It might seem strange to make movies out of board games – some people even make fun of the idea! But the original Clue movie proved that with the right creative vision, anything is possible. Magic: The Gathering has a huge and dedicated fanbase, but so far, no one has successfully turned its rich story into a live-action film. However, things might be changing. Reports surfaced in 2025 that Matt Johnson, the director of BlackBerry, was being considered for the project, and he’s now confirmed the adaptation is still in development, even without major new details. Johnson’s next movie, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, will be released on February 13th.
Speaking with MovieWeb about the status of his Magic: The Gathering, Johnson explained:
I’m currently working on a huge project – the biggest I’ve ever been involved with. It’s really exciting, and things are progressing quickly right now.
News about Dwayne Johnson’s potential involvement started circulating in April 2025, initially just as a possible director. By June, Deadline announced that writers Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald – known for their work on the unreleased Aquaman spin-off The Trench – had joined the project, but Johnson hadn’t officially committed yet. Fans will be happy to hear that Johnson is still involved and the project is moving forward.
The Challenge of Adapting Magic: The Gathering
Wizards of the Coast
If you’re new to it, Magic: The Gathering might remind you of Dungeons & Dragons. Both games feature wizards, magical creatures, and fantasy worlds, but they’re actually quite different. D&D is a collaborative storytelling game where players work together against a Dungeon Master, often using miniatures and a game board in long campaigns. Magic: The Gathering, on the other hand, is a head-to-head game where two players battle each other as powerful Planeswalkers.
Dungeons & Dragons lends itself well to film because of its focus on storytelling, which is why several movies have been made based on the game. However, the first three films, starting with the 2000 release, weren’t successful with critics or audiences. It wasn’t until 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves that fans finally got a well-received adaptation, currently holding a 91% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite its popularity, Magic: The Gathering has primarily expanded into novels and comics. Although 20th Century Fox acquired the movie rights in 2014, a film adaptation hasn’t progressed significantly. Previous attempts, like an animated series planned with Joe and Anthony Russo and Netflix, were cancelled. Last year, Netflix announced that Terry Matalas and Patrick Osborne were now developing the series, but no further updates have been released.
Why Matt Johnson?
The filmmaker initially gained recognition with the web series Nirvana the Band, created alongside Jay McCarrol. He then made his first feature film, the genre piece The Dirties, in 2013. While he worked on various projects over the years, 2023 brought his biggest success: BlackBerry, a movie about the rise and fall of the iconic phone. The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews – 98% on Rotten Tomatoes – and numerous awards, proving Johnson’s ability to create a dramatic, thrilling, and funny movie even from an unexpected story.
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It will be exciting to see what author Johnson does with the rich lore of Magic: The Gathering. In the meantime, you can check out Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, which Neon has described as:
Matt and Jay’s attempt to book a gig at the Rivoli takes a disastrous turn, unexpectedly sending them back in time to 2008.
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2026-02-04 02:19