There are tons offantasyprojects in development in Hollywood, and many that were previously reported on have gone dark, lacking updates in recent years. The process of getting a fantasy book adapted into film or television is an immense challenge with numerous hurdles to overcome. However,with the vast popularity ofGame of Thrones, the early 2020s saw a period where various streaming services all wanted to replicate this success, resulting in shows likeThe Wheel of TimeandHouse of the Dragonand new titles expanding onThe Lord of the Ringsmovies.
Despite some beloved fantasy series being adapted, none of the recent shows have reached the same level of critical or cultural acclaim asGame of Thrones. Because of this,Hollywood has quickly grown more hesitant regarding what fantasy they’re willing to invest in. Warner Bros. is still developing itsHarry Potterreboot seriesand newLOTRfilms, but titles likeBest Served Cold,which are less prevalent to the general public,have been stalled. The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are a big reason for delays, but many of these titles have struggled to get off the ground for years.
11Mistborn
By Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson’sMistbornis one of the most popular titles in 21st-century fantasy, and it’s shocking the film adaptation hasn’t come together after over a decade of various attempts. Theauthor shared that in 2023, prior to the Hollywood strikes, aMistbornmovie was as close as ever to being developed, with unnamed famous actors attached to star in the project. Recently, the author’s annualState of Sandersonblog post explained that the movie was back to square one.
Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere Universeis the most expansive world in contemporary fantasy, and the fact that it could offer a similar appeal to the MCU should be notable to studios trying to develop it. That being said, his stories use an abundance of magic and have vastly different world settings, sothe budget required to do it right may cause studios to shy away in an era where many projects in the genre are struggling.
10The Kingkiller Chronicle
By Patrick Rothfuss
The Kingkiller Chroniclebeing stuck in development hell is hilarious for two reasons. First, the final book in the planned trilogy by Patrick Rothfuss is also stuck in development hell, as readers have been waiting since 2011 for it. That’s just as long as readers have been waiting for George R.R. Martin’sThe Winds of Winter. With that in mind, the second reason is thatadapting a show without completed source material could easily result in the same problems asGame of Thrones.
10 Fantasy Books With Villains Just As Compelling As The Heroes
Fantasy often has exciting antagonists, and some iconic book villains are even more interesting than the heroes of their respective stories.
In 2015, development for this adaptation was announced for the first time with Lionsgate set to distribute it. In 2017,Hamiltoncreator Lin-Manuel Miranda was attached to executive produce the series. To top that off,Sam Rami was attached to direct the project in 2018, meaning two prestigious names and a famous company were on board. As of January 2025, it’s been a while since any updates have been revealed.
9A Court of Thorns & Roses
By Sarah J. Maas
Anyone who’s familiar with contemporary fantasy has likely heard of Sarah J. Maas’A Court of Thrones & Roses, a title that blew up on social media and famously blends the genre with spicy romance. ATV adaptation ofACOTARseems like a no-brainer, given how big of a hit the books are, andHulu was the streaming service that claimed the title, with Ronald D. Moore (Outlander,Star Trek) attached to produce. He has since departed from the project.
Hulu obtained the rights to the material back in 2021, and since Moore’s departure, there hasn’t been a replacement showrunner instated.A Court of Thorns & Rosesmay have fallen under the category of fantasy, but it targets a generally different audience pool than a series likeThe Wheel of Time, meaning it wouldn’t necessarily experience the same pitfalls and finding viewership.
8Best Served Cold
By Joe Abercrombie
Best Served Coldis another adaptation that seems to have collapsed for the time being following the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, with news first releasing in May 2023 (viaDeadline). This book is astandalone fantasy novel set inThe First Lawuniverse by Joe Abercrombie, another epic saga that will hopefully someday find its way to film or television. When it was first reported that the film was in development, Tim Miller (Deadpool) was set to direct.
