A surprising update could prove to be great news for fans who want to see the return of theDuke Nukemfranchise in the future. However, it may not be theDuke Nukemcomeback in the way most people would expect.
Although the character of Duke Nukem was the titular protagonist of 1991’sDuke Nukemand its 1993 sequel, it wasn’t until 1996’sDuke Nukem 3Dthat he exploded in popularity. For this game, the character was redesigned as a caricature of a foul-mouthed action hero, propelling him among thebest boomer shooter protagonistsever. His humor instantly setDuke Nukem 3Dapart from its competition, although by the timeDuke Nukem Foreveremerged out of a 14-year development cycle in 2011, some felt the character was dated in this regard.
Speaking toEsquire, showrunner ofCastlevaniaandDevil May Cry’s TV adaptations at Netflix, Adi Shankar, revealed that he has “bought the rights toDuke Nukem,” also clarifying that it’s “Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox.” ADuke Nukemmovie has been in development hellfor a while, and with this latest development, it seems far more likely that fans will be getting a TV adaptation of the game series. Given Shankar’s credentials withCastlevaniaandDevil May Cry, it would seem like a safe pair of hands to bring the character to the screen.
Duke Nukem Adaptation Rights Purchased By Castlevania and Devil May Cry’s Adi Shankar
As part of the interview, Shankar also revealed his vision forDuke Nukem, declaring the series “a middle finger to everybody. WhenDuke Nukemblew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it’s just a middle finger.Duke Nukemcan’t be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makesDuke Nukem, it’s no longerDuke Nukem. I don’t intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.” It’s a very specific set ofthings that madeDuke Nukemso popularin the first place, and any potential adaptation would need to capture a certain tone. It’s easy to get wrong, but when it works, there’s nothing quite like it.
Duke Nukemcan’t be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makesDuke Nukem, it’s no longerDuke Nukem.
Over on the video game side of things, the series has remained dormant ever since 2011’s critically pannedDuke Nukem Forever. There has been no suggestion that Gearbox has any intention of revisiting it, withDuke Nukemfans left to create their own fan projectsto get their fix of foul-mouthed action. While it’s a shame that the character remains shelved for video games, hopefully a great TV adaptation will help to fill the void.
