Wow, 2026 May Be The Biggest & Best Year For Fantasy TV We've Ever Seen

Fantasy is beginning to make its mark on the world of television, with 2026 promising to be the biggest year for the genre yet. In decades past, major fantasy properties were contained predominantly to film, and prior to this, it was literature that was known for containing stories about wizards, magic, and dragons. However, as the genre has become more popular, more fantasy TV shows have emerged, allowing these stories to stretch far beyond the limits of a movie. Now, several properties have TV shows in development, and by 2026, their stories will be ruling the airwaves.

The first couple decades of the 2000s were ruled by fantasy movies. The Harry Potter movies got the ball rolling with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone hitting theaters in 2001, and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings came shortly after that same year. Of course, more followed from there. Pirates of the Caribbean, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the Twilight movies continued the trend, and the 2010s saw the peak of fantasy movies. However, Game of Thrones began the transition from movie to TV, and now, several of the greatest fantasy franchises are moving to this medium.

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New Game Of Thrones, Harry Potter & Lord Of The Rings Could All Release In 2026

The Three Horsemen Of Fantasy May Release New Episodes In 2026

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The age of fantasy movies has passed, and by 2026, there should be multiple TV shows set in some of the most iconic fantasy worlds of all time in full swing. Of course, a couple have already had their start. Since the conclusion of Game of Thrones in 2019, the franchise has continued with the prequel spinoff House of the Dragon, which released its first season in 2022. That same year, another prequel spinoff, this time based on The Lord of the Rings, came to television, with Prime Video's The Rings of Power releasing its first season.

The second season of both these fantasy franchises will be released in 2024, which means that House of the Dragon and Rings of Power season 3 can be expected in 2026. Coincidentally, this is also when another major fantasy TV show is scheduled to be released. HBO has made 2026 its target for the first season of its TV remake of the Harry Potter book and movie series, which means that this could become one of the most significant years in fantasy since the early 2000s. As three of the greatest fantasy franchises of all time, new installments of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones should keep fans happy in 2026.

Even Game Of Thrones & LOTR May Struggle Against Harry Potter

Anticipation Is High For Harry Potter's Premiere In 2026

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As exciting as it will be to get episodes of these three fantasy properties all in the same year, House of the Dragon and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power may have difficulty keeping up with Harry Potter. Though anticipation for both series has been high after their first seasons in 2022, the same may not be as true by 2026. By this point, House of the Dragon and Rings of Power will be a few seasons in, which means the novelty will have worn down slightly. On the other hand, the Harry Potter TV show will be the first return to Harry's story in nearly 20 years, and that will be a pretty big deal.

If HBO achieves its goal and releases season 1 of the Harry Potter TV show in 2026, it will have been 15 years since Harry's character was on screen.

The last Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was released to theaters in 2011. Therefore, if HBO achieves its goal and releases season 1 of the Harry Potter TV show in 2026, it will have been 15 years since Harry's character was on screen. Combined with the fact that Warner Bros and HBO announced their new TV show in 2023, there will be a lot of built-up anticipation by 2026. Ultimately, this means that Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings will struggle to compete.

House of the Dragon is currently available to stream on Max, while The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power can be found on Prime Video.

2026's Biggest Fantasy Shows Highlight How Replacements Have Struggled

Newer Fantasies Haven't Reached The Same Level Of Notariety As The Big Three

After a decade of movie makers and showrunners trying out different things, we are right back where we started.

It's somewhat ironic that going into 2026, the most significant fantasy shows will be part of the same IP that had audiences in a grip hold a decade ago. It seems that we are a little stuck in the worlds of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter since, after a decade of movie makers and showrunners trying out different things, we are right back where we started. This demonstrates just how high the bar was set by these beloved fantasy movies and TV shows and how impossible it has been for new projects to hold up in comparison.

Related An Estimated Timeline For Each Season Of HBO's Harry Potter TV Remake (Based On Warner Bros' New Release Window) Warner Bros has revealed its hopeful release window for the Harry Potter TV remake, which allows us to estimate what years each season will stream.

If ever a movie or show was released that featured a young magical "chosen one," it was regarded as the "next Harry Potter," and those shoes were often to big to fill. A politically fueled fantasy would never escape Game of Thrones' shadow, while any fantasy featuring the benchmark races and world structure of Lord of the Rings faced a similar problem. Of course, there have been a few successful fantasy projects thrown into the mix, and in another decade, there are likely to be reboots and sequels in their honor. For now, however, 2026 will still be ruled by these three horsemen of fantasy.