A franchise in entertainment is a series of films, television shows, books, games, or likely a combination of a few, all centering around a main story, shared universe, or one specific source material. I’m sure that there are a few major franchises that you think of when you hear this word. Some of the longest-running film franchises are Godzilla, with the first film coming out all the way back in 1954 and continuing until this year’s Godzilla vs. Kong, and James Bond, which began around the same time with books and short stories, but has since spawned many different screen renditions.
Of course, some of the most complex and long-lasting franchises are within the fantasy genre. Many of these originated with novels before transitioning to the screen once or many times. But which are the top fantasy franchises? Looking at franchises as a whole, including books, movies, and television shows, we’ve put together a list of the best of the best fantasy worlds. As a requirement, we’ve only considered material that has appeared in two types of media, and quite a few of these lean heavily into the written world. As moviemaking technology improves, we’re sure to get even more lush fantasy stories on screen, but right now, these are the most impactful, imaginative, and expansive fictional fantasy franchises.
Table of Contents
Game of Thrones
Let’s just get the obvious out of the way here. Game of Thrones began as one fantasy novel, A Game of Thrones, published by author George R. R. Martin in 1996. By 2021, there have been four further books in the series known as A Song of Ice and Fire, with two more planned, and a critically-acclaimed eight-season television show. Most people are at least familiar with the HBO TV show, a ratings hit that stars all of the best British actors working now (and a few non-Brits mixed in). Ignoring the divisive final season, Game of Thrones arguably changed television, bringing about an appreciation for genre series in a way that was never seen before. On top of that, the characters in both the TV show and the book series are complicated, flawed, and extremely interesting. Whether it’s Sansa Stark (played by Sophie Turner in the series), who goes from being a bratty teenager to an influential political leader, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), a man in a twisted relationship with his sister and kingdom who grows to realize his own wrongs, or any number of the many unique characters in the story, there’s definitely someone for everyone. Along with that, Game of Thrones brought us Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her dragons, and the show has a spinoff series, House of the Dragon, on its way in 2022, with more in development. It’s safe to say that Game of Thrones is both a notable, long-standing fantasy franchise, and one with a lot of potential to grow even more.
The Wheel of Time
Originating with the 1990 novel The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time might be familiar to longtime fans, or new to those who’ve gotten into the new television adaptation. With 14 books published by 2013, the overall series is known as The Wheel of Time, following a man who is told that he is the reincarnation of the world’s hero, destined to fight the Dark One and save everyone, or destroy it all. The universe is described as being a combination of both Earth’s past and future, with a complex, detailed magic system that explores dynamics of class, gender, and further aspects of everyday society. The bestselling book series continually expands as it goes on with new settings based on real-world locations, as well as intricate cultures and religions that truly immerse readers in the story. Now with the Amazon television series, The Wheel of Time will likely launch into the same stratosphere of popular on-screen media as Game of Thrones and some other well-known material on this list. The story has also had comic book and video and role-playing game adaptations, spreading its influence even more. Over so many years, The Wheel of Time has been able to slowly build upon itself to create one of the most illustrative and effective stories in the fantasy genre.
Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, also known as Middle-earth
Another obvious entry on this list, Middle-earth, as the fantasy world is sometimes referred to, consists of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, both the books by J. R. R. Tolkien and the films pioneered by Peter Jackson. In all honesty, if this list was ranked, Middle-earth would probably be at the top, but let’s not get into a needless debate when we are here to appreciate. Tolkien first published The Hobbit in 1937, with the three volumes making up The Lord of the Rings coming out in 1954 and 1955. Since then, the books have been a huge influence on readers everywhere, and once the movies came out, that only got stronger. It’s likely very difficult to find someone who hasn’t heard of the series, and the pristine worldbuilding has been a template for authors and screenwriters ever since. The characters, of which there is a huge amount, are also fantastic, and the villains of Sauron and Smaug are unique and incomparable to others in the genre. Just look at Frodo’s intense character arc as he fights off the will of the ring — it’s memorable and complicated, arguably making Frodo one of the best characters of all time. Along with that, the upcoming Amazon series, which has already cost them a ton of money, has the potential to be another game-changing addition to the Lord of the Rings franchise.
