Surprising Update Could Be Great News For Duke Nukem Fans

A surprising update could prove to be great news for fans who want to see the return of the Duke Nukem franchise in the future. However, it may not be the Duke Nukem comeback in the way most people would expect.

Although the character of Duke Nukem was the titular protagonist of 1991’s Duke Nukem and its 1993 sequel, it wasn’t until 1996’s Duke Nukem 3D that he exploded in popularity. For this game, the character was redesigned as a caricature of a foul-mouthed action hero, propelling him among the best boomer shooter protagonists ever. His humor instantly set Duke Nukem 3D apart from its competition, although by the time Duke Nukem Forever emerged out of a 14-year development cycle in 2011, some felt the character was dated in this regard.

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Speaking to Esquire, showrunner of Castlevania and Devil May Cry‘s TV adaptations at Netflix, Adi Shankar, revealed that he has “bought the rights to Duke Nukem,” also clarifying that it’s “Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox.” A Duke Nukem movie has been in development hell for 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 with Castlevania and Devil 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 for Duke Nukem, declaring the series “a middle finger to everybody. When Duke Nukem blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it’s just a middle finger. Duke Nukem can’t be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it’s no longer Duke Nukem. I don’t intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.” It’s a very specific set of things that made Duke Nukem so popular in 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 Nukem can’t be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it’s no longer Duke Nukem.

Over on the video game side of things, the series has remained dormant ever since 2011’s critically panned Duke Nukem Forever. There has been no suggestion that Gearbox has any intention of revisiting it, with Duke Nukem fans left to create their own fan projects to 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.