Baldur’s Gate Netflix Adaptation: Only Under These Conditions, Thank You
Another game adaptation is on its way, and it just can't be disappointing.
Summary:
- Netflix is currently discussing the possibility of adapting the Baldur's Gate game series.
- Netflix will have to decide which game to adapt because the first two and the third have completely different stories.
- As fans of Dungeons & Dragons, the Duffer Brothers are the perfect choice to direct.
Baldur's Gate fans recently received news that is both frightening and hopeful. Netflix is considering an adaptation of the Baldur's Gate game series, and so far this is the only thing we know about the project.
It is not even known whether it will be a series of movies or a show, but experts believe that a series has a better chance of being greenlit, as the platform needs a new big fantasy show, especially after The Witcher was criticized by viewers.
But when have the fans been afraid of the unknown? Let's imagine what a perfect adaptation of Baldur’s Gate would look like.
Which Game Will Netflix Choose to Adapt?
First of all, it must be noted that the recently released Baldur's Gate 3 is, yes, the third game in the series. The first two installments were very popular in the 90s, but then went into a long hiatus. The events of the new game take place in the same world, but it is actually a new story – chronologically there is a gap of 120 years between the games.
So Netflix will first have to decide which story to develop.
The original two games followed the children of the Lord of Murder, Bhaal. He was cast down to Earth in a mortal body and died, but, like any self-respecting deity, he managed to produce offspring, each of whom can claim his place in the divine pantheon.
The main character of the games is one of the descendants, who is hunted by his relatives and many others. He or she can become an evil deity or remain a normal human (elf, dwarf) and thwart the plans of the villains who want to replace Bhaal.
Baldur's Gate 3 is an entirely different story set in the same world. Its heroes have been captured by illithid tadpoles – humanoid mollusks that reproduce by inserting parasites into their victims' brains.
After escaping captivity, the characters try to figure out how to get rid of the tadpoles inside their skulls, but suddenly discover that the parasite gives them powerful abilities. They can develop them or fight them.
Obviously, it is the third part of the series that is currently at the peak of its popularity – it can be called the game of the year without any doubt. However, as fans know, Baldur's Gate 3 has a huge number of alternative scenarios, storylines, and decisions, and the adaptation may simply turn out to be a stripped-down version of the game, and not necessarily a more exciting one.
From the point of view of a long-term project, it would be only natural for Netflix to start with the plot of the first two games. Yes, there are far fewer hardcore fans of this story than there are of the third game, but at the same time, the deviations from the original source (which are inevitable in the case of Netflix) will upset a smaller number of fans. And at the same time, the setting itself will attract those who joined the series only with the third chapter.
Who Will Be The Main Character In The Baldur's Gate Adaptation?
Like many RPGs, the main character in Baldur's Gate is someone the player creates. He does not have his own bright personality like Geralt from The Witcher. So who will be the main character of the adaptation?
The first two games, untypically for an RPG, actually had a main character – Abdel Adrian. However, he was never particularly popular with fans, and in the hastily written novelization by Philip Athans, he behaved in a completely unheroic manner. So let's forget about Abdel.
And let us remember Imoen. She's the sister of the main character, who had her own pretty exciting arc. Bringing this heroine to the forefront will allow Netflix to preserve the spirit of the original source and diversify the plot. After all, who wouldn't want to follow the adventures of a charming rogue who is also the descendant of the Lord of Murder himself?
Who Will Direct The Baldur's Gate Adaptation?
Now for the fun part – who could direct a Baldur's Gate movie or show?
The most obvious option, and one that many fans will certainly agree with, is the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things. Why? Because the Duffers are fans of Dungeons & Dragons, on which Baldur's Gate is based, and Stranger Things has a lot of references to that game.
If Netflix decides to go ahead with a Baldur's Gate 3 movie or show, the development can be entrusted to the Larian studio itself. In recent years, game studios have often taken control of the process by collaborating with animation studios.
We already got the excellent Arcane and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners shows, and the adaptation of The Last of Us was produced by game creator Neil Druckmann. Why wouldn't Swen Vincke, the leader of the team that created Baldur's Gate 3, show what he can do on TV?