Conan the Barbarian
First appearing in the genre pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1932, Conan the Barbarian is a character for the ages. Created by Robert E. Howard, Conan is a man born in a fictional world of the time of ancient civilizations. He is a true, battle-born warrior who never backs down from a fight, no matter what sorts of monsters, wizards, or regular old men he may be facing. Over the years, Conan has grown to be an icon for the fantasy genre. After appearing in Howard’s stories for years, others have also written stories starring the character, with just a few such authors including Robert Jordan of The Wheel of Time, Hugo Award winner Poul Anderson, and Steve Perry, the latter having written books for a variety of well-known fictional franchises. As famous as the character is, of course Conan had to be brought to the big screen when the chance came up. Most people are probably familiar with the ’80s films Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer, both starring the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger. They were quite popular, and while there have been a few not very successful attempts to bring him to the big screen again, it’s only a matter of time before Conan comes back full force. With comics, television shows, and more as well, Conan has definitely made his mark on the fantasy genre stratosphere.
Harry Potter and the Wizarding World
The Harry Potter fantasy franchise is easily, aside from maybe Star Wars, the one on this list that has the most expansive and far-reaching universe. Starting off as a popular series of books by author J. K. Rowling, the film adaptations, of which there are eight, started with 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. But once it really got started, nothing could stop Harry Potter and its influence. The movies and books have only gotten more and more popular over the years, and the world has since expanded to include the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films, a couple of major theme parks, an internationally successful play, many video games, and a huge, devoted fanbase that have essentially created their own worldwide community of Harry Potter fans. Even if they never made any more films — though I doubt that would happen — the franchise is so well-established not just in the fantasy genre, but in the entertainment industry as a whole. Characters like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, and so many more have inspired many generations, and pretty much everyone can say which Hogwarts house they belong to. There’s literally no arguing that Harry Potter is one of the most successful fantasy franchises of all time.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Around the same time that the Harry Potter films were taking off, a lot of other Hollywood studios attempted to start their own highly successful fantasy franchise, and one of these was The Chronicles of Narnia. Written by C. S. Lewis, the original book series has seven installments total, first published throughout the 1950s. The books introduced the world to Narnia, a land filled with talking animals, magical creatures, and wardrobes that can transport you from normal, rural England to this brilliant and fantastical universe. The first book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe takes place during World War II, with four siblings escaping the war for a whole new type of danger in Narnia. There’s the White Witch, Aslan, and many more unique characters that the children meet on their adventures, and future books promise even more unbelievable action and story. The books have been adapted for the screen quite a few times, many of which have been very successful, while there have also been radio and stage programs. For younger generations, they are probably most familiar with the modern film series, which began with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005 and includes three films, and this was probably one of the only fantasy film franchises that found some sort of major success around the same time as Harry Potter. Even now, the franchise is still highly desirable, as Netflix acquired the rights a few years ago and is likely working on another adaptation. Seriously, who doesn’t want to take a trip through the wardrobe with the Pevensie children?
Star Wars
At first glance, Star Wars might not seem like a fantasy series to some, but just think about it for a second. Yes, the story takes place in space, which makes it seem science fiction, but it also has the Force, a magical power that allows people to read and control minds, use telekinesis, and do so many other things. Simply put, there’s no scientific explanation for the Force — it’s magic. Along with that, the story of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), is a classic hero adventure story that rivals Frodo’s. Like many other franchises on this list, the huge, neverending impact of Star Wars is obvious. People love this franchise, and it covers movies, comics, video games, theme parks, and television shows, with quite a few new ones on the horizon. Portraying the eternal story of the light side versus the dark side, Luke and the other heroes of the Star Wars universe never stop fighting for what’s right. Everyone who watches or consumes other Star Wars media wants to be a Jedi and wield a lightsaber, tearing down dark empires and stopping planet-destroying weapons. Beginning with the first film (what would later become known as Episode VI) in 1977, the world of Star Wars has become a major landmark in pop culture for multiple generations, and it doesn’t look like this will be stopping anytime soon.
Twilight
The Twilight Saga of books by Stephenie Meyer came out in the mid to late 2000s and took over the world. All about a shy teenager falling in love with a brooding, sparkly vampire, Twilight and the subsequent film adaptations broke records and created a level of obsession usually reserved for boy bands. Maybe this is revealing my age, but I remember all of my friends carrying around the books to read between classes in middle school (I read them too, I admit it). Sure, the story is a bit silly, but it genuinely brought new life to the vampire subgenre, making them feel new and sexy. Hey, I still want to be a vampire because of these books. All four of the book were huge bestsellers, selling more than 100 million copies worldwide and translated into dozens of languages. Even though the Twilight craze has died down in recent years, the story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen has solidified its place in entertainment history, and honestly, it seems like only a matter of time before a reboot is made. Meyer even recently published Midnight Sun, the long-awaited retelling of Twilight from Edward’s perspective, and the films had another cultural moment when they arrived on Netflix in 2021. There’s no way the world’s going to just let this franchise fade away.
