Finally, the Dungeons & Dragons movies, Stranger Things will guide the new D&D TV show to success.

Not only will the show own its own name and brand, it will replace The Witcher and Stranger Things as Netflix's flagship fantasy show - they are soon to end. Stranger Things' D&D references make D&D the natural IP to the torch to as Netflix's leading fantasy. Suitably, Stranger Things executive producer and director Shawn Levy will produce The Forgotten Realms. The realms may be forgotten, but Levy and showrunner Drew Crevello should the campaign settings' key Dungeons & Dragons deities, characters, and locations. Only then can they truly honor D&D's core fanbase.

10 Jarnathan

Secretly Honor Among Thieves' Best Character

Jarnathan is the one Honor Among Thieves character that Crevello's live-action D&D show should stretch to include. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was made between Paramount Pictures and eOne. Paramount+ pulled out of streaming the show after Hasbro sold eOne, and the show switched hands creatively. Suffice it to say, for many reasons, Honor Among Thieves' characters will not be appearing in the live-action show.

However, Jarnathan must be an exception. Jarnathan is simply too good to miss. Hasbro poached eOne's co-head, Gabe Marano, just after its sale of eOne to Lionsgate was announced. Now leading Hasbro Entertainment, one might have thought that if anyone could call in favors at eOne or maybe even Paramount, it would be Marano. Fragile rights situation notwithstanding, Jarnathan is the comic relief that will propel any TV show to stardom.

9 Dracoliches

Dragons But The Level Up

The Forgotten Realms may be losing the Dungeons & Dragons branding, but it still wouldn't be complete without a dragon or two. Tiamat started in the Greyhawk campaign setting but is perfectly usable in the Realms, and it would be hard to say no to a Tiamat in live-action. But while Dragonlance has necromantic dragons, which would give any D&D TV show horror fantasy appeal, the Realms' dracoliches could be the way to go for Netflix.

More can be read about dracoliches in the Dragonlance books by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, which popularized the famous D&D campaign setting.

These undead dragons are the perfect way for the D&D TV show to deliver on Game of Thrones' coolest concept, or one of its coolest concepts, at least. Undead dragons would be recognizable via Game of Thrones' Night King, but his dragon was critically underused. The D&D TV show could focus in on this idea and give it the screen time it deserves. One of these scary beasts could create the perfect, near-impossible-to-defeat foe.

8 Elminster

Forgotten Realms' Key Wizard

Elminster must be one of the Forgotten Realms characters most important to D&D lore, offering lifelong fans a huge reason to watch the live-action show on Netflix. Elminster Aumar could easily lead a storyline on the show, but it may make sense for the show to wait to establish itself before introducing key characters. This could secure the loyalty it needs in of viewership before it creates any divisive portrayals of classic characters.

Elminster appears in the Baldur's Gate video games.

But either way, Ed Greenwood's muse seems like a must for the show, even if he only appears in a brief cameo. This would nod to the years of important stories around the character. As the chosen Magister of Mystra, he can be used in a variety of ways - as a mentor, a guide, or a protagonist in an adventuring party. This incredibly powerful mage would give D&D its Gandalf, a fantasy position that Netflix may want to occupy.

7 Menzoberranzan

The Underdark's Most Dangerous City

Menzoberranzan may be the most well-known drow city in Faerûn, which is probably the most storied continent on the planet of Toril. It is subject to more cut-throat political intrigue than King's Landing on coronation day, and populated by what is essentially a spider-worshipping cult underground. Importantly, Menzoberranzan could factor in the drow that should be in the D&D TV show.

American writer R.A. Salvatore dived deep into Menzoberranzan in The Dark Elf Trilogy, the second miniseries of The Legend of Drizzt. Like Hickman, Weis, and Greenwood, Salvatore is one of the novelists credited with bringing D&D to a far wider audience. Tapping into beloved settings from Salvatore's books could draw in whoever bought the 30 million copies of his books thus far. Honor Among Thieves teased the Underdark, but there is far more of this dangerous world to explore.

6 Harpers

The Secretive Society Serving The Realms

Composed of commonfolk, fighters, rangers, and the odd unique MVP of extreme power, the Harpers are D&D's secret agents. Chris Pine's exceptional Edgin the Bard was a Harper in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, breathing new life into this key part of D&D myth. Pine played the Bard hilariously, but the joy of the Harpers is that they could go any way - funny, dark, or downright awe-inspiring.

The TV show has a wealth of source material to adapt in the form of the Harpers books.

