Netflix Developing Live-Action ‘Ravenloft’ Series Based on Dungeons & Dragons

Netflix is developing “Ravenloft,” a live-action drama set in the gothic-horror world of Dungeons & Dragons, according to industry reports published September 3, 2026.

The series is being developed by writer John August and Hasbro Entertainment, with filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón attached as an executive producer. Gabriel Marano is also set to executive produce for Hasbro, while Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj is represented by Cuarón, Richard Schwartz and Gaby Rodriguez.

The project is described as a prestige fantasy series combining adventure, gothic horror and tragic romance. Its story will focus on the making of Darklord Strahd von Zarovich, one of the best-known villains in the Dungeons & Dragons mythos. The premise is expected to trace Strahd’s transformation from a tragic antihero into a powerful vampire ruler shaped by love, obsession and an ultimately supernatural descent.

Ravenloft is not a single conventional fantasy kingdom. In Dungeons & Dragons lore, it is a collection of haunted domains concealed within a supernatural mist and ruled by figures known as Darklords. The setting’s most famous location is Barovia, the domain controlled by Strahd, whose story has been explored most prominently through the “Curse of Strahd” role-playing campaign.

That gothic focus gives Netflix a notably different angle on the Dungeons & Dragons brand. Rather than beginning with a traditional party of adventurers traveling through a broad fantasy world, the reported series appears designed around a central villain and the tragedy behind his creation. The approach could place the project closer to a character-driven supernatural drama than to a straightforward quest series, although Netflix has not disclosed episode details, casting, a release date or a production schedule.

The project also represents a new attempt to bring Dungeons & Dragons to serialized television. Netflix previously developed a live-action series based on the Forgotten Realms setting, with Drew Crevello writing and Shawn Levy executive producing, but that project was later reported as no longer moving forward. Ravenloft is being presented as a separate development with a new creative team and a different setting.

For Hasbro, the series is part of a broader effort to expand Dungeons & Dragons beyond tabletop gaming. The franchise has already moved into feature films, video games, novels, comics and actual-play entertainment. A successful live-action series could provide a more sustained way to explore the game’s settings and characters while giving Netflix another dark-fantasy property with franchise potential.

The project remains in development, which means its creative plans could change before production begins. No performers have been announced, and Netflix has not yet confirmed when—or whether—the series will premiere. For now, the clearest picture is a gothic origin story about Strahd, created by August and produced with Cuarón and Hasbro’s involvement.