Best New Fantasy Franchises Ranked
In an era dominated by sprawling streaming services and blockbuster spectacles, fantasy franchises have evolved beyond medieval swords-and-sorcery tropes into intricate tapestries of magic, myth, and moral ambiguity. The past decade has birthed a golden age for the genre, with ‘new’ here defined as series launching from 2019 onwards, boasting multiple seasons or films to qualify as true franchises. Our ranking prioritises world-building depth, character complexity, visual innovation, narrative momentum, and cultural resonance—qualities that resonate especially with horror enthusiasts drawn to the shadows lurking in enchanted realms.
What elevates these franchises isn’t just spectacle but their ability to weave dread, betrayal, and the uncanny into epic narratives. From eldritch horrors to political intrigue laced with sorcery, they capture the thrill of the unknown. We’ve curated this top 10 from hundreds of contenders, favouring those that balance accessibility with sophistication, deliver binge-worthy arcs, and promise longevity. Expect dragons, demons, and dilemmas that linger long after the credits roll.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan of grimdark epics or crave whimsical yet wicked tales, this list spotlights franchises redefining fantasy for modern audiences. Let’s dive into the rankings, counting down to our supreme pick.
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10. His Dark Materials (2019–2022)
Adapting Philip Pullman’s seminal novels, this BBC/HBO collaboration transports viewers across parallel worlds where armoured bears roam, witches conspire, and a mysterious substance called Dust unravels reality. Starring Dafne Keen as the fierce Lyra Belacqua and Ruth Wilson as the enigmatic Mrs Coulter, the series excels in its philosophical undertones, questioning authority, faith, and free will amid a backdrop of cosmic intrigue.
Productionally ambitious, it employed practical effects for daemons—soul-manifesting animal companions—blending them seamlessly with CGI spectacles like the Northern Lights battles. Though criticised for pacing in season two, its third instalment delivered a poignant payoff, cementing its place as a thoughtful entry. Culturally, it sparked debates on organised religion’s shadows, appealing to horror fans via alethiometer prophecies and knife-wielding cliff-ghouls.
Ranking here for solid adaptation fidelity but uneven momentum compared to peers; it lays groundwork for fantasy’s intellectual side without fully igniting the primal fears others unleash.
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9. The Wheel of Time (2021–present)
Amazon’s lavish take on Robert Jordan’s 14-book saga follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), an Aes Sedai sorceress, shepherding potential saviours against the Dark One’s encroaching void. With a globe-spanning cast including Daniel Henney and Zoë Robins, it immerses in a wheel-weaving cosmology of reincarnation, channelled magic, and gendered power divides.
Rafe Judkins’ adaptation smartly streamlines the dense lore, emphasising diverse representation and queer narratives while delivering visceral battles with One Power weaves that crackle like lightning. Season two ramped up the stakes with Forsaken antagonists, evoking Lovecraftian dread in tainted landscapes. Its scale—filmed across Prague and Slovenia—rivals cinematic epics.
It slots at nine for impressive visuals and Pike’s commanding presence, though early filler episodes dilute urgency. For horror aficionados, the taint of saidin and dream-walking terrors offer chilling portals into madness.
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8. Shadow and Bone (2021–2023)
Netflix’s Grishaverse entry, based on Leigh Bardugo’s novels, centres Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), a mapmaker discovering her light-summoning Grisha powers amid war-torn Ravka. Anchored by Ben Barnes’ brooding General Kirigan and Freddy Carter’s sly Kaz Brekker, it fuses romance, heists, and saintly myths in a tsarist-inspired world of shadow-fold horrors.
Leigh Bardugo’s direct involvement ensured authentic magic systems, from corporeal bone-benders to heartrending amplifiers. The Crows spin-off storyline added roguish flair, blending Ocean’s Eleven antics with Fold-crossing terrors. Cancellation after two seasons left threads dangling, but its vibrant visuals and shippable dynamics built a fervent fandom.
Eighth for addictive ensemble chemistry and Fold-devouring volcra beasts that scratch horror itches, yet held back by rushed finales and overcrowding.
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7. Locke & Key (2020–2022)
From Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez’s comics, this Netflix series traps the Locke family in Keyhouse, a Massachusetts mansion brimming with magical keys unlocking desires—and demons. Darby Stanchfield and Jackson Robert Scott lead, confronting well-dwelling entities and head-key identity crises.
Directors like Vincenzo Natali infused body horror via keys that grant flight, animal transformation, or memory theft, marrying family drama with supernatural slasher vibes. Season three’s timey-wicey closure satisfied amid escalating stakes, with practical effects amplifying intimate terrors over epic sprawl.
It ranks seventh for genre-blending mastery—pure fantasy laced with psychological dread—but familiarity in haunted-house tropes prevents higher ascent. Ideal for horror crossovers, its whispering shadows haunt like Hill House echoes.
