MCU Stars Have a New Immersive D&D Show & They Aim to Set the Bar High With an All-Time Cast

by

Deborah Ann Woll, known for her role in Daredevil: Born Again, has finally brought her spooky Dungeons & Dragons story, Tales From Woodcreek, to life – and she’s been planning it for years!

As a huge fan of Dungeons & Dragons and immersive experiences, I’m really excited about Tales From Woodcreek. It’s a totally unique show where the Dungeon Dudes are actually playing a D&D campaign, but they’ve built this incredible real-life set with escape room puzzles and challenges. They release a new episode every week on their YouTube channel, and it’s become a must-watch for me!

Woll told TopMob that the project began with an idea – a story he’d been working on for quite some time – and a discussion with writer and director Ed Gass-Donnelly.

I actually came up with the idea for ‘Tales From Woodcreek’ quite a while ago. Then, when Ed and I were collaborating on something else, he mentioned he could potentially get funding for a Dungeons & Dragons project. That’s when I remembered I had some old notes and ideas I’d never used, and it seemed like a good fit.

The project eventually evolved to focus on a specific location, and we started working with the Dungeon Dudes. From there, it just naturally expanded and developed.

Working with him, we really started to develop the initial ideas into something completely our own. It got me thinking – could we tailor this to a specific location? Could we really play with the physical space and how it impacted the experience? From that point, the project just kept evolving and getting more exciting.

Because of this, the story relied heavily on the setting – Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Canada – where the show was filmed.

Once we tailored the project to a specific location, it felt like we needed to draw inspiration directly from that place.

Gass-Donnelly recalled a particular instance where he and Woll discovered a staircase they both agreed was incredibly eerie, and they decided to include it in their story.

The complete story is now available as an eight-part series on the Dungeon Dudes YouTube channel. The first three episodes are already live, and new episodes will be released each week.

Assembling the Tales From Woodcreek Party

A crucial part of getting the game together was finding the right players. This included Anjali Bhimani, known as Woll’s “Marvel sister” and for playing Aunt Ruby in Ms. Marvel. Woll described her as a “legend” in the Dungeons & Dragons community, thanks to her work with Critical Role.

Bhimani found out about the project through several channels – Woll contacted her, she heard the Dungeon Dudes were starting something new, and her manager also received information, all happening around the same time. She was quickly on board, saying she didn’t even need to fully consider the details when she was officially asked to join.

I’m really excited about the show because they have a different guest star each week! So far, we’ve seen amazing people like Jessica Henwick, who I loved in Iron Fist, and Shaun Majumder from This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Monty Martin, Kelly McLaughlin, Iman Vellani (she was fantastic as Ms. Marvel!), and even Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation have joined in the fun, too!

Woll looked for people who still had a sense of curiosity and creativity, and who weren’t necessarily experienced with Dungeons & Dragons.

For my D&D games, and D&D in general, it’s really important to approach it with a sense of wonder and imagination, like a kid. That’s why I usually prefer to play with people who are new to the game. It’s helpful for beginners who might feel intimidated, and I want to show them that anyone can pick it up and have fun without overthinking it. Seeing someone they admire enjoy the game can really encourage them to try it too, and that’s what I enjoy most.

They cast people they already had connections with – Woll, for example, invited Henwick to participate while visiting the set of Daredevil. But they also proactively reached out to new talent, as they did with Vellani.

As a Canadian himself, Gass-Donnelley was concerned he’d face criticism for featuring only American players on the show, particularly since it was filmed in Canada. He said Vellani was exactly the kind of Canadian he’d like to see playing Dungeons & Dragons, and that inspired his decision.

I’m worried I’d face a lot of criticism if I only hired American workers for this project. That’s why I thought it would be great to include Iman, who is Canadian, and enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons.

One reason she was selected was the show’s format included confessionals, and he wanted cast members who would be interesting for viewers.

Editing has been a blast because it lets us really connect with the players, and honestly, we think they’re just as fascinating as the characters – maybe even more so. We especially love seeing their reactions to the unexpected things we throw at them. It’s usually their genuine confusion and surprise – like, ‘What is happening?’ – that’s the most exciting part to watch.

Bhimani acknowledged that introducing so many new players has significantly raised expectations for Dungeons & Dragons.

Gass-Donnelley explained that the experience still holds a special quality, even for newcomers. She shared that even Iman was surprised and asked if all Dungeons & Dragons sessions were like that.

Bhimani: “Yeah, she’s spoiled now. The bar is high.”

However, Woll truly shines as the host, and Bhimani was thrilled to witness that. She explained that Woll gets so much joy from everything going on that it’s contagious – you can’t help but share her enthusiasm.

It’s wonderful to share experiences with Deborah Ann because her genuine enjoyment is contagious, even when things get a little unsettling. She has a way of making even spooky moments feel good, creating a comfortable and secure atmosphere. It’s like she signals that it’s okay to explore those feelings, but only if we’re ready, and that everything will be alright. It’s simply a joy to be around her.

Woll expressed that the positive feeling is mutual, and she hopes viewers watching at home feel it too.

Ed and I used to stay up until 3 a.m. finishing all the details for each game, making sure everything was perfect. It felt a little silly, because we were doing it all to entertain just four friends. Now that it’s finished, I hope it brings joy to people watching at home too.

Read More

2025-11-17 05:07