A new book series is being adapted for television, and it has the potential to be the best fantasy show inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, even though it isn’t officially connected to the game. As a D&D enthusiast, I’m always hoping for great movies and shows that capture the spirit of the game, whether they’re directly based on it or simply take inspiration from it.
It’s disappointing that we probably won’t get a sequel to Honor Among Thieves, but let’s focus on what’s coming next. Netflix is making a Forbidden Realms show, though I’m not optimistic about it since Netflix often cancels shows too soon. I’m really looking forward to season 2 of Delicious in Dungeon, which is available on Netflix but was originally made elsewhere. While it’s not strictly based on Dungeons & Dragons, it’s clearly inspired by the game.
Both Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein are excellent Dungeons & Dragons shows, and I’m currently really enjoying The Mighty Nein. But I think a new fantasy TV show in the works, based on the book Dungeon Crawler Carl, could be even better than anything else out there – it has the potential to become the best D&D-inspired show ever.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Is Getting A TV Adaptation
Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl is a sci-fi/fantasy book series that began in 2020 as a free online story. Readers got to decide what happened next through voting, and Dinniman later self-published it as ebooks and audiobooks. When Ace Books acquired the rights to print physical copies, the series gained even more popularity.
Although not officially connected to Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeon Crawler Carl shares a similar concept with a sci-fi twist. After aliens invade and devastate Earth, humanity is forced to compete in a deadly game show where they must battle monsters in dungeons to stay alive.
So, there’s this really cool setup where a guy named Carl, who’s a veteran, ends up competing in something with his ex-girlfriend’s ridiculously named cat, Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk – yeah, it’s a mouthful! It’s like a role-playing game come to life; both Carl and the cat have stats, almost like in Dungeons & Dragons. And get this – what they wear actually boosts their abilities. It’s a fun way to add another layer to their skills and make everything more dynamic.
| Carl & Donut’s stats at the start of the books | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stats | Carl | Donut |
| Strength | 6 | 11 |
| Intelligence | 3 | 11 |
| Constitution | 5 | 2 |
| Dexterity | 5 | 8 |
| Charisma | 4 | 25 |
The popular webcomic Dungeon Crawler Carl is being adapted into a TV series. Universal International Studios and Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door are producing the show, and Chris Yost – known for his work on Thor: Ragnarok and The Mandalorian – is writing the script. Yost is a great choice for this project, as Dungeon Crawler Carl combines humor and action, elements he’s successfully handled in his previous work.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Is Packed With Dungeons & Dragons-Inspired Monsters
Image via Webtoon
Even though Dungeon Crawler Carl isn’t officially connected to Dungeons & Dragons, it still strongly feels like a D&D show. A big part of this is that many of the monsters in the show are very similar to those found in D&D.
Many creatures in this game are based on familiar monsters from other sources. For example, the Mind Horrors are like Grells, but without beaks, and Slimes are essentially Oozes. Zlurpies are similar to Armadillos from the 5th Edition ruleset, and the vine creepers are very much like assassin vines from Dungeons & Dragons. Beyond that, the game also includes classic monsters like Goblins, Cyclopes, Troglodytes, Succubi, and Incubi.
But Dungeon Crawler Carl also features its own unique and entertaining creatures, such as fire-spitting, drug-dealing llamas and the Mongoliensis – we’re big fans of Mongo! Plus, the battles against these monsters are just as wild and unpredictable as a typical Dungeons & Dragons game.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Has The Zany Premise & Energy Of A Dungeons & Dragons Campaign
Beyond the dungeon exploration and monster battles, Dungeon Crawler Carl feels a lot like playing a customized Dungeons & Dragons game created by a friend. Like many D&D campaigns, the story starts with a well-planned setup, but quickly becomes unpredictable thanks to the players. It’s a testament to good Dungeon Masters that they can handle all the chaos!
The idea of aliens making everyday people and their pets – like Princess Donut – battle monsters in a dungeon-crawling game show feels like a delightfully crazy concept dreamed up by a Dungeon Master with a wild imagination. It’s so bizarre, it almost feels plausible.
The story quickly becomes wonderfully absurd, following Carl – who’s playing in heart-patterned boxers – and his witty, sarcastic partner, Princess Donut. The plot is completely wild, but in a fantastic way. It’s a story you really need to experience for yourself, but fans of chaotic Dungeons & Dragons campaigns will immediately recognize the vibe.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Could Rival The Mighty Nein, Vox Machina, & Delicious In Dungeon
Currently, the three most popular shows based on Dungeons & Dragons are The Legend of Vox Machina, The Mighty Nein, and Delicious in Dungeon (though Delicious in Dungeon isn’t officially connected to the game). While these shows are all excellent, Dungeon Crawler Carl has the potential to be just as good.
Even though Dungeon Crawler Carl is incredibly violent and over-the-top, its characters are surprisingly well-developed and complex – just as much as the characters in The Mighty Nein. They appear simple at first, but they gain significant depth around the third or fourth book.
Like Vox Machina, Dungeon Crawler Carl uses humor extensively, making it a generally light and fun show – much more so than some of its related series. Neither show is overly serious. In fact, Carl even gets a running gag about being a ‘crazy cat lady.’ And things get really wild when Princess Donut schemes to start a conflict – a full-blown meth war – between goblins and llamas.
The action sequences in Delicious in Dungeon are exceptionally well-done, making great use of each character’s abilities. If the upcoming Dungeon Crawler Carl is similar, we can expect equally impressive fights, but with a much more graphic and violent style.
What Is The Status Of The Dungeon Crawler Carl TV Show?
The Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show is still in the beginning phases of development, having been greenlit only about a year ago. Creator Matt Dinniman recently announced in a December 2024 Patreon post that the series will be live-action, not animated – a question many fans were eager to have answered. (As a Patreon supporter, I received this update directly.)
It’s understandable that we haven’t heard much news lately. Turning a book into a TV series takes time – often several years – and shows with lots of special effects, like Dungeon Crawler Carl, take even longer to get made. Hopefully, this show will move forward more quickly than other science fiction and fantasy series.
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2025-12-17 03:51