Dungeon Crawler Carl Animated Series Potential After Seth MacFarlane's Adaptation Gets Exciting Update From Matt Dinnaman

Image via Amazon Published Oct 21, 2026, 2:20 PM EDT Jordan is the Senior Editor for Movies & TV News at Screen Rant. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Media Studies. An editor, writer, and digital media specialist based in New York City, you can also find her bylines on Business Insider. Jordan originally hails from Washington State, giving her an undying loyalty to any Seattle sports team, though she's also spent time in Virginia, Oregon, and New Orleans. She runs on coffee and classic movies, taking pride in having seen every film on AFI's 100 Greatest Films list and every Best Picture Oscar winner. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Peacock's new live-action Dungeon Crawler Carl series may just be the start of the franchise's screen adaptations. In June 2026, Peacock officially ordered a live-action Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show, with Seth MacFarlane's Fuzzy Door company on board to produce. Based on author Matt Dinnaman's eight-book (and growing) series originally published in 2020, the live-action take on Dungeon Crawler Carl was in the works for years with Universal prior to getting the green light a few months ago. While the focus now is on the live-action series, Dinnaman is still keeping the door open for subsequent adaptation opportunities in different formats. At NYCC 2026's "From Page to Screen" panel, attended by ScreenRant's Jordan Williams, Matt Dinnaman moderated a conversation with Universal Studio Group executives Jordan Moblo, Kesley Balance, and Vivian Cannon that included exciting updates on the live-action Peacock series' progress, as well as potential future projects. Toward the end of the conversation, the panelists were asked about why Universal chose to adapt Dungeon Crawler Carl for live-action rather than animation, with Dinnaman pointing out that although he thinks "live-action is cooler," a future animated show isn't off the table: Matt Dinnaman: "I think live-action is cooler than animation, personally. I strongly feel if we attempt a live-action show and it doesn’t do great, that doesn’t preclude the idea that we might not do an animated show." Live-action was the priority for Dungeon Crawler Carl's first major on-screen iteration, but an expansion into animation could still be in the cards. While Dungeon Crawler Carl's first TV series is on track for success with widespread early anticipation for the Seth MacFarlane-produced fantasy project, Dinnaman clarifies that the show potentially underperforming wouldn't stop him from working on future adaptations. If the live-action format ultimately doesn't work for Dungeon Crawler Carl, the franchise may then find a more fitting medium in animation to bring the expansive fantasy world to life. Several sci-fi and fantasy franchises have already found or are currently looking to move to animation for new TV adaptations, with some recent hit examples including Prime Video's The Legend of Vox Machina and Netflix's Stranger Things: Tales from '85. Meanwhile, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk are working on an animated revival of the classic series Firefly. Credit: Dandy HouseCredit: Dandy HouseImage via Amazon During the panel, Universal Studio Group's EVP of Creative Acquisitions & IP Management, Jordan Moblo, reaffirmed the studio's confidence behind Dungeon Crawler Carl being adapted for live-action. When taking into consideration story cliffhangers, episode total, the potential number of seasons, and the budget, Moblo "felt confident that [Universal] could produce great live-action that could do the source material right." The Universal executives also confirmed that Dungeon Crawler Carl's live-action series will begin filming in 2027, with the writers room having already been in session for several weeks. While the studio is already seeing drafts and outlines of scripts for season 1, they've also been given the whole series pitch. At the same time that the writers room is in motion, Universal is in prep hiring production designers and directors. Peacock has yet to announce the intended release window for Dungeon Crawler Carl, with Dinnaman also clarifying that Carl has not been cast for the series. So far, the only confirmed cast member for the live-action show is Dungeon Crawler Carl's audiobook series narrator Jeff Hays, who will voice the fan-favorite cat Princess Donut.