His Dark Materials
If you haven’t picked up on it already, most of the major fantasy franchises begin as long-running fantasy novel series. Before moviemaking technology really picked up steam, writing to readers’ imaginations was really the only way that authors and other creators could bring these wondrous worlds to life. In the case of the His Dark Materials series, based on the books by Philip Pullman, the story involves “dæmon” companions, parallel universes, a magical substance known as “Dust,” and so much more. All of this would’ve been really hard to bring to the big screen without the help of modern CGI. Still, the books have branched out into radio, theatre, and more, before finally becoming a film in 2007. The movie got mixed responses, and major backlash from the Catholic Church influenced the decision to have no sequels. Luckily, a highly successful television adaptation was released in 2019, which has since had a second season. The show stars Dafne Keen as Lyra, while the rest of the cast includes James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson, Lin Manuel-Miranda, and many more big names. Overall, His Dark Materials is still a staple fantasy world for people of all ages, and the concepts explored in the books and adaptations are truly engrossing and impactful.
The Wizard of Oz
Most people are probably unaware that The Wizard of Oz and its many adaptations and spinoffs began as a 1900 children’s novel called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Even before the 1939 film starring Judy Garland that most people know and love, the story was adapted into several silent films and shorts, and even a musical. Following the character of Dorothy, as she is whisked away in a tornado to the magical world of Oz, The Wizard of Oz is a story about friendship, faith, and adventure. While the 1939 movie was monumental both for its portrayal of the memorable story and its use of color filmmaking, which was new at the time, the story was a hit before this, and soon enough it spread into all different mediums. After the success of the first book, Baum wrote a number of follow-up books set in the same universe. A landmark of American literature, the franchise has since grown to have a life of its own, with other original creative works based on the first story finding major success. The most prominent example of this is the musical Wicked, while there were also spinoff films and books like Return to Oz and Oz: The Great and Powerful, many of which have been major commercial successes, if not also critically successful. Overall, Oz is definitely a fantasy world for the ages.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Although Avatar: The Last Airbender is not as expansive a franchise as some others here, it’s easily just as impactful, especially for younger generations. The original animated series aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008, and was a huge success for the channel. Probably one of the earlier examples of an animated show getting a spinoff series, Avatar: The Last Airbender was followed by The Legend of Korra, which takes place a number of years after the events of the first series. Both stories take place in a world in which people can control different elements: water, earth, fire, and air. The “Avatar” that the show is named for is someone who has the ability to “bend,” or manipulate, all four elements, a powerful being who is prophesied to save the world. Every time the Avatar dies, they are reincarnated as someone else. The Legend of Korra was almost as successful as the original series, but since then, there have been no new shows. Of course, that’s all going to change soon, as Nickelodeon created a new division called Avatar Studios in early 2021, which will be devoted to creating new animated content set within the Avatar universe. There’s also a new live-action series in development at Netflix. Most people are well aware of the failure that was the 2010 film adaptation, so there’s really quite a low bar that the upcoming show has to surpass to be deemed “good.” On top of all of this, there are also video games, many comics, and a lot more, making the fantastical world of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and all the other bright and complicated animated characters one of the most popular ones around.
Marvel Comics and the MCU
While Marvel — including both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Marvel Comics — is advertised as a superhero franchise (which it is), the fact that it’s fantasy can’t be ignored. Sure, Steve Rogers and Iron Man are humans who become heroes (mostly) through normal means, but then there’s Thor, a Norse god, Doctor Strange, who is basically a wizard, Scarlet Witch and other mutants, and so many more fantasy-based characters. Some of the more mystical aspects of the Marvel franchise might take a little more digging to discover, but even the MCU is slowly wading into the more imaginative and out-of-this-world storylines from the source material, just look at Eternals and Loki. With the comics, so many different creators, whether they be writers, illustrators, or anyone else, are all able to collaborate and work within the same universe, creating a never-ending sphere of new, unique, and compelling stories and characters. Even now, new characters are added all the time, with one of the most popular new additions being Ms. Marvel, a.k.a. Kamala Khan. She’s also making her screen debut with her own series, played by actress Iman Vellani. With such freedom, anyone can find a character they relate to who shares their experiences. It’s also the only place where you can see an android and a witchy mutant fall in love and create children through magic, that’s for sure.
