Larian Studios’ hit RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3, has landed its own TV series on HBO, with the show hailing from Craig Mazin, co-creator of the streamer’s The Last of Us adaptation.
As reported by Deadline, the series will mark HBO’s second go at turning an immensely popular gaming IP into the TV series format. Unlike The Last of Us, which retold the story from the games, the Baldur’s Gate series will continue the story of the 2023 video game, with its storyline set immediately after the events of the game and will feature characters both familiar and new as they navigate the ramifications of the title’s world-changing ending.
Mazin looks to be the perfect choice for the job, too, as the 54-year-old filmmaker is also an avid fan of the game, having completed it on its most challenging permadeath “Honor” mode. Additionally, he is also a longtime Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fan, the tabletop game to which Baldur’s Gate 3 was inspired by, and has been playing the game weekly as a Dungeon Master for the past 15 years.
“After putting nearly 1000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur’s Gate 3, it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of the Coast created,” Mazin said in a statement. “I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team 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 we can.”
Additionally, this project is also set to have zero ties to any Baldur’s Gate games in development, giving Mazin the creative freedom over its story. To this end, the filmmaker also plans to give the IP the respect it deserves, hoping to reach out to the voice cast of Baldur’s Gate 3 with ideas for them to participate in the adaptation.
Unlike his previous run with The Last of Us, however, the Baldur’s Gate IP might be a tougher nut to crack when it comes to series adaptations, as a huge part of the games is making important decisions to shape each individual’s narrative, with Baldur’s Gate 3’s ending varying based on the choices made throughout the game. So it will be interesting to see how Mazin will navigate this, and what scenarios or endings he would choose as canon for the project.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Joey Leong
Si Jia
