Wizards of the Coast property Forgotten Realms has been licensed to Fireworks Television, a division of CanWest Entertainment.  Fireworks will develop a live action television series based on the game setting and novels.  No production date or distribution details were announced for the one-hour show.   Hasbro Properties and WotC will work with Fireworks to develop story lines for the TV series.  Fireworks VP of TV Daniel Tibbets said, 'Our production and distribution expertise to develop the TV series coupled with their intense knowledge of the storylines leaves no doubt that Forgottem Realms will be a special series.'

 

Forgotten Realms is a Dungeons and Dragons setting originally developed by TSR Games and acquired and further developed by WotC.  It is probably the most successful D&D setting; over 150 Forgotten Realms novels and 100 game books have been produced. 

 

Fireworks Entertainment is a producer of television shows and feature films (including Hardball, released last weekend).  Television credits include Andromeda, Beastmaster, and the upcoming Mutant X (see 'Mutant in the Middle').      

 

If this show gets produced and distributed, it will be another great opportunity to expand the market for RPGs.  Let's hope the involvement of WotC in storylines will keep the TV show close enough to the game to make it recognizable to the consumers that are introduced to the property for the first time through television.