The confirmation that Adi Shankar, executive producer behind Netflix's and Castlevania anime, has bought the screen rights to Duke Nukem could prove to be excellent, albeit controversial, news for the ailing IP. While Shankar has been in the industry for many years now, typically as a showrunner and producer, he is arguably best known for his work on Netflix's adaptations of Castlevania, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and Devil May Cry. Thanks to each series receiving critical acclaim, Shankar has become a surefire thing for future adaptations, with his name already attached to the likes of Assassin's Creed, Hyper Light Drifter, and now Duke Nukem.

But while Netflix seems to have avoided the curse faced by video game adaptations and demonstrated the potential for other games to do the same, it wasn't able to do so completely unscathed. As DmC is Netflix's most recent adaptation, the controversies surrounding both Shankar and the anime could damage Duke Nukem's hopes for a comeback before it has been given a chance, especially after 2011's Duke Nukem Forever. However, while fans criticizing DmC's anime shouldn't be ignored, Shankar's track record of video game adaptations so far and Duke Nukem's potential satire and explicit content could be a winning combination.

Much like the controversies Netflix itself has caused over the years, its video game adaptations were arguably no different, as individuals working on these shows kept getting caught in scandals. With allegations of sexual misconduct against Castlevania's then-lead writer, Warren Ellis, and Shankar's lawsuit threatening to sue over claims that he was excluded from its spin-off, Castlevania: Nocturne, DmC is not the only adaptation to have been met with controversy. However, Shankar remains polarizing among fans after he based a character on the equally divisive streamer and commentator, Asmongold, with his replies echoing far-right rhetoric couched in DmC lore.

But while fans of DmC, Castlevania, or any other adaptation can try to separate art from the artist, Shankar has been accused of having a savior complex after he reacted negatively to Devil May Cry 5. Additionally, despite being the fourth most-watched Netflix show in its first week and outperforming other adaptations, like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Castlevania: Nocturne, fans have also criticized Shankar's disregard for DmC's source material, with issues raised varying between the poor development and direction of certain characters to the forced political themes and stories that were never part of the original games.

Given everything outlined so far, ranging from past controversies that Shankar has either caused or been involved with to the recent backlash against DmC, it could still be argued that he is the best fit for a Duke Nukem adaptation. For example, the faults seen by DmC's fans and its adaptation could prove to be Duke Nukem's gain, as Shankar can still explore the same militarized themes seen in DmC and overuse expletives by adapting a game famous for such content instead. Somewhat ironically, Shankar would even have the chance to do good by Duke Nukem as another dormant and far older IP after his DmC 5 backlash.

Additionally, Shankar has already proven that even games with little to no story or lore can still become successful adaptations, just as Netflix's Castlevania anime may not have worked based on source material alone. Therefore, while Shankar may have been criticized for not being faithful to the DmC games, this could again be an advantage for Duke Nukem, especially when no single game's story, characters, or enemies stand out. Better yet, a Duke Nukem adaptation could take notes from Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, leaning into the same surreal and absurd elements it shares with games like Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.