Rebecca Ferguson, who’s starred in popular book adaptation titles likeDuneandSilo, was attached to the project to play the leading role
Given Joe Abercrombie’s aptitude for violence in his novels, bringing on Miller seemed like a fantastic choice. Furthermore, Rebecca Ferguson, who’s starred in popular book adaptation titles likeDuneandSilo, was attached to the project to play the leading role. That’s a terrific starting point, but there’s been no news on the adaptation since.
7The Chronicles Of Amber
By Roger Zelazny
The Chronicles of Amberis a fantasy saga that began in the 1970s, written by Roger Zelazny. In early 2023, a television adaptation of the series was announced, withlate-night show host Stephen Colbert set to help produce the project. Colbert, who’s long been a dedicated fan of fantasy and science fiction novels likeThe Lord of the RingsandDune, may not have experience in this type of television, but he’s certainly passionate about the project.
The Chronicles of Amberseries is cited as one of the primary inspirations for George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Firebook series, and the author himself even stated that he’d like to see the series get made (viaMartin’s blog). With that in mind, it should be an ideal candidate in the streaming service war over the nextGame of Thrones, but there’s been no news since the first announcement was made two years ago.
6Circe
By Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller’s books are some of the most critically acclaimed fantastical works of the 2010s. Her novel,Circe, is arevisionist adaptation of Homer’sThe Odysseywritten from the perspective of Circe, the mythical sorceress and goddess that traps Odysseus and his men on her island. In the book, she’s a far more sympathetic figure, with Miller demonstrating how she was ostracized by her father and the Greek pantheon.
Deadlinereported on anadaptation ofCircebeing developed by HBO Max (now just Max), with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Jurassic World) set to write and produce. It’s another series that’s barely seen news since, despite Madeline Miller personally announcing the series on her blog. The COVID-19 Pandemic likely interfered with production, but it’s shocking there haven’t been any updates.
5The Inheritance Cycle
By Christopher Paolini
The Inheritance Cycleis a series of YA fantasy novels that was beloved by young readers in the 2000s, written by Christopher Paolini. Film fans may remember the adaptation of the first book in this series,Eragon. The movie was released in 2006 during Hollywood’s previous wave of fantasy adaptations that followed Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringsfilms, but it found considerably less success, currently holding a 15% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Fantasy TV Scenes That Made Viewers Quit Their Shows
From character deaths and introductions to unfortunate plot developments, these fantasy TV moments were highly controversial with viewers.
This means thatThe Inheritance Cycleis following a similar route to another 2000s YA fantasy series,Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Both were made into poorly received films, and now both will have a home on Disney+ or at least in the case of Paolini’s book, it will hope to. Following announcements in 2023,updates on this adaptation have run dry. Like most of these shows, it’s still possible, but the wait continues.
4Malazan Book Of The Fallen
By Steven Erickson
Malazan Book of the Fallenis another epic fantasy series on the scale ofThe Wheel of TimeandA Song of Ice & Fire, meaning it could be the type of multi-layered, addiction-worthy television Hollywood is looking for. The original series, written by Steven Erickson, began in 1999 with ten volumes between then and 2011. Since then, Erickson and collaborator Ian Cameron Esslemont have been expanding the world with other novels set in the universe.
Malazanis a book saga with top-level adaptation potential, and development was announced for an adaptation in 2023.Steven Erickson stated in a 2024 Facebook AMA that progress was still being made but that the project was slowed downby the strikes the prior year. There hasn’t been a word in the past year, but the most recent update is still that it’s slowly being chipped away at.
2Earthsea
By Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin is an accomplished author known for her exceptional work in the fantasy and sci-fi genres throughout the 20th century. Her fantasy series, which began withA Wizard of Earthseain 1968, has been cited as an influence onHarry Potter, as it’s one of the first stories to feature a wizard school. It’s been adapted twice already, though neither version has achieved the success this saga deserves.
A mini-series calledLegend of Earthseawas released in 2004, but the adaptation saw poor reviews, including a 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. Studio Ghibli also had an anime adaptation that came out in 2006, receiving an even lower score of 37%. In 2019,Deadlinereported a newTV adaptation with A24 set to develop the project. Again, despite a promising company name attached,Earthseastill hasn’t found its way to a proper live-action series.
