Netflix’s animated Magic: The Gathering series, officially titled PLANESWALKER, is scheduled for release in 2027 with different art styles depending on the plane, as reported by PC Gamer.
The epic fantasy saga follows Chandra, a volatile pyromancer hunted for her gifts, alongside a party of planeswalkers trying to prevent a war from consuming the entire multiverse. Terry Matalas serves as showrunner, with Cindy Appel as co-showrunner.
Development spans multiple years since the initial 2019 announcement led by the Russo Brothers. After creative differences prompted their departure and subsequent shelving rumors, Netflix revived the project with a new creative team.
Production Shifts from Russo Brothers to Terry Matalas
The project was initially announced in 2019 with the MCU’s Russo Brothers at the helm, though they left a couple of years later due to creative differences. The production sat quietly until Brandon Routh mentioned in an unrelated interview that the project had been binned.
Netflix announced soon after that the animated series was moving forward with Terry Matalas of Star Trek: Picard and the 12 Monkeys TV series as its head showrunner. A teaser image showed pyromancer Chandra and leonin Ajani Goldmane silhouetted against a red sky.
Now, a sneak peek trailer features Wizards of the Coast staff alongside early development art and footage of Ajani and Chandra. Animation studio Digic handles the production based on Wizards of the Coast’s intellectual property.
Each Plane Features Unique Visual Styles
Executive producer and supervising director Patrick Osborne outlined the visual approach in the trailer footage. “All the planes exist in their own pocket universe. That comes with culture, design language, architecture, and we’re even making the film-making style different depending on where it is,” Osborne told PC Gamer.
The montage featured 3D props including a car resembling an art deco Batmobile from New Capenna. Terry Matalas described the world-building philosophy in the trailer footage.
Matalas said that each one of these cards is a window into an incredible world and that it is not just world building—it’s worlds building.
This aesthetic mirrors the card game itself, where individual artists apply unique visual interpretations to distinct planes.
Showrunners Lead Project Slated for 2027 Release
Cindy Appel joins as co-showrunner alongside Matalas. Executive producers include Matalas, Appel, and Patrick Osborne, while Gabriel Marano serves as executive producer and Lauren Chavez-Myers as co-executive producer for Hasbro Entertainment. Daisy West acts as producer.
PLANESWALKER is scheduled for release in 2027, according to Magic Official Announcements. Meanwhile, a live-action Magic: The Gathering movie remains in development alongside the animated series.
