D&D Sequel Script Written But Shelved Due to Box Office Reality
Co-director Jonathan Goldstein reveals finished sequel faces unlikely production despite critical acclaim.
A sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has been written but will likely never reach production, co-director Jonathan Goldstein revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2026.
"We actually wrote a sequel to Dungeons and Dragons. We were hired to write it," Goldstein said. "I don't know that it will see the light of day for a number of financial reasons."
Critical Success, Modest Returns
The 2023 film earned widespread praise, holding a 91% critic score and 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, its theatrical performance fell short of the threshold typically required to greenlight a big-budget fantasy sequel.
According to Box Office Mojo, the film grossed $205,460,387 worldwide against a production budget of $150 million. That figure does not include marketing costs, which for a studio tentpole of this scale often match or exceed production spending.
Executive Hesitation
Former Paramount CEO Brian Robbins indicated the studio would consider a sequel only under different financial terms. "We've got to figure out a way to make it for less," Robbins said, signaling that any continuation would require a reduced budget to justify production.
Star Hugh Grant called the box office underperformance puzzling. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Grant described it as "the biggest mystery" and questioned why market research hadn't been conducted beforehand. "Basically, people just thought, I don't want to see a film about this game," he said.
Industry Implications
The situation underscores the challenging economics facing high-budget fantasy films in the current theatrical landscape. Critical acclaim and strong audience reception no longer guarantee sequels when box office returns don't significantly exceed production costs.
The fate of the Dungeons & Dragons cinematic universe now remains uncertain. Paramount may pivot toward lower-budget alternatives or explore television spinoffs rather than risk another nine-figure production. For now, the written sequel script remains an artifact of creative ambition that the numbers couldn't support.