As a die-hard fan of Magic: The Gathering, I can’t help but feel a pang of disappointment at the news that the Netflix series seems to have been shelved. I was eagerly anticipating this adaptation, imagining the strategic battles and rich storytelling that would bring my beloved card game to life.
It appears that the much-awaited Netflix show Magic: The Gathering has fallen prey to Netflix’s cost reduction efforts. Actor Brandon Routh, who was scheduled to voice Gideon Jura in the series, recently disclosed this information during an interview with Collider at the Toronto International Film Festival. Interestingly, he expressed surprise that people still believed it might still be under production.
The actor was asked about the progress of a project related to a digital collectible card game with the same name. Responding bluntly, he stated that “it’s not in the works.” Given that it has been quite some time since this topic last made news, his statement might not come as a shock, a sentiment echoed by Routh himself. He added:
It seems uncertain as I provided the voiceover, but I haven’t seen any official announcements regarding its release. However, it appears that it won’t be released, and this information is no longer recent. I can’t explain why it’s being brought up again.
Ever since its unveiling back in 2019, the progress of this series has been cloaked in enigma, leading fans to anticipate updates that would clarify the project’s status. The latest news we received was in 2023 when Hasbro’s CEO Chris Cocks confirmed it was still being developed. However, the most recent update on its adaptation appears to bring a fresh perspective, one that some might have speculated earlier.
What Exactly Happened to the “Magic: The Gathering” Series?
It’s not unexpected that the series Magic: The Gathering met an early termination at Netflix, considering their history of ending shows prematurely. Yet, there could have been a valid explanation for why the production ceased, especially with the talented team involved in its creation.
To begin with, the management of this project was initially entrusted to the Russo Brothers, who worked on “Avengers: Endgame”. Simultaneously, Wizards of the Coast, Allspark Animation (under Hasbro), Octopie, and Bardel were responsible for its production and animation. Over time, Henry Gilroy, known for his work in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, and Jose Molina, from “The Vampire Diaries”, joined as the project’s lead writers. Lastly, Yoriaki Mochizuki, a talented director from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, was appointed as the supervising director for this series.
In August 2021, as reported by Deadline, the Russo Brothers stepped down from the project due to creative clashes. Jeff Kline, known for his work on Transformers: Prime, was then appointed as the new executive producer of the series. Subsequent disagreements within the initial team led to Kline ultimately having to construct a new team, with most positions previously filled by others being taken over by different individuals.
Regrettably, even with accomplished figures like Steve Melching, Nicole Dubuc, Russell Sommer, Dan Frey, and Taneka Stotts joining as directors, writers, and supervisors, the project faced financial risks that became too great. As a result, Netflix decided to terminate it, although no formal announcement has been made yet. This scenario is often seen in adaptations that have not garnered significant attention.
Actually, there had been plans for a movie adaptation of the “Magic: The Gathering” game at 20th Century Fox until 2019, with Bryan Cogman (known for “Game of Thrones”) assigned to write the script. But when Disney took over the studio, this project was no longer pursued. If Routh’s claim about its cancellation is true, we might learn more about it in the future, either from Hasbro’s CEO during another financial update or directly from Netflix.
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2024-09-12 15:31