Netflix and Wizards of the Coast announced that the Planeswalker animated series, an adaptation of the fantasy card game Magic: The Gathering, will premiere in 2027. The reveal arrived during a preview panel at MagicCon Atlanta, accompanied by a teaser clip shared on social channels [2]. Roy Graham, Head of Story for the card game, addressed past delays directly in the clip by telling fans, “It’s really happening. I promise. For real” [1]. Work resumes after seven years of creative turnover and script rewrites.
Assembling the Planeswalker Animated Series Team
Showrunner Terry Matalas leads the new animated series after running the second and third seasons of Star Trek: Picard and Marvel’s VisionQuest, bringing along frequent MacGyver collaborator Cindy Appel as co-showrunner. Appel also wrote episodes for both sci-fi shows [4]. Patrick Osborne, who won an Academy Award for directing the animated short Feast, serves as supervising director and executive producer alongside the Hasbro Entertainment team [5].
Budapest-based studio DIGIC Pictures is handling animation after crafting cutscenes for major game releases such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Call of Duty: Vanguard. DIGIC Pictures also animated multiple episodes of Amazon’s anthology series Secret Level [3]. The team faces an unusual creative challenge because the card game provides static card art rather than existing film footage. Appel said the team draws ideas from thousands of individual cards, while Matalas added that each card acts as a separate window into an expansive fictional realm. Their goal centers on building several connected fantasy worlds instead of one single setting [4]. Early teaser clips revealed painterly lighting and stylized character designs that drew comparisons to Arcane [3].
Gabriel Marano and Lauren Chavez-Myers oversee work for Hasbro Entertainment, with Daisy West serving as producer. Netflix has not set an exact premiere date [4]. Work continues at the Budapest studio.
Chandra Nalaar at the Center
The story centers on Chandra Nalaar, a pyromancer whose volatile fire magic makes her a frequent target in official synopsis details describing her as “hunted for her gifts, and haunted by her past” [1]. She can’t fight the emerging threat alone. Chandra must join forces with legendary mages across varied planes to confront an insidious force and stop a cataclysmic war capable of destroying thousands of distinct fantasy worlds [3]. Wizards of the Coast said the plot explores Chandra’s early years before she became a widely known hero [7]. Her journey forces her to balance destructive magical power against risky planar alliances as danger grows [3].
Chandra debuted in 2007 as one of five original Planeswalkers with Ajani Goldmane, Jace Beleren, Liliana Vess, and Garruk Wildspeaker [7]. Ajani appears throughout the teaser footage, acting as a trusted companion and mentor. Their bond helps Chandra learn to control her fire magic without harming allies during perilous planar journeys [6].
Wizards of the Coast hasn’t confirmed if other classic characters like Nicol Bolas or Teferi will appear. Jace died in the tabletop set MTG Reality Fracture, making his return doubtful [7]. Chandra leads the story alone.
Why the Planeswalker Animated Series Was Delayed
Seven years of resets precede the 2027 premiere [2]. Netflix first announced an animated show in June 2019, partnering with Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo to oversee development. Writers Henry Gilroy and Jose Molina joined the staff, while Canadian studio Bardel Entertainment signed on to animate the series following its work on Rick and Morty [6]. That first version targeted a 2022 release date before creative disputes stopped progress [2].
In August 2021, the Russo brothers departed. Creative disputes over lore led Netflix to hire executive producer Jeff Kline and tap Snowball Studios for animation, but that second creative effort also stalled during pre-production [6]. Netflix finally scrapped all existing scripts in September 2024 to restart work under Terry Matalas, who refocused the story on Chandra and Ajani rather than juggling a massive ensemble [1]. Annecy attendees saw a private preview in June 2025. The early footage confirmed that the rebooted show had finally moved past its earlier troubles [6].
Card game stories often stumble when trying to fit decades of lore into serialized episodes. Earlier scripts tried to balance too many competing characters [6]. Matalas chose a simpler starting point [7].
Visual Variety for Every Plane
Because each setting in the multiverse functions as an independent pocket universe with distinct physical laws, the team creates custom visual aesthetics for every location [1]. Digic Pictures adapts lighting, staging, and color palettes to match the mood of each world that Chandra visits [5]. Cities feature clean architectural lines, while wild planes use fluid background art [1]. This shifting style mirrors the physical card game, where guest artists illustrate cards in diverse artistic tones [7]. The animators use these visual shifts to keep each planar transition distinct [1].
Wizards of the Coast connects its tabletop cards with the show by introducing fresh pack formats. Collectors recently saw distribution changes like the Magic: The Gathering God Packs in 2027 booster overhaul, which alters pack openings for hobbyists. Players will also visit new settings in upcoming sets like Nauctis: The Sunken Realm, Kamigawa: Titanbreach, and Zhalfir [7]. These releases expand the multiverse lore.
Adapting cards into motion demands fresh background art for every scene [4]. Digic Pictures continues building rendering models for the 2027 premiere [3]. The work remains on schedule.
Hasbro’s Wider Entertainment Slate
The premiere of the Planeswalker animated series in 2027 aligns directly with Netflix’s push to turn established gaming franchises into long-term television content for streaming subscribers. The streaming service previously found success with Arcane and continues to expand its gaming lineup with projects like the Diablo Netflix series. Netflix is also developing a live-action PUBG series with Donald Glover [2].
Hasbro Entertainment is pairing the show with live-action films based on its game catalog. Legendary Entertainment is developing a live-action Magic film with director Matt Johnson, known for Blackberry, while actor Maya Hawke is in talks to star [6]. The card game is also branching into comic book lore with Marvel’s Darkhold Destiny [7]. These media efforts help introduce the card game to new audiences who don’t buy physical booster packs [4]. The animated series serves as the main entry point [3].
Fans who watched the show stall through three creative teams now have proof that work is moving forward [1]. With Terry Matalas guiding the story and Digic Pictures animating each plane, Chandra’s journey across the multiverse is set to reach Netflix viewers in 2027 [4].
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- ONLINE NEWS Bailey, D. (2026, November 13). Planeswalker is Netflix’s Magic: The Gathering series, and the sneak peek sure looks like Arcane. GamesRadar+. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Johnson, E. (2026, November 15). Netflix Announces PLANESWALKER Animated Series Based on Magic: The Gathering, Sets 2027 Debut. OtakuKart. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Lang, J. (2026, November 13). Netflix Previews ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Series ‘Planeswalker’. Cartoon Brew. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Gonzalez, E. (2026, November 13). Magic: The Gathering Animated Series Officially Gets First Trailer. Polygon. [Article Link]
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