Dragonlance Is Back — Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman and Joe Manganiello Rejoin Wizards of the Coast
Dungeons & Dragons creator team members Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman were pictured with Joe Manganiello and Dan Ayoub in a photo shared by Ayoub, marking their return to Wizards of the Coast in some capacity. The image and Ayoub’s caption were posted on Twitter, and the people in the photo include Laura Hickman as well.
Who returned
The photo shows Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman and Joe Manganiello alongside Dan Ayoub. Also present in the photo is Laura Hickman, who is credited with co-creating the character Strahd von Zarovich and the Ravenloft setting.
The announcement
Dan Ayoub, the recently-appointed head of the D&D franchise at Wizards of the Coast, posted the photo to Twitter with the following caption: “When I took over D&D, I had some very specific folks I wanted to bring back to The Table. Today, I had the honor of welcoming these folks back home. Amazing things ahead .”
When I took over D&D, I had some very specific folks I wanted to bring back to The Table. Today, I had the honor of welcoming these folks back home. Amazing things ahead @JoeManganiello @WeisMargaret @trhickman @Wizards_DnD #dungeonsanddragons pic.twitter.com/kujCsp7wuq
— Dan Ayoub (@Danayoub) October 23, 2025
Past projects and context
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are the original co-creators of the Dragonlance setting, first developed for TSR in 1984. Joe Manganiello has been publicly associated with Dragonlance for years; he has previously worked with the authors on a Dragonlance TV project that was announced as canceled last year.
Additionally, Manganiello is an active D&D player and Dungeon Master who has appeared in actual-play programs. For example, his appearance on Critical Role is available to view via the linked clip. Furthermore, the 2022 D&D release Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen has been reported to include approximately 20 pages of setting background.
Meanwhile, Ayoub has been reshaping D&D leadership after the departures of creative director Chris Perkins and game director Jeremy Crawford, who left for Darrington Press.
Credits and image
Image credit listed in the original post points to artist Evyn Fong on ArtStation: Evyn Fong.
