There are many great fantasy movies that have elevated the genre over the years, from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean films. However, overwhelmingly, television seems to be the better medium for the category. That’s not much of a surprise. While films typically get the budgets needed to bring magic and battle sequences to life, TV can spend more time on world-building.
And thanks to one incredible fantasy series that’s as good as — if not better than — the majority of the genre’s films, many TV projects are receiving bigger budgets. After Game of Thrones, there are several great fantasy shows that are better than most of the movies the category has to offer. 10/10 fantasy shows may be rare, but these capture why TV is ideal for the genre.
7
His Dark Materials
2019-2022
His Dark Materials is such a great TV show, it managed to make its $372 film counterpart look bad — though, to be fair, The Golden Compass was one of the most disappointing fantasy movies of the 2000s. The three-season television series did a much better job bringing Philip Pullman’s bestselling books to the screen. And its virtues extend beyond surpassing the earlier film adaptation.
In truth, His Dark Materials is better than most fantasy movies out there. Its production quality is on par with much of what’s put on the big screen, and His Dark Materials‘ impressive cast also ensures that the acting never feels subpar. And the writing and handling of the series’ themes is also worthy of praise.
While there are fantasy movies that boast all these strengths, His Dark Materials has a long enough run to do its complex themes justice and get readers attached to its characters before delivering a powerful ending. It’s a perfect example of why TV just works better for fantasy adaptations.
6
Stranger Things
2016-2025
Stranger Things is approaching its final season, which promises to be more epic than most fantasy movies — and in some ways, the Netflix show has been more impressive since the very beginning. Even season 1, which had a comparatively smaller budget than later outings, feels incredibly atmospheric and cinematic. And it has the time to do character work a movie can’t achieve.
From there, Stranger Things continues to build on its best storylines in impressive ways, and it expands its cast while making viewers care about every newcomer. None of this could be accomplished by a fantasy film or even a film series; even the hype surrounding the show’s return is difficult to envision for a post-2020 theatrical release.
5
Percy Jackson And The Olympians
2023-
Like His Dark Materials, Percy Jackson & the Olympians is the second shot at adapting a beloved book series — and the Disney+ show is another example of TV handling fantasy better. There was a lot that went wrong with the Percy Jackson movies, and not all of their issues were connected to the medium. But once again, condensing the story and character arcs didn’t do the source material justice.
Meanwhile, Disney’s first season of its Percy Jackson TV show is already leagues better than the prior movies and many other films in the genre. Its production quality and effects are impressive, its storytelling matches that of the books, and its cast of characters is both expansive and fleshed out.
Only time will tell if Percy Jackson season 2 and future outings live up to the first, but the Disney+ show’s cast is promising a “total upgrade,” meaning they should be even bigger. With time, it’s easy to see this series surpassing most fantasy movies; it’s already higher-quality than much of what’s out there.
4
Arcane
2021-2024
Arcane
9/10
- Release Date
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2021 – 2024
- Network
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Netflix
There are some truly great animated fantasy movies available, but few of them reach the heights of Netflix’s Arcane. The two-season fantasy series holds a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it boasts many of the strengths that make animated fantasy films great. Its animation is stunning and far above much of what’s out there, and its soundtrack is full of incredible earworms.
The storytelling of Arcane is also lengthy enough that it can go beyond what a film is capable of, giving its characters a level of complexity that they wouldn’t otherwise have. But at just two seasons, it’s also concise and doesn’t overcomplicate matters. It’s the perfect middle ground in that regard, yet again showcasing the strengths of fantasy TV.
Due to its standout animation, Arcane also feels more cinematic than some of the best animated fantasy films. Its action sequences are wonderful, but even smaller scenes are made memorable by the show’s approach to visuals.
3
Avatar: The Last Airbender
2005-2008
Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the few fantasy shows from before Game of Thrones that manages to be better than most movies. And while its animation style holds up — and was pretty unique for its time — the reason it surpasses most films is the depth of its story and characters. The show is able to do a lot with its world-building, lore, and main personalities thanks to its three-season run.
While many animated, family-friendly movies are able to tackle serious subjects in lighthearted ways, Avatar: The Last Airbender takes this to a new level. Its longer story and ability to dedicate individual episodes to certain topics works in its favor, making it all the more powerful and memorable.
2
Attack On Titan
2013-2023
Anime movies are receiving bigger budgets and becoming much more epic productions in recent years, but Attack on Titan surpasses many fantasy movies — anime or otherwise — on multiple levels. For one, its animation, especially during its later outings, is on par with a lot of the big-budget films being released. But like so many other titles on this list, it also benefits from its long-running narrative.
The moral complexity explored in a series like Attack on Titan would be difficult to tackle in a film, as there are too many moving parts to manage in a much shorter runtime. This is why the themes and characters of Attack on Titan land so much better than anything in fantasy films. Condensed narratives can work for the genre, but not when it’s dealing with so much serious subject matter.
1
Game Of Thrones
2011-2019
Game Of Thrones
10/10
- Release Date
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2011 – 2019-00-00
- Showrunner
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David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
It probably goes without saying, but Game of Thrones is one of the greatest fantasy projects to ever grace the screen — and despite its run being on the small screen, it’s better than the majority of movies available. The quality of Game of Thrones is at least equal to The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and given its later release, many of the effects are an improvement.
Game of Thrones boasts some of the most epic and believable action sequences in the fantasy genre, and its depiction of creatures like White Walkers and dragons never feels cheap or corny. Additionally, the show delivers a fully immersive world with complex politics and an expansive landscape. Not many titles can accomplish this at all, much less in a movie’s runtime.
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