Netflix has pulled back the curtain on its long-awaited animated series based on "Magic: The Gathering," sharing a first-look image from the show. Titled "Planeswalker," the series is scheduled to debut in 2027, with an exact release date to be announced at a later time.
According to the official description, "Planeswalker" is "an epic fantasy saga from the world of 'Magic: The Gathering'" that chronicles the fierce clash between formidable mages known as Planeswalkers. At the center of the struggle for power and survival is Chandra, described as "a volatile pyromancer hunted for her gifts, and haunted by her past."
The synopsis continues: 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."
The series is produced in partnership with Hasbro Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. Terry Matalas and Cindy Appel serve as executive producers and co-showrunners, while Patrick Osborne is an executive producer and supervising director. Gabriel Marano also executive produces, Lauren Chavez-Myers serves as co-executive producer for Hasbro Entertainment, and Daisy West is a producer on the series. Animation is provided by Digic.
The road to the screen has been a lengthy one. The project has been in the works at Netflix for more than six years, having first been announced in 2019 with the Russo brothers, known for their work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, overseeing the initial iteration of the series.
The Russos later departed over creative differences, and in 2021 Jeff Kline was announced as the show's new executive producer and creative lead. Not long after that, Brandon Routh was announced as the voice of the series' lead.
News about the project then went quiet until 2024, when Routh said in an interview that he believed the show was "not happening" anymore. Matalas was named the new showrunner not long after.
The "Magic: The Gathering" tabletop card game was created by Richard Garfield and first released in 1993. In the decades since, the game has spawned a digital game, an esports league, comic book series and a best-selling novel, and it has been published in 11 languages in more than 70 countries.
