Joe Manganiello Says Beloved Fantasy Franchise’s Scrapped TV Show Gets Hopeful Outlook After Years of Uncertainty

A project still on his mind

Joe Manganiello says the Dragonlance TV adaptation may still have a future, even though it was canceled more than two years ago. He told IGN that he believes the live-action series could eventually reach the screen.

The actor, known for Justice League, True Blood and Netflix’s One Piece, is a longtime Dungeons & Dragons fan and Chief Creative Officer of D&D Icons. His enthusiasm for the game led to the chance to develop a show set in Dragonlance, one of the franchise’s settings.

Leadership changes stalled development

Manganiello said Michael Lombardo, then HBO’s President of Programming, recruited him to create the Dungeons & Dragons series. The aim was to make a show that could compete with major fantasy hits such as Game of Thrones.

After Lombardo left, Manganiello said, new leaders had different priorities. He worked on the screenplay for around five years but ultimately lacked the financial backing needed to continue developing the adaptation.

No revival confirmed

The actor said producing a Dragonlance show remains a long-term goal and that he would not abandon it. Other people have also shown interest in bringing the project back, but his remarks are not an official revival announcement; no formal plans for a Dragonlance TV show have been announced.