They are a surefire way for The Forgotten Realms to create recognizable ing or leading characters. Not to mention, the TV show has a wealth of source material to adapt in the form of the Harpers books, written by a variety of different authors including Elaine Cunningham, Mark Anthony, and Ed Greenwood. The Harpers books have great crossover potential with D&D's other book series, including characters like Elminster and Alustriel of Silverymoon.

5 Neverwinter

Faerûn's Jewel Of The North

Considered the Jewel of the North in Faerûn, Neverwinter has been the site of many legendary tales in Dungeons & Dragons. Its status as one of the most beautiful and civilized places in the Forgotten Realms has made it a mainstay of the franchise's campaigns, games, and novels. It's for that same reason that Neverwinter should feature in The Forgotten Realms on Netflix, allowing more sumptuous scenes of urban high fantasy life at its finest.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is streaming on Paramount+.

Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves put Neverwinter in the spotlight. Hugh Grant was iconic as the devious Lord of Neverwinter, Forge Fitzwilliam, demonstrating the kind of rogues that the D&D live-action show could explore here. Salvatore's Neverwinter miniseries also offers the D&D TV series perfect source material for this extravagant city.

4 Drizzt Do'Urden

The Drow Warrior With A Heart Of Gold

Created by R.A. Salvatore for his first ever novel, The Crystal Shard, in 1988, Drizzt became D&D's best-known character. Not only did he become the lead character of The Legend of Drizzt, but he spawned a legion of other media. Graphic novels, comics, video games, and more made Drizzt and his species a point of interest for the franchise. Honor Among Thieves' wide range of fantasy species looked incredible, proving that the drow can be done well. The TV show should ensure its first season is a roaring success.

If it is, Hasbro Entertainment may be able to launch a D&D universe at Netflix. Utilizing a high enough budget to make its fantasy world look believable will be key here, but it's also important that the show doesn't have such a high budget as to make low viewership risky. Making drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden and allies like Jarlaxle, Kimmuriel, and Zaknefein look good will take the right balance of makeup, CGI, and prosthetics. However, if done right, drow like Drizzt could make The Forgotten Realms the most exciting prospect of recent TV.

3 Baldur's Gate

The Most Famous City In Faerûn

Baldur's Gate is a huge city on the Sword Coast, which The Forgotten Realms would be remiss not to explore. From Candlekeep to Neverwinter, the Sword Coast offers the live-action D&D TV show every kind of gem. Baldur's Gate is a strategic location for players of the tabletop game and for the live-action show, seeing as it is located conveniently between many of Faerûn's other major locations.

It is full of Guild assassins, operating in the Lower City or outside the city walls, ensuring danger for heroes to bump into - or allies. The Dead Three are also an important feature of Baldur's Gate, offering the live-action show what could be its best villains. Up there with Lolth and Vecna, the Dead Three could be pulling the strings of a lot of trouble in The Forgotten Realms. But most of all, Baldur's Gate is a hub of trade and society, guaranteeing world-building excess, coincidental meetings, and adventure galore.

2 Mystra

Mistress Of Magic & Mother Of Mysteries

Over the years, the realms have nurtured some of D&D's best deities, but Mystra is a great example of one that would work in The Forgotten Realms TV series. Her appearance in the Baldur's Gate video game confirms her importance and will do some of the work of spreading her gospel before an appearance in live-action. Present in many incarnations, this crucial goddess of magic regulates the Weave, which is how wizards cast spells.

Alustriel and Elminster are both Chosen of Mystra, and this trio of characters would be a perfect focal point for some of the show, if not all of it. Alustriel, at one point, carries a locket containing a photo of Drizzt, so it isn't too far-fetched for her arc to lead to a Drizzt cameo - if he wasn't a main character. Mystra has all her own intrigue, however, as the neutral good deity with a huge history behind her. With strong casting, Mystra could be the otherworldly, benevolent being giving many heroes a reason to live.

1 Waterdeep

High Fantasy With A Heist Flavor

The live-action D&D show could be based on Waterdeep to ensure the perfect introduction to the Dungeons & Dragons world for new fans while enticing gamers and readers alike. This beautiful, metropolitan, historical city lies to the north of Baldur's Gate, making it the perfect launchpad for other adventures. Waterdeep is high fantasy perfection but could also have the kind of heist flavor popularized by Honor Among Thieves.

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is one of 5e's best campaigns, giving the TV show an optional storyline, should it choose to adapt a campaign. Then, the live-action show could feature Xanathar, the beholder crime boss - and Honor Among Thieves' director Goldstein did indicate his interest in these Lovecraftian monsters (Jarlaxle could offer D&D the icon it needs on TV. Even with entirely new characters, Waterdeep is the perfect place to situate an arc of Dungeons & Dragons' The Forgotten Realms.

Source: Deadline, Vanity Fair, Polygon