As the success of both The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon indicate, this is a very good age for epic fantasy on the screen. Given this, it’s not surprising that many are looking to some other popular fantasy series to see which ones might make for another great adaptation.
The users of Reddit have been particularly vocal about what they see as the best possible candidates for these adventures. From sprawling epics to satire, the world of fantasy storytelling still has a lot of potential for adaptation, if it is given to the right writers with the right budget.
Daevabad Trilogy - S.A. Chakraborty
There’s much to recommend about the Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty. Most importantly, it draws from Middle Eastern mythology and folklore, an area not often explored with fantasy. It also has a compelling heroine with a hidden lineage, lots of adventure, and some propulsive narrative.
Small wonder that natassia74 says: “The Daevabad Trilogy could work well while being sufficiently different to stand out.” While the TV landscape is quite populated with fantasy at this moment, this series’ particular emphasis on Middle Eastern folklore would allow it to stand out from the crowd and become one of the best recent fantasy series.
Kushiel’s Dart - Jacqueline Carey
The Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey has a great deal of potential for a screen adaptation. Lushly told, with numerous twists and turns, it follows the courtesan Phedre as she navigates the fraught royal court, all while contending with Kushiel’s Dart, which allows her to feel pain as pleasure.
Awar01 has this to say about its potential: “Yes, with GOT level production quality or even slightly lower it has potential to be a great adaptation.” With its emphasis on sex, it would definitely appeal to the fans of Bridgerton (one of Netflix’s best series), as well as House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones.
The Dragonriders Of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
The Dragonriders of Pern series has long been beloved among the fantasy community. With its skilled blend of fantasy and science fiction elements, it was particularly popular among young genre fans in the 1980s and into the 1990s.
Tamberleigh is particularly enthusiastic about adapting this series, for as they say: “The original trilogy with/or the Harper Hall trilogy would be fun. I'd love to see the Harper Hall series done.” Given how the Pern series is often very close to young adult territory, and given the frequent popularity of this particular genre of fantasy, a Pern series would no doubt be very successful in today’s television landscape, not to mention the concept of dragons in science fiction not having ever been done on the screen before.
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is a true giant in the world of fantasy. Much of this stems from the tremendous success of his Mistborn fantasy, which takes the narrative elements associated with “chosen one” fantasy and layers into a very complex and rich magical system.
MostlyUnserious puts the series’ appeal this way: “Visually interesting setting and magic... a story that is just complex enough to become an engaging series, and colorful main casts neither too large nor too limited.” With the type of budget associated with a streamer like Netflix, particularly in their adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, this could very well become a tremendous phenomenon.
The Faithful And The Fallen - John Gwynne
In addition to being one of the best shows on HBO, Game of Thrones is also a very strong example of the darker strain of fantasy. Those who enjoy this element of it would also rejoice to see The Faithful and the Fallen brought to screen, as peachypompom points out.
Brutal and dark as it can be at times, Gwynne’s work is also very much about the fight against evil, and his characters emerge as fully fleshed-out individuals. There would certainly be a great deal for writers and producers to work within their adaptation.
Codex Alera - Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher is one of the most talented people working in contemporary fantasy. His Codex Alera series is a strange but delightful mix of Pokémon and ancient Rome, and thus it has a number of elements that would make it an ideal choice for a screen adaptation.
ABCBA_4321 writes: “I could see it being made into a TV series and being a bit popular in between due to it being pretty similar to Pokémon and Gladiator (2000).” Because it so neatly straddles the pleasures associated with both video games and with epic storytelling, an adaptation of this one, particularly in the form of a series of movies, would be almost guaranteed to be a success.
Earthsea - Ursula K. LeGuin
The works of Ursula K. LeGuin are some of the most famous and influential in the world of fantasy, and her series of Earthsea is particularly beloved among fantasy fans. Beautifully told, it stands head and shoulders above most of the rest of the genre.
As curiouscat puts it: “No one will do it right, but Earthsea would make an absolutely fantastic trilogy of movies.” Though there would be many challenges entailed in such a production, the payoff could be quite enormous. In the right hands, such movies could become among the best fantasy movies.
Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Before his passing, Terry Pratchett was one of the most beloved writers in mainstream fiction, let alone the fantasy genre. His Discworld series is enduringly popular, due to both its innate sense of humor and its light touch.
CountMontello has this to say about a potential adaptation: “Discworld anthology series, ideally a mix of animated and live action with very different styles for each episode.” The beauty of Discworld is that it is expansive enough, and has enough volumes in the series, that those who adapt it would have a great deal to work with to keep fans happy while also drawing in new ones.
Shades Of Magic - V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series is a skilled blend of fantasy and history, in which several universes collide. It is also quite well-told, with characters that it’s easy to care for but who are also complicated and at times irritating. The series thus has all the makings of a strong modern fantasy adaptation.
Khosekh argues: “I think VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic series could work well as a tv series.” The series’ complex plotting would certainly lend itself to the episodic nature of television storytelling. It is also the sort of very immersive fantasy world that fans could lose themselves in very easily.
Memory, Sorrow, And Thorn - Tad Williams
When it comes to epic fantasy storytelling, few authors have achieved as much fame as Tad Williams. With his series Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, he managed to inject some new energy into the traditions of the genre.
Though this series hits all the notes one would expect, this is precisely what would make it such an ideal candidate for a series adaptation, as bjason_14 points out. In fact, there is much about this particular series that is designed to appeal to both fans of high fantasy and some of the grittier elements that have become very popular in the wake of Game of Thrones.