HBO Announces 'Baldur's Gate' TV Series: Craig Mazin to Continue the Adventure Post-Game

Craig Mazin, known for co-creating the hit series The Last of Us, will take the helm as creator, writer, executive producer, and showrunner.

The project, developed in partnership with Hasbro Entertainment, will pick up directly after the events of Baldur's Gate 3, the latest installment in the series developed by Larian Studios. Unlike The Last of Us, which retold the game's story, this adaptation will serve as a continuation, exploring the aftermath and introducing new characters alongside familiar ones from the game.

Mazin, a self-proclaimed fan who has logged nearly 1,000 hours in Baldur's Gate 3 and even completed it on the game's toughest mode, expressed his enthusiasm. "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," he said. "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, and I’m deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property."

Joining Mazin as executive producers are Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, and Hasbro Entertainment’s Gabriel Marano. Chris Perkins, former Head of Story at Wizards of the Coast (a Hasbro subsidiary responsible for the Dungeons & Dragons universe), will consult on the project.

The series is envisioned as an ongoing saga, delving into various stories within the expansive Dungeons & Dragons world. It will draw primarily from Baldur's Gate 3, incorporating elements of D&D lore while introducing less powerful new protagonists whose journeys intersect with established characters, some as allies and others as adversaries.

Mazin plans to approach the voice actors from Baldur's Gate 3 about potential involvement, similar to how he incorporated game actors into The Last of Us. With no new game in development tying down the narrative, Mazin has creative freedom to shape the story's direction.

Francesca Orsi, EVP and Head of HBO Drama Programming, praised the collaboration: "We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Craig Mazin on Baldur’s Gate. His deep and long-standing passion for the source material paired with his remarkable talent for building immersive worlds filled with rich, compelling characters promises groundbreaking results."

Gabriel Marano echoed the sentiment, stating, "The fans have been eagerly awaiting an adaptation of Baldur’s Gate, and we could not ask for better partners than HBO and the incomparable Craig Mazin to build this world with."

This marks Mazin's next major project at HBO following The Last of Us, which is slated to conclude with its third season, and his Emmy-winning miniseries Chernobyl. The Baldur's Gate series will coexist with other D&D-related projects, such as a live-action Forgotten Realms series at Netflix produced by Shawn Levy.

The Baldur's Gate video game series, part of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, began in 1998 and is renowned for its mature themes, intricate plots, and adventurous gameplay. Baldur's Gate 3 achieved massive success upon release, boasting over 15 million players and sweeping major awards, including being the first game to win all five top Game of the Year honors.

Mazin is represented by CAA, while Hasbro Entertainment is repped by WME.