‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ is in development at Peacock, with Seth MacFarlane producing the live-action adaptation of the popular book series.
The live-action adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl is officially moving forward, landing at Peacock, according to Variety. The series is currently in development, marking a major step forward for the popular LitRPG franchise.
The project is based on the book series by Matt Dinniman and was first acquired by Universal International Studios in early 2025. At the time, the show did not yet have a network or streaming platform attached.
Now, the adaptation has found a home, with Chris Yost set to write and executive produce. Seth MacFarlane will also executive produce under his Fuzzy Door Productions banner.
Dinniman is also attached as an executive producer, alongside Fuzzy Door’s Erica Huggins. Rachel Hargreaves-Heald will serve as the executive in charge of production for Fuzzy Door.
According to the official logline, the story follows a post-apocalyptic world where an alien invasion has nearly wiped out humanity. Survivors are forced to compete in a deadly intergalactic game show for entertainment.
The narrative centers on Carl, a Coast Guard veteran, who teams up with his ex-girlfriend’s talking cat, Princess Donut, to survive a brutal environment filled with monsters, aliens, artificial intelligence, and even other humans — all while being watched for entertainment.
As the show puts it: survival is optional, but entertainment is not.
The update comes shortly after Dinniman revealed in an interview that the project was nearing a key decision stage, including finalizing contracts and determining whether production would officially move ahead.
So far, the Dungeon Crawler Carl book series includes seven entries, with the eighth installment scheduled for release on May 12. Dinniman has previously stated that he plans to complete a total of 10 books in the series.
The author also addressed fan concerns about adapting the fantasy-heavy story into live-action rather than animation. He expressed confidence in the team behind the project, particularly MacFarlane’s production company.
Dinniman pointed to past projects like Ted and The Orville as examples of the studio’s ability to handle complex visual elements, noting that CGI testing — including work on the character Princess Donut — will play a key role in bringing the story to life.
With a major creative team in place and a streaming platform secured, “Dungeon Crawler Carl” is now one step closer to becoming a reality on screen.
