NBC has given the green light to a television adaptation of the popular word game 'Wordle', set to premiere in 2027. The series will be hosted by 'Today' anchor Savannah Guthrie and produced by Jimmy Fallon and The New York Times, which owns the original mobile game.
Guthrie and Fallon announced the news during Monday's broadcast of 'Today'. Guthrie, an avid Wordle player herself, returned to the show on April 6 after a hiatus following the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother. The search for her mother is ongoing.
According to NBC, the TV version 'challenges players to solve five-letter word puzzles in a supersized battle of smarts, speed and fun'. Contestants will team up in squads and compete head-to-head for a cash prize. Production is set to begin later this year, with a casting call already open.
Jonathan Knight, head of games at The New York Times, said the show aims to translate the social experience of playing Wordle with friends. The series is executive produced by Jimmy Fallon via his Electric Hot Dog banner, alongside Jim Juvonen, Caitlin Roper, Knight, and showrunner Wes Kauble.
Fallon praised Guthrie's 'intelligence, charm and warmth', while NBC executives highlighted the show as a natural extension of the network's game show legacy. The original Wordle game was created by Josh Wardle in 2021 and acquired by The New York Times in 2022, attracting millions of daily players.
