Planned by the creators of “The Witcher”: cyberpunk fantasy series based on the “Otherland” novels by Tad Williams

Tad Williams hit a nerve in 1996 with his mix of science fiction and fantasy. The four “Otherland” novels are now considered classics of their genre and in 2012 Warner Bros. secured the film rights to “Otherland”. After that, however, the planned adaptation became quiet again – until now!

The production companies Platige Image (“The Witcher”) and Mount Devil, together with “The Wheel of Time” producer Mike Weber, are planning to make a series from “Otherland”. The project has not yet been sold to a broadcaster or streaming service; the search for writers and a showrunner has only just begun Deadline

What is “Otherland” about?

The official description for “Otherland” states:

The world as we know it has an additional layer here – hyper-realistic VR arenas that have become a new place for fun, work, education, but also licentiousness, crime and abuse. The mysterious Otherland, supposedly another level of the network, becomes a mere starting point for a multi-realm adventure.

The “Inception”-like mechanics feature a series of worlds, some of which are strikingly similar to the world we know, while others represent bizarre collections of familiar creations and characters. These include intergalactic taverns, medieval fantasy worlds and World War I battlefields, to name just a few.

At first glance, “Otherland” is reminiscent of “Ready Player One” or “Westworld”. In the first “Otherland” novel, which is expected to serve as the basis for the first season of the series, children disappear into the virtual world and the rich Grail Brotherhood tries to become immortal through the “Otherland”, a special area on the Internet. Producer Mike Weber says:

I believe Tad has written the definitive work on the conflict between the human experience and technological advances. He describes a not-too-distant future in which the decision between life in the real and virtual world becomes a decision between life and death. The forward-thinking themes and fantastic characters give “Otherland” all the foundations for a next-generation science fiction drama series adaptation.

Mike Weber