Following his work on animated series like Castlevania, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and Devil May Cry for Netflix, Adi Shankar is setting his sights on another legendary video game franchise: Duke Nukem.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Shankar confirmed he has secured the adaptation rights from Gearbox, though he emphasized that his deal doesn't include the game development side. “I bought the rights to Duke Nukem. Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox,” he explained.
Shankar didn’t mince words about his creative vision either. “It’s a middle finger to everybody,” he said.
“When Duke Nukem blew up, everyone tried to turn it into a brand, when really it was just a middle finger. Duke Nukem can’t be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it’s no longer Duke Nukem. I don’t intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.”
Though it remains unclear if this adaptation will land at Netflix or elsewhere, Shankar’s fiercely independent approach signals a bold, no-holds-barred return for the wisecracking anti-hero.
First introduced in 1991, the Duke Nukem franchise spans more than 20 titles, including console spin-offs like Time to Kill and the long-delayed Duke Nukem Forever (2011). Known for its brash protagonist, over-the-top action, and pop culture-laced humor, the series became a cornerstone of '90s gaming.
Released in 1996, Duke Nukem 3D pushed the genre forward with its highly interactive environments, allowing players to flush toilets, smash mirrors, and explore destructible spaces in ways previously unseen.
Its non-linear level design encouraged creativity and rewarded exploration, while the game’s arsenal, featuring inventive weapons like the Shrink Ray, made every firefight uniquely memorable.
Add to that a heavy dose of edgy humor, pop culture nods, and an unapologetically over-the-top tone, and it’s clear why the Duke Nukem series carved out a distinct legacy in gaming, especially during the golden age of 1990s PC shooters.
Adi Shankar has built a reputation for crafting stories steeped in stylized violence, mature themes, and gritty, hard-edged storytelling, qualities that align perfectly with the bombastic world of Duke Nukem. Known for pushing boundaries, Shankar often takes familiar properties and reimagines them through a darker, more adult lens.
For instance, his Bootleg Universe fan films, including the viral POWER/RANGERS, showcase his flair for transforming established franchises into bold, satirical, and R-rated interpretations.
Given Duke Nukem’s explosive action, outrageous humor, and unapologetic flair for excess, Adi Shankar’s gritty, no-limits creative approach might be exactly what the character needs to thrive in a modern (presumably) animated adaptation.