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Is a Critical Role live-action adaptation on the way? It's a hot topic of conversation among fans of the TTRPG liveplay series after the cast's appearance at Emerald City Comic Con 2026, where cast member Sam Riegel (very vaguely) teased out some film and TV projects that were on the way from Critical Role Productions. But was one of those projects a live-action adaptation of one of the fantasy adventures set in Exandria, the realm Critical Role has been roleplaying for over a decade now? 

We have your answer here - but if you're hoping it means you get to see a Hollywood A-Lister in Fjord Stone make-up, prepare for disappointment. 

Much of the discussion regarding a Critical Role live-action TV show comes from an interview we did with OG Rolers Riegel, Matt Mercer, and Travis Willingham. During our chat, we asked for updates on an animated TV project that Riegel had told Rolling Stone about in 2024. Was it still in production?

"That statement remains true to this day," Riegel confirmed. But it's important to note here - Riegel told the Rollling Stone (and reaffirmed to us) that is project is both A.) an animated series and B.) not an adaptation of Critical Role's first 3 core campaigns or their spinoffs, the Exandria Unlimited series. The exact quote, actually, is that the in-development  "has nothing to do with the world of Exandria."

But Riegel wasn't done.

"We also have other stuff that we're developing," he continued, "We have a live-action television series that we're developing. We're about to pitch - I don't even know if you guys know - we're about to pitch a movie." 

Now, you may recall Popverse already reporting on that movie he mentioned bit a few weeks back. During the Critical Role ECCC '26 panel that followed the day after our interview, Riegel brought up the movie again, teasing that it would take place during the Exandria prequel era referred to as The Calamity, which debuted in the Exandria Unlimited actual play spinoffs.

But setting that aside - you're probably reading back over the quote above and screaming, 'He did confirm a live-action TV series; it's right there!,' and I absolutely have to agree with you, eager Critter. I just also, unfortunately, have to point out that Riegel does not say this live-action series is set in Exandria, or for that matter, even a fantasy project. 

Of course, it's entirely possible that that is exactly what Riegel meant by a live-action show in development, and that someone's photoshopping a picture of Jack Black to see what he'd look like as Scanlan Shorthalt behind the scenes at Prime Video right now. What we'd like to push back on is the idea that Riegel confirmed as much with his comments.  

And even if that isn't the case; isn't the idea of Critical Role working on a live-action series - no matter what form it takes - exciting enough? Remember, when the team started formulating a scifi workplace comedy a little while ago, the end result was a superhero satire that we're pretty sure is catching on.

But go ahead and Google 'Dispatch' to see for yourself. 

Watch Popverse's full interview with Critical Role's Matthew Mercer, Travis Willingham, and Sam Riegel from Emerald City Comic Con 2026 right here.

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With two animated series on Prime Video, Campaign 4 in full swing, and so much more Exandrian lore to come, Critical Role is showing no signs of slowing down. That's why the adventuring party at Popverse are here to bring you everything we can from those nerdy-ass voice actors & Bo., including:

• Critical Role release schedule
• Critical Role's Campaign 4 characters ranked
• How to watch Critical Role in order
• Ways for you to relive the Critical Role panel from ECCC '26
• Taliesin Jaffe on playing Mollymauk Tealeaf for Campaign 2 vs. playing him for Prime Video
• Matt Mercer's homebrew warrior class (created originally for Vin Diesel)

...and much, much more. Roll initiative, player. Magic awaits.