Published Sep 4, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
El is a Junior TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue’s UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor’s in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel.
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As The Witcher nears its end on Netflix, the streamer’s next wave of fantasy shows and movies is already in development. While fantasy remains one of the most popular genres on the small screen, getting these projects off the ground — and more importantly, sustaining them — hasn’t always been easy. Even properties with major built-in literary or gaming fanbases aren’t always guaranteed to hit it big or earn a proper conclusion. Netflix canceled Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone after two seasons, despite an already-written eight-episode spinoff. Prime Video axed Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time after three seasons, sparking outrage.
Fantasy stories are among the most expensive to produce, but they can also be the most rewarding, cultivating long-term loyalty and offering genuine franchise potential. Netflix’s The Witcher, which consists of a soon-to-be five-season live-action show, a (critically maligned) limited series, and several animated projects, is one of Netflix’s biggest universes. It’s had its ups and downs, of course, particularly after Henry Cavill’s departure and the cut from the original seven-season plan to five. Still, it was a major boon for Netflix, allowing the studio to compete in the high fantasy genre before shows like live-action* One Piece* came along.
Luckily, after The Witcher’s upcoming fifth and final season, which will likely see Geralt searching for Ciri following his dealings with Queen Meve and Yennefer closing in on The Witcher’s true big bad, Vilgefortz, Netflix has multiple new projects in the works. These are based on two major fantasy franchises: C.S. Lewis’ foundational book series, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the 30-year-old trading card game, Magic: The Gathering, Hasbro’s first $1 billion brand with over 50 million players worldwide.
While live-action fantasy adaptations are all the rage nowadays, animated fantasy has been making a comeback on streaming and in Hollywood in general. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth was recently featured in the animated fantasy feature The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Prime Video has shows like Hazbin Hotel and The Legend of Vox Machina. Netflix has a significant slate of excellent animated fantasy series, including acclaimed hits like Arcane, Castlevania, The Dragon Prince, and, of course, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and Sirens of the Deep. The streamer’s upcoming animated Magic: The Gathering series will fight right in.
Though Magic: The Gathering has long been stuck in development limbo at Netflix — the project was first announced in 2019 with Marvel’s Joe and Anthony Russo set as producers before being resurrected in 2024 with Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas — it seems Netflix is still fully intent on making this series happen. Per Collider, a recent Netflix press release touted the show as being “upcoming,” the most significant (if quiet) update on the project since Matalas’ involvement was first announced two years ago.
Before that, though, Greta Gerwig’s new Narnia adaptation will take center stage as one of the streamer’s biggest releases. While *Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew *will debut on Netflix on April 2, 2027, it will also have a worldwide theatrical release (including IMAX) two months earlier on February 12. This is an unprecedented move for Netflix, proving the studio’s faith in Gerwig’s vision and Narnia’s continued appeal. Fox’s three previous Narnia adaptations grossed over $1.5 billion altogether at the worldwide box office.
Netflix is also developing a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series, Ravenloft, spearheaded by writer and executive producer John August, executive producer Alfonso Cuarón, and Hasbro Entertainment. A previous *D&D *series, Shawn Levy’s The Forgotten Realms, was in development at Netflix but has since been canceled.
Gerwig’s movie will be the first on-screen adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew and reveal the origins of Narnia, the iconic lamppost, and the White Witch, as two youngsters from 1900s London accidentally discover the “wood between the worlds” after touching a magical ring. Gerwig’s Narnia is reportedly one of the most expensive movies ever produced by the streamer, with a $280 million budget. That certainly explains Netflix’s desire to showcase the film in cinemas, though hopefully it also means it’s the start of a new era; if any genre deserves to be seen on the big screen, it’s fantasy.
Netflix is far from the only platform doubling down on fantasy productions. HBO continues to expand George R.R. Martin’s Westeros and is gearing up to release its Harry Potter remake. Disney+ is working on Warrior Cats. Apple TV, famous for prioritizing science fiction, is getting in on the fantasy game following an unprecedented deal with bestselling author Brandon Sanderson. Prime Video is pushing forward with* The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power* and God of War. Even NBCUniversal’s smaller Peacock is looking to compete with its live-action adaptation of Matt Dinniman’s science-fantasy LitRPG series, Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Fantasy has also enjoyed a boom in recent years thanks to the rise of romantic fantasy, or “romantasy.” Prime Video, Netflix, and other studios have been pushing to get in on the ever-growing subgenre. Prime Video is working on Rebecca Yarros’ dragon fantasy Fourth Wing, as well as Lauren Roberts’ Powerless trilogy. Netflix reportedly paid a seven-figure sum for the movie rights to Callie Hart’s Quicksilver.
For years, since Game of Thrones’ sensational success on HBO, fantasy has arguably been relegated to the small screen. Netflix’s current and upcoming projects prove that there’s room for more than one medium in fantasy, whether that’s a live-action TV adaptation, an animated series, or a theatrical film. Hopefully, there will be many, many more fantasy projects to come for Netflix and other streamers in the future.
**The Witcher season 5 is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2027. **
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