Through Netflix, producer Adi Shankar has already adapted Castlevania and Devil May Cry as anime series. Now, Shankar has revealed that he’s picked up the rights for Duke Nukem, the first-person shooter franchise with a very dirty sense of humor created by developer 3D Realms.
“I bought the rights to Duke Nukem,” said Shankar during an interview with Esquire. “Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox… It’s 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 unclear how or if Shankar’s deal with Gearbox affects the live-action Duke Nukem movie in development at Legendary with the creators of Cobra Kai. That project hasn’t had many updates since it was announced in 2022. Similarly, the most recent game in the franchise, Duke Nukem Forever, was released in 2011, and there haven’t been any new Duke Nukem games, or talk of making any sequels, since.