Mana may not tap itself, but Hasbro seems eager to find the right filmmaker who can bring Magic: The Gathering from the tabletop to the big screen. After years of stops, starts, and vague promises, the company appears to be circling Matt Johnson, director of the critically acclaimed BlackBerry, to helm its long-gestating live-action adaptation. According to Deadline, Hasbro and Legendary Pictures have approached Johnson with the idea, though nothing has been finalised.
Johnson, best known for his offbeat and self-aware storytelling in The Dirties and Nirvana the Band the Show, brings a sensibility far removed from the typically solemn lore of Magic: The Gathering. BlackBerry, for instance, turned a business-tech biopic into one of the most entertaining films of its year. If that sensibility translates to mana and multiverses, Magic: The Gathering might avoid falling into the self-serious trap that can plague genre fare.
No word yet on which storyline Hasbro and Legendary plan to adapt. With decades of lore, dozens of Planeswalkers, and planes ranging from gothic horror to high fantasy, there’s no shortage of material. Whether the first film focuses on a single character arc, such as Jace Beleren or Liliana Vess, or attempts to establish a broader narrative like the Phyrexian invasion or the rise and fall of Urza remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Hasbro is making no secret of its broader ambitions. The company has already announced plans for additional Magic-related projects, including potential television adaptations, both animated and live-action. A successful film launch could give those expansions a strong narrative anchor. Still, without a signed director or a confirmed screenwriter, it remains a waiting game.
Given that Magic: The Gathering generates hundreds of millions annually and holds a global player base that’s both passionate and lore-literate, expectations are high. Whoever takes the director’s chair will be tasked with building not just a film, but a cinematic gateway into a world that’s lived in the imagination of players for over three decades.
Whether Johnson ends up officially attached or not, the move signals that Hasbro is looking beyond just spectacle. They’re betting on voice, vision, and maybe even a little humour in a franchise that, until now, has rarely smiled.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
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