The number of fantasy TV shows positively exploded after Game of Thrones‘ success, but there were only a few series we genuinely thought could become its successor. For most of them, that’s now looking unlikely — though one still has the chance to take up the mantle. Game of Thrones was a difficult act to follow, especially looking at the HBO series’ earlier seasons. While later outings of Game of Thrones fell off a bit, the first few chapters were fantasy television at its finest. And as a whole, the show was above and beyond anything most fantasy lovers thought possible during the 2000s.
It’s no wonder, then, that so many projects strived to become the “next Game of Thrones“ in the years after its finale. But reaching its heights involved more than replicating the massive scope and gritty realism that made the HBO adaptation great. It also meant striking a mainstream appeal that none of Game of Thrones‘ potential successors have managed. While plenty of impressive fantasy shows have come out of the 2020s, even the ones that seemed the most likely to replace Game of Thrones have yet to become proper substitutes.
5) The Rings of Power
Image via Prime Video
There weren’t many fantasy franchises that could realistically rival Game of Thrones‘ success, but The Lord of the Rings boasted a much longer legacy and a built-in audience. With J.R.R. Tolkien’s work having so many diehard fans, and The Lord of the Rings movies appealing to casual viewers, The Rings of Power seemed like an obvious successor to Game of Thrones. Amazon certainly poured enough money into it. And to be fair, it is visually stunning. Tragically, its interpretation of Tolkien’s work is divisive, and it hasn’t built the audience that the HBO show had. Given Season 2’s improvements, it may still prove a worthwhile endeavor. However, at this point, it’s safe to assume it won’t be the “next Game of Thrones.”
4) The Wheel of Time
Image Courtesy of Prime Video
The Wheel of Time was another massive adaptation that had a dedicated audience waiting eagerly for its arrival. Unfortunately, it faced the same obstacles as The Rings of Power: backlash for failing to satisfy fans of the source material and a delay in finding its footing. The Wheel of Time Season 3 finally felt like the series people were hoping for, but Amazon canceled it just as it was beginning to show significant improvements. Its cancellation dashed any hopes of it becoming a proper Game of Thrones replacement. Now, those who did enjoy the show are looking for a Wheel of Time replacement as well.
3) The Witcher
Image via Netflix
When The Witcher first made its debut, it seemed destined to become Netflix’s big fantasy franchise. And while Season 1’s timeline was confusing at first glance, the initial episodes were otherwise solid. Henry Cavill was a standout as Geralt of Rivia, the series had the gritty and dark tone that Game of Thrones excelled at, and it boasted promising heroines in Ciri and Yennefer. Unfortunately, The Witcher went downhill after Season 1, departing from the books and eventually having to recast Cavill. Its loss of momentum ensured it would never reach the heights of Game of Thrones. Its final season may find a way to turn things around — Season 4 sort of got things back on track as much as it could — but it’s still too late to become the topic of water-cooler discussions with every new release.
2) His Dark Materials
Image via HBO
His Dark Materials had the chance to fill the void left by Game of Thrones, as it debuted just a few months after the other show’s finale — and it was also on HBO, giving it the chance to reach the same subscriber base. The adaptation of Philip Pullman’s YA books had a very different tone and premise than Game of Thrones, but it had the setup to become the network’s next big thing. Given its coming-of-age story and darker themes, it could have appealed to fans of both Harry Potter-esque fantasy and Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, it mostly flew under the radar, despite being a seamless addition to the genre. It deserves more love, even if it will never blow up the way Game of Thrones did.
1) House of the Dragon
Image via HBO
What’s better equipped to replace a fight for the Iron Throne than another, smaller-scale conflict for the same pointy chair? House of the Dragon seemed the most likely contender to become the next Game of Thrones, and the spinoff could still lay claim to that title. As we approach Season 3 later this year, we can expect the most explosive chapter of the show yet — at least if showrunner Ryan Condal’s promise that this will be the “biggest season to date” can be believed (via Entertainment Weekly). House of the Dragon has all the pieces to follow in its predecessor’s footsteps: political intrigue, complex characters, and lots of action and dragons. It isn’t as intense as the main series yet, but it took Game of Thrones a couple seasons to really explode in popularity too.
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