Discworld
Created by author Terry Pratchett, Discworld is a book series set on the titular Discworld, which is a flat yet livable planet balanced atop a giant turtle with four elephants standing on its shell. This is greatly inspired by the myth-like narrative that featured in older cultures in areas of the world like India and China, which portrays the earth in this way, based on the back of the World Turtle, as it’s called. Discworld has 41 books in the main series, featuring many different standalone stories that sometimes weave together to form overarching narratives. This means that a reader can jump in at about any point in the series and get something out of it. The world features wizards, dwarfs, assassins, fictional warring empires, and other crazy fantasy elements. In fact, Conan the Barbarian is a notable character in some of the series. As a whole, Pratchett saw the series as a sort of satire of the fantasy genre, and since its start in 1983, Discworld has grown to include short stories, many other books outside of the main series, video games, stage plays, audiobooks, and so much more. As for screen adaptations, there have been plenty of those too, with the most notable versions likely being the Sky TV movie trilogy of the 2000s and the Troll Bridge short film. The franchise is notoriously hard to adapt for the screen, but hopefully, it will get another chance soon.
Sailor Moon
A bit more unique, the Sailor Moon franchise started with the manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi, beginning in 1991. Originating in Japan, the series didn’t take long to make its way over to America, mainly in the form of the first anime series, which began in 1992. The story of Sailor Moon follows a group of normal teenage girls who discover that they are reincarnations of “Sailor Scouts,” or mystical warrior protectors of the universe, existing to save the innocent from the various dark villains that come after them and the “Legendary Silver Crystal” magical item. The franchise has made over $10 billion worldwide, thanks to the touching story of friendship and everlasting love and the many entertaining and relatable characters, most notably Sailor Moon, who happens to be both a magical hero and an extremely clumsy, embarrassing girl at the same time. Over the years, the series has had multiple anime movies and another series, with the most recent addition being the 2021 movie Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie. For a lot of people, Sailor Moon is their entry point into the world of anime and manga as well, and fans of the series have a strong devotion to it, similar to those who like other popular manga like Attack on Titan and One Piece.
The Witcher
The Witcher is another fantasy franchise that began as a book series, but this time in the Polish language, written by author Andrzej Sapkowski. With six books and more than a dozen short stories, The Witcher series has been well known in Eastern Europe for a long time, but it was only really with the release of the video games that the rest of the world was introduced to this iconic universe. The story follows the titular “Witcher,” Geralt of Rivia. Witchers are a group of people given supernatural powers in order to be monster hunters, and they are typically ostracized by society. Geralt goes on many different adventures, encountering a wide range of creatures — some familiar, some not — as well as a lot of trouble and fighting. The books were adapted as a Dark Horse comic series in the ’90s, while two films were made not long after. But then in 2007, CD Projekt Red released the first in a trilogy of bestselling games, bringing in even more fans. A dark, action-packed story filled with plenty of distinctive characters, such as Yennefer of Vengerberg and Ciri, it’s really no surprise the franchise is so successful, and it’s only getting bigger. Netflix is about to release Season 2 of the critically acclaimed TV adaptation starring Henry Cavill, while the streamer also released an animated film, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, earlier this year and has a prequel spinoff in production. There’s no telling where The Witcher universe will go next.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Okay, so this one has taken a bit of a fall for a variety of reasons, but there’s no doubting the success and quality of the first three films in the series. Still, that’s not even where the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise began. The franchise actually originated with the theme park attractions at both Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. They are dark rides, meaning they take place inside a building, in which you ride in a boat and see various scenes of swashbuckling pirates creating chaos. Using that as a jumping-off point, the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, an unreliable, strange pirate who leads the crew of the Black Pearl, his ship. In the first film, Jack ends up entangled with an upper-class woman named Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley) and an ambitious young man named Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), who just so happens to have an unknown tie to a curse placed on the pirates who stole the treasure of Hernán Cortés, cursing them to be immortal. Throughout the next two films, Elizabeth, Will, and Jack continue their adventures across the many seas, with the appearance of the mythical Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), the captain of the Flying Dutchmen who collects pirates’ souls, in the sequel, and the literal edge of the world in the third. While the next couple of films have been less well-received, they still made a lot of money. More are supposedly planned, but with all of Depp’s current troubles, the franchise’s future is unclear. Despite that, Pirates of the Caribbean remains one of the best fantasy franchises out there.
Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess
Based on the mythical Greek hero Hercules, the shared universe of Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess began with the TV movie Hercules and the Amazon Women in 1994. The story follows the familiar hero, played by Kevin Sorbo, as he faces off against creatures, gods, and goddesses alike. Sorbo continued to play the character in four more TV movies, followed by the successful television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, which was filmed in New Zealand. The show feels like a classic fantasy series from the 1990s, which is one of the reasons why it’s so iconic. Through the television series, fans are introduced to the character of Xena, played by Lucy Lawless, who was originally only supposed to have a character arc of a few episodes. But viewers loved her so much that she went on to get her own show, Xena: Warrior Princess, which had six seasons total. The shared universe of these characters includes other shows like Young Hercules, as well as other media, and Xena is arguably a major television icon for the LGBTQ+ community. She was also monumentally ahead of her time as a female character in a fantasy series, becoming a guide for later heroines.
Shadow and Bone, also known as the Grishaverse
One of the newer entries here, Shadow and Bone is a book series written by author Leigh Bardugo, but it’s recently made the jump to television. The original book series consists of three books: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising. The story follows a young woman named Alina Starkov who lives in a world where people called Grisha have gifts to manipulate elements and various other aspects of natural life. She always heard the myth of a woman known as the “Sun Summoner” since she was a child, until one day she realizes that this figure might actually be her. If so, Alina is the only person capable of saving the world from a rapidly spreading darkness. Every book in the series was a bestseller, leading to a spinoff duology of the books Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, which features a cast of misguided criminals simply trying to survive together. The characters are lovable and imperfect, while the world feels lush and realistic. Clearly, Hollywood thought the same, as Netflix premiered the first season of an adaptation TV series in 2021 that was hugely successful, leading to a second season order. The Grishaverse has expanded even further to include the King of Scars duology and other companion books, providing plenty of material for further screen adaptations. Seriously, if you haven’t checked out this franchise yet, you need to get on it.
DC Comics and the DCEU
The DCEU and DC Comics is here for much of the same reason as Marvel. While it’s generally about superheroes, DC characters like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, John Constantine, and Beowulf (yes, even he’s featured in DC Comics) are definitely fantasy. On-screen, this can be seen in the Wonder Woman movies, as well as the Arrowverse and animated shows like Young Justice. When given the freedom to truly branch out into the fantasy genre, DC thrives, and I honestly hope that the DCEU dives even deeper into this realm. Maybe starting with the Themyscira spinoff that’s been talked about? Some personal favorite fantasy characters from the comics include Zatanna, Doctor Fate, and Traci Thirteen, along with those we’ve already seen on screen like Raven and Beast Boy. In particular, Wonder Woman, also known as Diana Prince, is one of the best fantasy heroes out there, and she is a pillar of the DC universe. A demigoddess herself, Diana faces off against many other Greek gods like Ares and his children, while some of her biggest villains are also Circe, Hecate, Giganta, and Cheetah.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Unlike the story of an innocent, naive girl falling in love with a depressed vampire, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a more adventurous affair, with the titular character Buffy on the offensive, defending the world against vicious vampires. A more subtle, grounded fantasy world, Buffy the Vampire Slayer portrays the normal world with a hidden, dark world hiding in plain sight. The franchise, also known as the Buffyverse, started with the 1992 film, before it was adapted for the small screen on The WB, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers. Dragged away from the normal life she wants, Buffy is destined to be a “Slayer,” or a “Chosen One,” hunting down vampires. She has a bunch of friends who help her out, as well as a few good vampires who she grows close to. While the show was on air and in the years following, Buffy the Vampire Slayer became known for its feminist, modern ideas, although it also has its issues, just like any show. Despite that, Buffy the Vampire Slayer has remained a major pop culture phenomenon, and with good reason. After seven seasons, the show got an equally successful spinoff, Angel, while there is a very good comic book extension worth checking out. Given that the show aired from 1997 to 2003, it’s about time that Hollywood started talking about a reboot, and it looks like they are trying their best to make it happen.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series by Rick Riordan has always gained comparisons to Harry Potter. The series is centered around a group of young demigods, or kids who have one parent who is a Greek god. At the center of the story is Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon, who heads off to Camp Half-Blood to be trained to fight the many mythical monsters that start hunting him. As the book series has gone on, with multiple sequel and spinoff series, Riordan has made a notable effort to create a diverse, progressive, and altogether modern story befitting younger generations. If you are at all familiar with Percy Jackson, then you probably know that there have been two movie adaptations starring Logan Lerman as the title character. They were good enough, making a ton of money, but not too faithful to the books. But the fantastic franchise has the potential to grow even more with the current television series in development at Disney, with Riordan and his wife, Becky Riordan, maintaining a lot of creative control over the direction it goes in. Fans are hopeful, and maybe even more people will be exposed to this wonderful coming-of-age story and amazing characters like Annabeth Chase, Grover, and Nico di Angelo.
