Kingkiller Chronicle TV Series Release Date and Cast for the Troubled Show

It seems like every TV network is looking for the next Game of Thrones and Lin Manuel Miranda is trying to give it to them. The Renaissance man responsible for Broadway sensation Hamilton and upcoming star of HBO’s His Dark Materials has been developing a screen adaptation of The Kingkiller Chronicle, a series of books by author Patrick Rothfuss.

After an intense bidding war the show originally found its home at Showtime. However, The Hollywood Reporter revealed on Monday that Showtime passed on the series. So while Kingkiller works on finding a home, here’s everything you need to know about the series ahead of its (eventual) production.

What Is “The Kingkiller Chronicle”?

“The Kingkiller Chronicle” is a trilogy of fantasy novels by author Patrick Rothfuss. The first two books, The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear, were released in 2007 and 2011 respectively. The third book, The Doors of Stone, is set for release in 2020.

The books are framed as the transcription of the oral autobiography of a man named Kvothe, an adventurer and musician of the land of Temerant currently living a life of anonymity as an innkeeper. Kvothe is a gifted user of magic and the books chronicle his rise in the field as well as his exploits as an adventurer taking on evil forces and exploring the world of Temerant.

Is There a Release Date Yet For “The Kingkiller Chronicle” Show?

Nope. For now, the series is still in limbo. Until a network picks it up and production begins, don’t expect a release date anytime soon.

Is There a Trailer For “The Kingkiller Chronicle” Show?

Again, no. Production hasn’t even started. Though you could always read the books (or even just the summary on the back). That’s sort of like a trailer, right?

Who’s In the Cast For “The Kingkiller Chronicle” Show?

No idea. The show likely hasn’t begun casting yet, though maybe if we’re lucky Miranda will play a role in the show he’s determined to produce.

Who’s Making “The Kingkiller Chronicle” Show?

Right now, the brains behind the operation is Lin Manuel Miranda. He’ll be serving as the executive producer of the show. Two notable names will be working alongside him as executive producers as well, the first being the author Patrick Rothfuss himself. The other is John Rogers, a writer responsible for, among other things, Leverage, The Librarians, and The Jackie Chan Adventures animated series. Rogers has acted as the screenwriter for the pilot included in the series proposal. Miranda will also be serving as musical composer.

What Network Will “The Kingkiller Chronicle” Show Be On?

When the show was first proposed back in 2017 it was met with a bidding war, with multiple networks attempting to secure the production rights. It eventually landed at Showtime, who aimed to produce it in tandem with Lionsgate (though a full series order was never given). However, as of September 2019, Showtime has decided to pass on the series without ever putting it into production.

The producers of the show are now shopping it around to other networks with a rumor that Apple is interested in picking up the series for its upcoming streaming service.

Is It Just A TV Show?

While the TV adaptation looks to be furthest along in development, it’s not the only part of the plan. Lionsgate intends to work in tandem with whoever ends up developing the series to produce not only a television show but also expand the story into movies and video games. While hardly any details are available at the moment regarding a film adaptation, Spider-Man and Evil Dead mastermind Sam Raimi was announced as the intended director in January of 2018, though reports later that year claimed Raimi was no longer attached.

What Will The Series Adapt Of The “Kingkiller Chronicle” Story?

That’s tough to say given the scope of the universe being developed. The TV series is believed to be set a generation before the events of The Name of the Wind, effectively making it a prequel. Given this, it feels safe to assume that the events of the books would be saved for cinematic adaptations while the TV show fills out the world of Temerant and its history.