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6. The Witcher (2019–present)
Lauren Schmidt Hirst’s Netflix vision of Andrzej Sapkowski’s books stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a mutant monster hunter navigating Continent politics, elves, and Ciri’s elder blood destiny. Anya Chalotra’s Yennefer and Freya Allan’s Ciri form a witcher family amid blavaken beasts and Wild Hunt omens.
Non-linear storytelling and lavish Polish-location shoots capture Slavic folklore’s grit: drowners, strigas, and leshens evoke folk-horror chills. Cavill’s departure looms, but spin-offs like Blood Origin expand the saga. Critically divisive yet massively popular, it grossed cultural cachet via memes and merchandise.
Mid-table for iconic world-building and Cavill’s gravitas, tempered by script inconsistencies. Its ghoulish contracts and prophecy curses thrill horror purists.
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5. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–present)
Amazon’s Second Age prequel, with $1 billion budget, chronicles elf-dwarf alliances against Sauron’s forging deceptions. Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel spearheads, joined by Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Silvan ranger and Charles Edwards’ sly Annatar.
Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay honour Tolkien via New Zealand vistas and Harfoot hobbit charm, unveiling mithril mysteries and balrog depths. Season one’s mysteries hooked, though lore purists grumbled; visuals mesmerise with sea-serpent seaons and molten mountain forges.
Fifth for sheer ambition and orc-siege spectacles that pulse with primordial dread, docked for pacing and fan-service reliance. Horror lingers in wight-haunted barrows and Sauron’s shapeshifting guile.
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4. House of the Dragon (2022–present)
George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood fuels this Game of Thrones successor, pitting Targaryen siblings in a dance of dragons over the Iron Throne. Paddy Considine’s Viserys and Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra anchor a court rife with prophecies, poisons, and pyres.
Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal amplify intra-family savagery with Blood and Cheese assassinations and Driftmark funeral brawls, where dragonfire scorches kin. Practical puppets and Czech castle sets ground the aerial carnage.
Fourth for razor-sharp intrigue and greens-vs-blacks schisms evoking Jacobean tragedy, edged out by bolder innovations elsewhere. Its dream-haunted visions and child-slaying shadows deliver horror’s gut-punch.
‘The only thing that burns hotter than dragonfire is a mother’s wrath.’ – Rhaenyra Targaryen
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3. Wednesday (2022–present)
Tim Burton’s Netflix revival reimagines The Addams Family through Jenna Ortega’s deadpan Wednesday Addams at Nevermore Academy, unravelling Hyde monster murders amid outcast hierarchies.
Ortega’s cello-stabbing iconography and dance virality propelled 1.7 billion hours viewed. Burton’s gothic lens—fog-shrouded quad bikes, Poe-inspired riddles—infuses whimsy with werewolf bites and psychic visions. Season two brews larger lore.
Bronze for cultural phenomenon status and monster-of-the-week thrills blending fantasy comedy with slasher suspense, just shy of podium toppers’ depth.
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2. The Sandman (2022–present)
Neil Gaiman’s DC Vertigo comics live via Tom Sturridge’s Dream (Morpheus), escaping captivity to reclaim realm amid endless family dysfunction. Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer and David Thewlis’ Desire dazzle in anthology arcs like Fiddler’s Green tales.
Allan Heinberg’s adaptation reveres source with practical Corinthian teeth and realm-spanning VFX, earning Emmys for makeup. Episodes like ’24/7′ evoke eternal damnation’s hellscape, marrying mythic grandeur with intimate grief.
Silver for poetic mastery and dreamscape horrors—corinthian eye-gouges, vortex voids—that transcend genre, narrowly bested by our champion’s alchemy.
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1. Arcane (2021–present)
Riot Games’ League of Legends spin-off, from Fortiche Studio, charts sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) in Piltover-Zaun class wars, where hextech collides with shimmer mutations.
Christian Linke and Alex Yee craft unparalleled animation: fluid fights, rain-slicked steampunk spires, emotional fissures via Vi-Jinx tragedy. Season one’s 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and voice cast (Kevin Alejandro, Amanda Overton) redefine adaptation excellence; season two looms epic.
Top spot for revolutionary visuals, Shakespearean arcs, and chem-barons’ body-horror experiments that grip like no other—fantasy’s pinnacle for horror-tinged innovation.[1]
Conclusion
These new fantasy franchises illuminate the genre’s vitality, proving streaming’s alchemy can forge worlds as captivating as they are colossal. From Arcane’s heart-wrenching heights to His Dark Materials’ cerebral shadows, they share a penchant for darkness that lures horror devotees into their spells. As production slates swell—think Witcher conclaves and Sandman eternities—the future brims with untapped enchantments.
Yet true magic lies in their humanity: flawed heroes, fractured bonds, and the thrill of encroaching night. Which realm calls to you? The rankings spark debate, underscoring fantasy’s power to mirror our chaos.
References
- Rotten Tomatoes: Arcane Season 1
- Variety: ‘Arcane’ Creators on Animation Revolution, 2021.
- Empire Magazine: House of the Dragon Review, 2022.
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