Adi Shankar Acquires Duke Nukem Rights, Promises No-Holds-Barred Adaptation

Image: Duke Nukem (Gearbox)

Hollywood producer and showrunner Adi Shankar has acquired the rights to the iconic video game character Duke Nukem — but not for games. Instead, Shankar is planning a non-traditional adaptation under his Bootleg Universe label, with full creative control, separate from Gearbox’s gaming rights.

Shankar, best known for his animated Castlevania and Devil May Cry series on Netflix, revealed the news during an interview with Esquire. The maverick producer confirmed he’s been approached with several video game IP offers, but Duke Nukem stood out for its rebellious spirit — one that he believes can't be handled by corporate hands.

He emphasized that the character's DNA is anti-establishment and unapologetic. And that's why “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.”

That kind of raw creative energy isn’t surprising from Shankar, who’s built his career on giving animated adaptations a gritty, stylized edge. From The Guardians of Justice to Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, his work often pushes animation into bold new directions. His goal? To shape a new kind of genre — one that blends the bombast of Saturday morning cartoons with the depth of prestige TV and the intensity of R-rated cinema.

“I grew up on action-heavy Saturday cartoons,” Shankar explained. “They made me want to be here [in the U.S.]. But they were boxed in by broadcast standards, and I wondered what these stories would become if they weren’t held back.”

Meanwhile, his Devil May Cry series is gaining momentum. The first season, which featured Johnny Yong Bosch as Dante and a final voice performance from the late Kevin Conroy, was praised for its style and action. Capcom celebrated the series’ success, citing over 5.3 million views and strong critical reception. As a result, Netflix has renewed it for a second season.

Adaptation has also greatly benefited the game series, allowing its latest installment to reach an impressive new milestone. Devil May Cry 5 has surpassed 10 million units in sales, just a month after the TV series made its debut on Netflix.