HBO is developing a live-action Baldur’s Gate series, with Craig Mazin set to spearhead the adaptation. Mazin, best known as the co-creator of HBO’s acclaimed video game drama “The Last of Us,” is now turning his attention to one of the most famous role-playing games of all time, set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons.
A story that moves forward, not backward.
The Baldur’s Gate series is envisioned as a continuation of the story told in Baldur’s Gate 3, rather than recreating a familiar setting. The show takes place after the events of the game and follows characters old and new as they grapple with the consequences of the world-changing finale. This approach instantly distinguishes it from HBO’s The Last of Us, which faithfully recreates the story of the original PlayStation title.
This decision opens up the possibility of a more flexible, ongoing series, allowing the show to explore new conflicts and evolving dynamics within a vast fantasy setting, rather than working toward a fixed endpoint.
Craig Mazin’s next HBO collaboration
Deadline broke the news, reporting that HBO is developing Baldur’s Gate with Mazin on board to create, write, executive produce and showrun the series. He is joined by executive producers Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor and Hasbro Entertainment’s Gabriel Marano, with former Wizards of the Coast head of story Chris Perkins serving as a consultant.
Mazin’s connection to the project runs deeper than standard adaptation work. The creator of the Chernobyl series told Deadline, “After spending nearly 1,000 hours in the wonderful world of Baldur’s Gate 3, it feels like a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of the Coast have created.”
He added, “I’m an avid fan of D&D and the brilliant way Swen Winke and his talented team have arranged it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and its amazing characters to life with all the respect and love I can. I’m deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property.”
Creative freedom beyond games
With no new Baldur’s Gate games currently in development, the HBO series isn’t tied to an existing release roadmap. This gives Mazin and his team great creative freedom in determining the direction and duration of the story, in contrast to The Last of Us, which is scheduled to end with the upcoming third season.
The show is designed to be continuous, and is primarily based on the lore, themes, and story ending of Baldur’s Gate 3, rather than the first two games. Although these early entries are not considered official source material for the series, elements of common Dungeons & Dragons lore can still influence worldbuilding.
Limited involvement of Larian Studios
One notable element is the minimal involvement of Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios at this point. As discussed on IGN and brought up publicly by industry insiders, Larian does not appear to be directly involved in writing or consulting on the HBO series at this point.
Larian CEO Swen Vincke confirmed the adaptation, stating that the game’s ending was intentionally designed to leave space for future stories. “It’s crazy that a story that started in a small hotel conference room ended up being such an inspirational story that it became an HBO series,” Vinke wrote in a post after the announcement. He added, “The ending of Baldur’s Gate 3 was created to serve as narrative ground for new adventures. There are many directions it could go, and we’re curious to see which direction Craig and his team choose.”
It’s crazy that a story that started in a small hotel conference room ended up being such a moving story that it became an HBO series.
We worked incredibly hard to make sure Baldur’s Gate 3 lived up to that legacy. The characters and story are the result… https://t.co/eOuA5JEvn4
— Swen Vinke @Where? (@LarAtLarian) February 6, 2026
Familiar faces, new heroes
The series is expected to follow the classic D&D structure of inexperienced adventurers growing in power through danger, alliances, and hard-earned victories, and blend established characters from Baldur’s Gate 3 with new protagonists. These newcomers are likely to encounter characters that players already know, now operating on a very different level within the world.
Mazin also said he plans to reach out to members of the game’s voice cast to explore possible involvement, mirroring the approach taken with The Last of Us, where several actors reprized or expanded on their roles in the HBO version.
Mazin is currently finalizing Season 3 of The Last of Us, while Baldur’s Gate is still in its early stages of development. Still, the combination of HBO, one of today’s most successful video game showrunners, and a hugely popular RPG series positions it as one of the most anticipated animated adaptations of the future.
Craig Mazin
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