Another beloved tabletop gaming series is getting the live-action treatment. According to Variety, Paradox Entertainment is developing a shared universe based on the World of Darkness franchise. The universe will span both movies and TV.
Created by Mark Rein-Hagen and originally released through White Wolf Publishing, the World of Darkness line has been around since 1991. In fact, the series actually comprises several different games featuring a variety of supernatural creatures, all of which clash with humans in a gothic spin on the real world. Its catalog includes Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Wraith: The Oblivion, and Hunter: The Reckoning. The games have reached a wider audience thanks to novels, comic books, and video games. And in 1996, Fox aired a TV series based on The Masquerade called Kindred: The Embraced. However, the show only lasted eight episodes.
Spearheading the new World of Darkness cinematic universe are married writer-producers Eric Heisserer and Christine Boylan. Heisserer currently serves as showrunner and executive producer on Netflix’s Shadow and Bone. He also received an Oscar nod for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival in 2016. Meanwhile, Boylan has previously worked as a writer and producer on shows like The Punisher, Cloak & Dagger, and Once Upon a Time. The couple are also working with Hivemind (the studio behind The Witcher and The Expanse) on World of Darkness projects.
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“The World of Darkness story universe is deliberately and unapologetically inclusive and diverse,” said Boylan in a new statement. “It has always made a point of including equal gendered characters, protagonists and antagonists of every race, and representation of all creeds — bringing a female and diverse audience to gaming like nothing prior. Its games and fandom are a place where women, POC, and the LGBTQI community feel welcome and we are very proud to bring these stories to life.”
“The legacy of these stories is way ahead of its time, inviting issues and perspectives other games ignored,” added Heisserer. “This feels like the next step for genre.”
What are you hoping to see from a World of Darkness universe? Let us know in the comment section below!
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