So I guess I should have addedMagic: The Gatheringto my list of fantasy series that should be adapted forthe nextGame of Thronesbut, honestly, I never considered something that ambitious would actually get off the ground. Surprise! Apparently Netflix has plenty of juice in their mana pool because they’re teaming up with Hasbro and publisher Wizards of the Coast to bring an anime adaptation of the popular card game to the streaming platform.
AsTHRreports,Joe and Anthony Russoof MCU fame are executive producing the series whileHenry Gilroy(Star Wars: Rebels) andJose Molina(The Tick, Agent Carter) act as lead writers and co-executive producers. The aim is to build a new fantasy franchise around the long-running game, though an official episode order and length have yet to be announced; Wizards of the Coast apparently has final say on those numbers, as dictated by the storytelling, but if past animated series are any indication (seeCastlevania,Voltron, etc.), the buck really stops with Netflix.
Here’s how Netflix made theMagic: The Gatheringannouncement:
The teaser image of Gatewatch PlaneswalkerChandra Nalaaris an interesting one, but whether it’s just the first of more main cast to come or our first shot at the main character remains to be seen. What we do know is that the anime will be a creation of an all new storyline that expands on the history, lore, and adventures of the magic-wielding Planeswalkers. This one’s already got my attention, and likely that of millions of fans around the world, so expect to see more on its development in the months ahead.
Overseeing production ofMagic: The GatheringisOctopie, with Bardel Entertainment (Teen Titans Go). handling the series' animation. The Russos' AGBO presidentTodd Makurath,Eric Calderon, andDave Newbergproduce; AGBO president of productionMike LaroccaandIsaac Krausswill also act as executive producers.Yoriaki Mochizukiwill serve as supervising director and co-executive producer.
