Upcoming tv fantasy series that could be the next game of thrones

**Rhialto** · 02-19-2019

THE LATEST: FIRST LORD OF THE RINGS ART RELEASED — ONE MAP TO RULE THEM ALL. FIND OUT WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THE SERIES. PLUS, GOOD OMENS UPDATE, NEW WITCHER SERIES CAST, AND CHRONICLES OF NARNIA NEWS.

fantasy-tv-main-image-split-2-700x380.jpg

TV is set for an onslaught of high-profile fantasy epics come 2019, and we at Rotten Tomatoes can’t wait. Witness the buzz around The Lord of the Rings television series in development at Amazon — acquired for $250 million and expected to ultimately cost more than $1 billion — the Gormenghast series announced in early April by FreemantleMedia North America, and Netflix’s new take on the Arthur legend, Cursed. It’s a big change from the genre’s historical position in the medium.

It may be strange to think of it now, but Game of Thrones was a risky proposition when HBO first began development of the series, and its prospects were buoyed by the fact that its more fantastic elements appeared later in the narrative (we had to wait so long for those dragons). Prior to that, fantasy was relegated to syndicated fare like Conan the Adventurer and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Xena: Warrior Princess was an outlier in terms of quality storytelling, but its occasionally cheesy effects proved to the television executives that fantasy TV was too expensive, while other series proved it was often built on poor story standards. GoT changed that perception, even if the fantasy shows that emerged in its wake — The Shannara Chronicles and Shadowhunters for example — proved closer in story quality to the BeastMaster television series.

But The Lord of the Rings, Gormenghast, and Cursed are not the only promising fantasy series in development at the moment. A number of classic fantasy epics and novels will become television thanks to the power of streaming services like Amazon, cable options like BBC America, and others outlets that are worth spotlighting. There are also a few notable series not yet scooped up by the powers in television that we think should get the TV treatment as soon as possible. So here are 13 fantasy epics set to hit your screen soon and three more we hope will follow them.

FireShot Capture 072 - Upcoming TV Fantasy Series That Could_ - https___editorial.rottentomatoes.jpg

FireShot Capture 073 - Upcoming TV Fantasy Series That Could_ - https___editorial.rottentomatoes.jpg

FireShot Capture 074 - Upcoming TV Fantasy Series That Could_ - https___editorial.rottentomatoes.jpg

FireShot Capture 075 - Upcoming TV Fantasy Series That Could_ - https___editorial.rottentomatoes.jpg