After One Piece & Wednesday, Netflix Has A New Ambitious Fantasy Franchise

Published May 15, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT

Debuting in 1993, MTG is widely recognized as the world’s first trading card game and has a huge and loyal fanbase. The Netflix animated series will focus specifically on Planeswalkers, powerful spellcasters with varying levels of power, such as spellcasting and summoning creatures.

There isn’t a lot of information available about the MTG TV show except that it is finally in production with Star Trek: Picard’s Terry Matalas serving as showrunner and executive producer, and Patrick Osborne as the supervising director and executive producer. With such a recognizable IP, Magic: The Gathering has the potential to become one of Netflix’s biggest fantasy shows and might even surpass One Piece and Wednesday’s popularity.

Magic: The Gathering Could Be Bigger Than Netflix's Current Fantasy Shows

Fantasy TV shows are a dime a dozen on Netflix, and standing out in the oversaturated genre is something that isn’t easily done. Magic: The Gathering, however, isn’t starting from scratch. The TCG already has more than 50 million players worldwide, which in turn ensures that at least some people who have played the game will tune in to watch the animated series.

Aside from the TV show hailing from a popular IP, MTG also has infinite storytelling potential. The MTG game includes several characters and multiple worlds, so it could go on for several years, particularly if the Netflix adaptation becomes a success. If Magic: The Gathering is executed properly, it could attract not only the players of the game but also non-players who would be interested in the series’ rich lore. The show is also going to be animated, which makes things easier because creating a vast world in live-action form doesn’t always work.

So many fantasy TV shows on Netflix have ended up canceled or have dwindling viewership numbers. MTG is in a special position because it could learn from the mistakes of other series in the genre, especially when it comes to finding the balance between being faithful to its source material and including fresh stories.

Netflix's Fantasy Output Gives Us Hope Magic: The Gathering Will Be Good

Netflix’s recent track record with the fantasy genre gives us real reason to believe that Magic: The Gathering is in good hands. Shows like The Witcher, Shadow and Bone, One Piece, Wednesday, and Arcane have proved that the streamer is capable of handling sprawling narratives. Netflix has canceled several shows, but the streamer has also evolved, which is good news for MTG.

Sure, The Witcher isn’t perfect, but it is still a solid fantasy series. Arcane, which is arguably the best fantasy show on Netflix, has demonstrated that the genre sometimes works better in animation.

MTG is known for its dense mythology and expansive multiverse, and bringing something that massive to the small screen will be a huge task. Thankfully, Magic: The Gathering will be arriving at a time when Netflix has refined its fantasy storytelling methods.