The Sandman
Published under Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics, The Sandman is technically a part of DC Comics, but it’s definitely solidified its own space in fantasy literature history. Created and written by Neil Gaiman, the story follows the Sandman, as you’d expect, who is mainly known as Dream — or Morpheus, or Oneiros, or many other names. Dream is one of the Endless, a group of immortal beings that are personifications of various aspects of life. The other six Endless are Death, Destiny, Desire, Delirium, Despair, and Destruction, all siblings who rule their own realm. At the beginning of The Sandman‘s story, Dream is captured by an occult organization and held there for 70 years. When he finally escapes, Dream must find his siblings and reclaim his kingdom, facing a changed world. Starting in 1989, The Sandman is still ongoing and one of the most popular graphic novel series of all time. While the adaptation to screen has been in development for a long time, you can imagine how the story might be difficult to adapt. Thankfully, it’s finally making its way to Netflix for a series coming next year. The franchise has mainly expanded in recent years, with a successful audiobook starting last year, but The Sandman has always been huge in the world of comics and fantasy. On top of that, Lucifer, the successful Fox show, is based on the character originally from the Sandman comics.
The Sword of Shannara
As critics of the series have noted, the Original Shannara Trilogy — three books titled The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara, and written by Terry Brooks — bears a resemblance to the Lord of the Rings series, mainly sharing the epic adventure element with creatures like elves and wizards. But The Sword of Shannara makes itself its own through the fantastic characters and story arcs. The books follow a half-elf, half-human named Shea Ohmsford, who must travel through the Four Lands to find the Sword of Shannara and take on the Warlock Lord. Throughout his journey, one of Shea’s major obstacles is accepting himself and his unique identity. Shea has a brother, Flick Ohmsford, who travels with him, along with the Druid Allanon and more allies. While the books are monumental one their own, helping inspire Dungeons and Dragons and other epic fantasy properties, the modern series, The Shannara Chronicles, is a truly underrated fantasy success. The TV series stars Austin Butler as Wil Ohmsford, the son of Shea, who like his father is fated to save the Four Lands through the use of the sword. Unfortunately for Wil, the sword isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, and Wil must instead rely on the magical Elfstones and his friends, which include two fantastic female characters in Amberle Elessedil (Poppy Drayton) and Eretria (Ivana Baquero). A great modern fantasy, The Shannara Chronicles was cancelled after two seasons, but fans of the show, like myself, hope to see more again one day.
How To Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon was a surprise franchise, at least to me. The series began with the first animated film in 2010, loosely based on the children’s book by Cressida Cowell. From DreamWorks Animation, the film stars Jay Baruchel as the voice of Hiccup, a young Viking who lives in a society alongside dragons. Soon enough, he finds his own dragon companion, Toothless, working together with a few others to maintain the peace between humans and dragons. The series has two more films, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, and all three did extremely well with both audiences and critics. There have also been quite a few short films, and now the franchise is venturing into television shows, with DreamWorks Dragons, DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders, and DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms. A lot of the time, media designed for younger audiences aren’t given the same in-depth attention to characters and themes, but How to Train Your Dragon is a fantastic story of growth, heroics, and friendship, and it deserves all the attention and success it’s gotten since its start.
Hellboy
Beginning as a comic book character created by Mike Mignola for Dark Horse Comics in 1993, Hellboy is half-human and half-demon, a big red antihero who works for the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) hunting down Nazis, witches, demons, and more. The dark fantasy crime story of the Hellboy comics is well-designed and taut with tension, with stylish art and characters. As the protagonist, Hellboy deals with stress and torment from his past, similar to other popular antiheroes like Wolverine. Luckily for fans, Guillermo del Toro took an interest in the property, writing and directing a feature-length film in 2004 starring Ron Perlman as the eponymous character, as well as the sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, four years later. Both films were huge successes and remain some of the best comic adaptations and dark fantasy films of all time. While a recent attempted reboot of the film adaptation didn’t do quite so well, I’d guess that there are still plenty of places that Hellboy could go, given the right creative minds behind it. But even if nothing new happens, Hellboy is definitively one of the best and brightest fantasy franchises in history.
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