HBO’s Fantasy Epic: Why Baldur’s Gate Meets the Lord of the Rings Series Fans Wanted

A new Dungeons & Dragons chapter

Announced in February 2026, HBO’s Baldur’s Gate series picks up after the events of the game Baldur’s Gate 3. Viewers may not need to know the games to follow the show, though the story’s extensive lore raises questions about how it will be adapted.

Craig Mazin, who worked on The Last of Us, is writing, executive producing and showrunning the series. He has said it will continue Dungeons & Dragons’ tradition of following ordinary people as they become heroes.

An epic quest with differences

Baldur’s Gate shares The Lord of the Rings’ epic scale and a central quest involving a diverse group of characters. But the Dungeons & Dragons setting offers a wide range of possibilities and blends genres, setting it apart from Tolkien’s work. The game’s success adds to interest in the adaptation: Baldur’s Gate 3 received six awards from nine nominations at The Game Awards 2023, including Game of the Year.

What HBO could bring

A substantial visual-effects budget could help bring the series’ setting to life. The show could also pair established actors with newcomers to portray familiar and new characters. The story’s focus on character development may help it balance personal drama with larger threats. Mazin’s work on Chernobyl has shown an approach that brings those scales together, according to the article.

Lessons from fantasy television

Recent fantasy shows have faced problems including cancellations, declining quality, changes from source material and rushed pacing. The article points to The Witcher and Game of Thrones as examples of departures from source material and hurried storytelling, respectively.

Those shortcomings offer lessons for Baldur’s Gate. Its source material puts character development at the center, but the adaptation still needs to make the story feel like an adventure rather than a series of expensive set pieces.