Warning: This article contains spoilers for Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves isn’t the only media that’s based on the popular Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Other shows like The Big Bang Theory, The Legend of Vox Machina, and Stranger Things have used the iconic board game in their shows, either as just a side activity or actively playing a role in the show’s main plot.
Out of all the monsters that have emerged through these D&D-inspired shows, the Demogorgon managed to capture the minds of those who were unaware of what this game was. While most people will know this creature based on its Stranger Things appearance, it actually debuted in 1976 according to Wizards of the Coast. So knowing the influence that Stranger Things had in the D&D scene, will any of the show’s creatures appear in the film?
Will any Stranger Things creatures appear in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?
Dungeons & Dragons is a popular tabletop roleplaying game that introduced a handful of creatures, and some of these creatures’ names made their way to Netflix’s Stranger Things, most specifically the Demogorgon. However, the way the Demogorgon looked in the Netflix series is very different from the one in the original games.
In the games, the Demogorgon is a demon lord with a reptilian or monkey-like appearance, depending on the D&D edition being played. It’s most commonly described as a baboon-like-two-headed creature with tentacles and a scaley body. According to its official stats, it’s very strong, very fast, and resistant to magical abilities.
Alongside the Demogorgon, other creatures were introduced in Stranger Things like the Mind Flayer, Vecna, and the Demobats. And while it would have been cool to see them come to life in Honor Among Thieves, these creatures do not play a role in the 2023 fantasy film.
It makes sense as to why none of those creatures appeared in the film. While these creatures did take their names based on Dungeons and Dragons‘ official “Forgotten Realms” campaign, created by Ed Greenwood, the way these creatures act and behave is based on Netflix’s IP. And since this film is based on the original tabletop game, none of Netflix’s characters are allowed to make their way into the film unless they have their original D&D appearance.
Speaking of these creatures’ original forms, none of them played a role in the film either. This is more likely due to the fact that this film is based on the surface world, meaning there was no journey to the abyss or the heavens and hells. The closest thing this film had to the supernatural is the use of necromancy spells but that’s it.
Perhaps these creatures would come in a sequel or later installment of the Dungeons & Dragons films. But for now, it’s pretty much all surface level, and want to showcase more notable creatures that D&D players may recognize. So don’t expect to see Vecna to kill random village folk or Demogorgons kidnapping children in this film.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is now showing in theaters.