Netflix Reveals First Look At ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Series: Watch

Netflix

One of the most anticipated upcoming projects in the Netflix pipeline has finally received a long-awaited update.

On Friday, November 13, Netflix made an announcement about the status of “Planeswalker,” an upcoming series based on the wildly popular collectible card game.

‘Planeswalker’

Created in partnership with Hasbro Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast (which launched the game back in the early 1990s), “Planeswalker” is described as “a fresh adaptation of the popular card game that’s enchanted players for more than 30 years.”

According the the Netflix logline, the upcoming series is “an epic fantasy saga from the world of ‘Magic: The Gathering,’ chronicling the fierce clash between formidable mages known as Planeswalkers. At the center of this struggle for power and survival burns Chandra, a volatile pyromancer hunted for her gifts, and haunted by her past. Confronted by an insidious force, Chandra and some of the most legendary Planeswalkers must harness their extraordinary abilities, navigate treacherous alliances, and battle their own inner demons to prevent a cataclysmic war that threatens to consume their very existence. As the line between victory and annihilation grows thinner, a single spark determines the fate of thousands of worlds.”

Along with the announcement, Netflix unveiled a first-look video offering fans a taste of what they can expect to see on the battlefield when the series debuts next year.

A Whole New Interpretation of ‘Magic: The Gathering’

“We have the ability to bring these characters to life in ways that the audience hasn’t seen before,” showrunner Terry Matalas (“VisionQuest,” “Star Trek: Picard”) tells Netflix. “It’s really exciting.”

Matalas is part of what’s described as “a stacked creative team” that was assembled to bring this high-profile new series to life. Writer Cindy Appel (who worked with Matalas on “VisionQuest” and “Star Trek: Picard”) is co-showrunner, while Oscar winner Patrick Osborne (“Feast”) is supervising director and executive producer.

As Appel told Netflix, she embraced the opportunity to dive into the expansive universe of “Magic: The Gathering.”

“It is such a vast world,” she marveled. “What we have to go off of are thousands of cards.”

Matalas added, “Each one of these cards is a window into this incredible world. It’s not just world-building — it’s worlds-building.”

Also on the team are Gabriel Marano and Lauren Chavez-Myers as co-executive producers for Hasbro Entertainment, while Daisy May West serves as producer.

For West, a longtime fan of the game, she’s found it “really fun to bring something incredibly special to life.”

No premiere date has yet been set, but Netflix confirms that “Planewalkers” will debut at some point in 2027.

A Long and Difficult Development Journey

For fans, the news of the show’s arrival next year is more than welcome given that it was first announced in 2019, nearly six years ago.

That initial version of the series had been overseen by the Russo brothers of Marvel fame, until news emerged that they were off the project. Jeff Kline was then announced as the new executive producer and creative lead, in 2021. Shortly after that, Brandon Routh was tapped to voice the protagonist in the series.

Following that, there was no more news about the series until 2024, when Routh stated in an interview that the series was “not happening” anymore. It wasn’t long after that Matalas was announced as the series’ new showrunner.