Are those chills we feel? Tingles of excitement and… magic… perhaps? Unequivocally, yes. Because this latest announcement from Legendary Entertainment and Hasbro Entertainment is Major (with a capital M for Magic the Gathering.) Yes. It’s the announcement that fans of trading card games, fantasy, and all things nerdy have long been waiting for. Legendary Entertainment and Hasbro Entertainment will partner together to create a live-action movie and television universe based on Hasbro’s Magic: The Gathering. All we have to say is—the supertype on this Magicverse news is definitely “Legendary.”
A Live-Action Magic: The Gathering Franchise Is Finally on the Way
Magic: The Gathering first came into being in 1993 and recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. That’s right, this franchise has been around for over three decades. It’s even Hasbro’s first $1 billion brand. As the first modern trading card game, Magic paved the road for a kind of game that we now assume always existed. Not to mention, as a spiritual haven for nerds and lovers of fantastical realms, Magic: The Gathering has built enormous amounts of community throughout its long life.
In its 30 years and counting of existence, Magic: The Gathering also inspired a plethora of content, including video games, comic books, and novels. But despite a long-held desire from fans to see Magic: The Gathering arrive on their screens in live-action television and movie forms, we have not yet had the fortune of seeing the complex and nuanced game adapted in such a way… until now.
Zev Foreman, Hasbro Entertainment’s Head of Film, shared, “This is an exciting and complementary partnership, uniting one of the world’s most iconic brands with a powerful and proven steward. MAGIC: THE GATHERING has inspired decades of epic world-building and creative storytelling. It is a perfect match for Legendary’s diversified approach to marquee IP, and we are excited to work together to build a whole new MAGIC: THE GATHERING universe.”
A Magic: The Gathering Live-Action Movie Will Release First, Followed by TV Series and Other Content
But what will the first card played on the table of this franchise look like? Well, a release reveals that current plans see a live-action Magic: The Gathering movie kicking off this epic journey. After that, there will be television series and other content that will developed as the Magic: The Gathering live-action universe expands.
For now, no further details are available about which Magic: The Gathering worlds and stories will be included in the live-action universe. But we’ll definitely be speculating about what we hope to see; there are so many excellent options to choose from, after all. Magic: The Gathering is brimming with incredible characters, wonderful worlds, and truly robust plotlines that marry strategy and storytelling.
Mary Parent, Legendary’s Chairman of Worldwide Production, noted, “We pride ourselves on being thoughtful stewards of singular, beloved IP, and no property better fits that description than MAGIC: THE GATHERING. Alongside the fantastic Hasbro team, we look forward to creating a multimedia universe that thrills longstanding fans and creates a broad wave of new ones.”
It Is Time for a Magic: The Gathering Live-Action Universe
Few franchises have amassed the kind of world-building that Magic: The Gathering has manifested over time. It would be a shame not to allow all of that intricate lore to live in as many mediums as it possibly can. Truly, a Magic: The Gathering franchise will create one of the most epic high fantasy universes of our time. With Legendary and Hasbro partnering on this project, we have no doubt we’ll see some true excellence emerge.
The Magicverse is about to rise from our tabletops and land on our screens. And we, for one, cannot wait to see it take shape.
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.