In a surprising turn of events, fans of the Duke Nukem franchise are in for a treat as Adi Shankar, showrunner of Castlevania and Devil May Cry's TV adaptations at Netflix, has revealed that he has "bought the rights to Duke Nukem" from Gearbox. This latest development suggests that fans may be getting a TV adaptation of the game series rather than a new video game, which has been dormant since 2011's critically panned Duke Nukem Forever.
The character of Duke Nukem first appeared in 1991's Duke Nukem, but it wasn't until 1996's Duke Nukem 3D that he truly exploded in popularity. The game redesigned the character as a caricature of a foul-mouthed action hero, making him one of the best boomer shooter protagonists ever. However, by the time 2011's Duke Nukem Forever emerged after a 14-year development cycle, some felt the character was dated.
Shankar's vision for Duke Nukem is clear: "a middle finger to everybody." He believes that Duke Nukem can't be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it's no longer Duke Nukem. This specific set of things made Duke Nukem so popular in the first place, and any potential adaptation would need to capture this tone. It's easy to get wrong, but when it works, there's nothing quite like it.
While the video game side of things has remained dormant since 2011's Duke Nukem Forever, fans have been left to create their own fan projects to get their fix of foul-mouthed action. Hopefully, a great TV adaptation will help to fill the void left by the lack of new video game content.
With 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. The TV adaptation is expected to capture the essence of what made Duke Nukem so popular in the first place and bring it to a new generation of fans.
In conclusion, while fans may not be getting a new video game in the near future, they can look forward to a TV adaptation that promises to be just as outrageous and hilarious as the original games. With Shankar at the helm, it's safe to say that Duke Nukem fans can expect a treat that will make them proud to be part of the franchise once again.
