down the budget. A TV series could do D&D for a smaller budget, especially if it's a limited series or animated.

Beyond just the budget, Dungeons & Dragons is best suited to an episodic format that better matches what a real TTRPG format is like. Honor Among Thieves was an exceptionally fun romp with exceptionally fun characters, but the limited run time of the movie stunted character development. A Dungeons & Dragons TV show naturally grants far more time spent with characters, allowing their character arcs and relationships to develop in a way movies don't. Xenk's character was incredibly interesting, for example, but with a sequel now seeming unlikely, audiences will never learn more about him or what happened to him after the movie.

The Legend Of Drizzt Is Tailor-Made For A Great D&D TV Show

Drizzt Do'Urden Would Be A Fascinating TV Character

Drizzt's adventures on the surface could be perfectly adapted to an action-fantasy TV show, whether live-action or animated–though it's worth noting that rumors of a live-action Drizzt TV show have been floated around for years. Putting Drizzt on TV would be the closest audiences have gotten to seeing Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn on screen in 20 years. Their characters are very similar noble lone hero types, and with them both being rangers, it's hard not to draw favorable comparisons between the two.

Putting Drizzt on TV would be the closest audiences have gotten to seeing Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn on screen in 20 years.

Going back to the aforementioned budget issues, as well, while Dungeons & Dragons usually requires a heavy lift concerning VFX wizardry for its magic, Drizzt himself wouldn't. As a ranger, Drizzt relies on a pair of dual scimitars rather than magical spells to fight. Granted, one aspect of Drizzt's story would be expensive to adapt: Guenhwyvar, Drizzt's magical panther, whom he can summon from the Astral Plane to fight alongside him. Still, considering the VFX ask for most fantasy stories, Drizzt's is comparatively thin, with most of the more fantastic D&D elements being ones that could be achieved through practical effects.

Dungeons & Dragons Is Having Itself A Moment

The Right D&D Story Could Have A Lot To Say

Dungeons & Dragons adaptations were hit or miss for many years – mostly miss. In recent years, however, with the growth of D&D and tabletop games, there's been renewed interest in quality adaptations. This has been proven by the cult hit Critical Role, its animated adaptation The Legend of Vox Machina, and Paramount+ greenlighting a new live-action D&D show. Vox Machina currently sits at an impressive 100% critics score and 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been so successful it's been greenlit for a third season. Despite its box office troubles, Honor Among Thieves also has a great Rotten Tomatoes score of 91% among critics and 93% for audiences. Clearly, the appetite for well-made D&D projects is there.

The modern era is also ripe for D&D movies and TV shows with something to say. While most Dungeons & Dragons adaptations so far have been fun romps, each story has the potential for layers. The Legend of Drizzt books often explore themes of racial discrimination and identity, with Drizzt often being the subject of suspicion and prejudice thanks to his drow race; he also has fears that any future child he might have with his human lover, Cattie-Brie, would face discrimination for being mixed race. If handled correctly, a Legend of Drizzt TV show could be the thing to elevate Dungeons & Dragons to a new level of on-screen storytelling.