Disney+ is moving forward with its live-action adaptation of Christopher Paolini's beloved fantasy novel Eragon, bringing on experienced television creators to helm the project. The streaming service has appointed Todd Harthan and Todd Helbing as co-showrunners for the series, which has been in development since it was first reported in 2022.
According to Variety, Harthan will also serve as co-creator alongside Paolini, with both joining Helbing as executive producers on the project. Harthan is currently the showrunner for ABC's High Potential and has an overall deal at 20th Television. His previous credits include creating Fox's Rosewood and working on series such as Psych, The Resident, and The Company You Keep. Helbing, known for co-creating and showrunning The CW's Superman & Lois, has a background that includes work on The Flash, Black Sails, Spartacus, and Smallville. He is also developing Mech Cadets for Disney+ with Brent Fletcher.
Adding further creative weight to the production, filmmaker Marc Webb has boarded the series as an executive producer. Webb is recognized for directing films including (500) Days of Summer, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Gifted, as well as television episodes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Limitless, and High Potential. Additional executive producers include Rachel Moore and Bert Salke, the latter producing via his Co-Lab 21 banner. The series is being produced by 20th Television, which has optioned the rights to the entire Inheritance Cycle book series.
When destiny selects an ordinary teenager to become the first Dragon Rider in over a hundred years, he must forge an unbreakable bond with his dragon, master ancient magic, and challenge the mad king who destroyed the Riders.
This official logline captures the epic scope of the story, which follows young Eragon as he discovers a dragon egg and embarks on a journey that could reshape the fate of his world, Alagaësia. The adaptation promises to bring Paolini's richly detailed universe to life on screen, complete with dragons, ancient magic, and a battle against tyrannical forces.
The project represents a significant step forward for the long-gestating adaptation. Paolini, who began writing Eragon as a teenager, has been involved in the development process, ensuring the series stays true to the source material that has captivated readers for two decades. With a creative team blending expertise in genre storytelling, character-driven drama, and visual spectacle, the series aims to deliver a faithful yet expansive take on the fantasy saga.
Eragon is the first of the four Inheritance Cycle books, followed by Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. The books have collectively sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Eragon was previously adapted into a film of the same name in 2006 with Ed Speleers as Eragon, Rachel Weisz as the voice of Saphira, Jeremy Irons as Brom, and John Malkovich as Galbatorix. The film was widely panned by critics upon its release and grossed approximately $250 million at the worldwide box office against a reported budget of $100 million. In 2021, fans of the books began using the hashtag #EragonRemake in an effort to get Disney to produce a series version given their disappointment with the film.
As the Eragon Disney+ series continues in development, the addition of Harthan, Helbing, Webb, and the rest of the team signals strong momentum for bringing this iconic fantasy world to a new generation of viewers. While no release date or casting details have been announced, the project's progress highlights Disney+'s ongoing commitment to adapting high-profile literary properties into ambitious streaming series.
