Joe Manganiello will have to empty his Bag of Holding to make room for all the gold pieces Dungeons & Dragons fans will throw his way in 2024. The True Blood alum and official Dungeons & Dragons ambassador is co-directing a Dungeons & Dragons documentary brought to you by Hasbro and eOne. The project is “the definitive documentary feature about the world’s greatest roleplaying game,” and is timed for the classic RPG’s 50th anniversary in 2024.
In addition to getting behind the camera with the feature’s other director, Kyle Newman, Manganiello will produce alongside his brother Nick Manganiello, Anthony Savini, and Cecily Tyler. Tara Long and Geno McDermott executive produce through eOne with D&D scholar Jon Peterson, Adam F. Goldberg, and Newman.
“I couldn’t be more proud and excited to get back behind the camera for another documentary, this time with the D&D dream team of Jon, Kyle and my brother and producing partner Nick. I lived through the rise and fall and rise again of this legacy brand that has not only meant so much to me but has served as the fountainhead of creativity for an entire generation of writers, artists and creative minds, influencing so much of our culture,” said Manganiello. “None of this would have been possible without Nathan Stewart at Wizards of the Coast and my eternally supportive boss from the HBO/’True Blood’ days, Michael Lombardo and the fantastic team at eOne.”
Manganiello’s untitled Dungeons & Dragons documentary will pull from over 400 hours of archived, never-before-seen Dungeons & Dragons footage. The materials range from the game’s creative origin to interviews with fans and celebrities. The Manganiello brothers have spent countless hours securing the exclusive rights to the archive footage and promise fans will not be disappointed by what they’ve acquired. The Manganiello brothers’ investment in the project is genuine and heartfelt as fans and representatives of the game.
“I have had the pleasure of working in the past with Joe on ‘True Blood’ among other projects and cannot think of a better more passionate person to dive headfirst into the world of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ from both a player and fan perspective,” said eOne’s head of global television Michael Lombardo. “The addition of Kyle Newman, Nick Manganiello, and Jon Peterson also bring unique and multiple dimensions to the history we plan to document. As we approach 50 years of this incredible gaming universe, the time is right for an officially authorized telling of the game’s origins and current state of play to its passionate fan based from all walks of life and its global cultural impact.”
As an avid player of Dungeons & Dragons, I am excited about this project. Manganiello is the real deal, and I look forward to seeing his passion for the game reflected in this Dungeons & Dragons documentary.