House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power have been the biggest fantasy TV series in recent years. Both shows are slated for third seasons around 2026. But while fans eagerly anticipate the return of these two powerhouses, the genre seems to have hit a lull. New projects are always in talks but following through and replicating House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power‘s success might prove challenging. What is it about these shows that drew in millions of fans? And what will be the next big thing to hit screens?

The Book-to-Screen Pipeline

One of the greatest contributors to the success of the aforementioned series is their status as adaptations. More specifically, these two shows are adaptations of adaptations of adaptations. Most fantasy fans will be familiar with Game of Thrones and Lord of the rings. Both began as book series that are still highly revered to this day. HBO then took Game of Thrones to the television screen, leaving a massive impact on pop culture. Despite its lackluster finish, Game of Thrones changed the landscape of Fantasy TV. Not only did it positively affect HBO financially, its budget and unflinching treatment of its characters made it stand out among competitors. Similarly, The Lord of the Rings movies are staples with fans inside and out of the fantasy genre.

The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon benefitted from built-in fanbases. Book fans tend to straddle the line of excitement and trepidation when it comes to adaptation. Regardless of their feelings, however, these fans are invested in the adaptation from the first announcement. Both The Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings original adaptations were guaranteed to have people watching so they only had to follow through. And that they did. Double the guaranteed audience and you get the reception for The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon. Now, not only did these shows have book audiences tuning in, they also had fans of the original tv and movie adaptations waiting to see the spin-offs. Adaptations like Wheel of Time are further proof of the success garnered by book-to-movie adaptations.

Universal Appeal

These books also have diverse fanbases. People young and old, regardless of gender read the Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings books. The TV and movie adaptations only widened their appeal. Other adaptations, such as Shadow and Bone, were well-done and well-loved by book fans but didn’t make as big of an impact outside of the loyal fanbase. This might be due to the books being in the Young Adult genre, aside from being less popular, appealing to less viewers on first glance.

There have been successful original fantasy TV series. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and, more recently, Arcane. These shows have done incredibly well for themselves. However, looking forward, it seems like book adaptations could be the goldmine for the future of fantasy TV. Especially when the books have a steadfast and diverse fanbase.

Confirmed New Fantasy TV Series

Here are some confirmed series:

  • A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be the second prequel series to Game of Thrones. It is based on The Hedge Knight, a George R.R. Martin novella that follows a knight and squire duo. Given its place in this expansive universe, the show could gain popularity similar to that of its predecessors. 2026 is the slated release date.
  • Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order is coming October 2025. This is a new addition to the Immortal Universe. Interview with the Vampire, the TV adaptation of Rice’s books by the same name, has a loyal fanbase despite not getting the critical acclaim it deserves. Talamasca focuses on the secret society that tracks supernatural beings, including the vampires featured in the original series.
  • The new Harry Potter series should release in late 2026 or early 2027. Despite its later release date, the story’s main trio is casted, making this one a safe bet. The show will premiere on HBO, potentially giving the service its next big hit.

Frankly, the majority of new TV series coming out now fall into the sci-fi genre rather than fantasy. Of the confirmed fantasy series coming in 2025 and 2026, most are continuations of already running shows rather than new adaptations. However, there are some potential series details floating around that might have some weight to them.

Potential New Series

Rights are always acquired and potential book adaptations are always rumored but not all of them see the light. These are some of the fantasy adaptations we have details about now.

  • The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake was announced to be in the works for a TV series with Amazon in 2021. The author seemed to be involved in the process but the show’s progress is still unclear. If it ever does see the light, its potential for success is yet to be seen. It could fall into the same trap as Shadow and Bone, given its young adult target audience.
  • The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss has been in talks for years with no progress. The world-building of these books would make the perfect epic fantasy series if done right. Yet, as an article from Screen Rant points out, the series is unfinished which could cause similar problems as the final seasons of Game of Thrones.

Achieving the next Game of Thrones is no easy feat. The show had a huge budget that payed off in the end but not every show gets a return on its investment. Shows like Shadow and Bone and Wheel of Time being canceled, and adaptations like that of A Court of Thorns and Roses falling through, set an unfortunate precedent.

What Should Be the Next Hit?

What fantasy TV needs isn’t more seasons for existing shows or carbon copies of previous ones. Game of Thrones captured viewer’s hearts because it was like nothing else at the time. It was expansive and yet, each storyline and character felt connected somehow. It wasn’t afraid to be gritty or kill off its main characters. There are plenty of book series with all of these elements just waiting to be reinvented.

Brandon Sanderson’s work is probably the biggest contender. In fact, many TV and movie deals have already been made for various books of his but none continued past those early stages. The Stormlight Archive series has the most epic fantasy potential. It has strong world-building, unique characters, storylines that intertwine seamlessly, and more. However, there are several issues with adapting it. A show like this would need a lot of time and budget. With all the unique aspects of the locations and species/races of the characters, an adaptation could easily look lackluster or outright bad. Sanderson himself has also spoken about how streaming services don’t know how to handle epic fantasy. His concerns are rightful given the state of the genre.

Other book series like Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy and the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch have the potential. It’s time producers and networks stop trying to replicate what’s already been done and take a risk on something new. That could mean picking up one of these series or creating something entirely new. In either case, adapting fantasy for the screen takes commitment and a deep understanding and appreciation for the genre.