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8 Most Anticipated Fantasy TV Shows of 2026, Ranked by Excitement
Although sci-fi is dominating the TV landscape of the 2020s, there are still exciting fantasy shows to look forward to — and the most-anticipated ones of 2026 could remind us why the category remains so popular. The best fantasy shows of 2025 were mostly returns, and that trend is set to continue into this year. Of the biggest upcoming releases, there are just two series premiering for the first time, and both are spinoffs of established hits. It makes you wonder if more original content is needed in the fantasy realm, though I must admit: one of those spinoffs is at the top of my watchlist for the year.
There are also plenty of big 2026 releases that border being fantasy but don’t fully fall into the category. That includes 2026’s most exciting superhero show — The Boys Season 5 — and sci-fi releases with fantasy elements, like Dune: Prophecy Season 2. There are also straightforward fantasy projects that could come out this year but aren’t confirmed yet, including The Rings of Power Season 3 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale. Those aren’t included on this list, though we’ll be seated for all of them. Of 2026’s confirmed fantasy titles, however, these are the most promising.
8) Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
Stranger Things went out with a bang in 2025, and there’s already a spinoff series coming to Netflix in 2026: Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. The animated show will follow the Hawkins gang during the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, and it will see the group taking on more supernatural threats. Considering the timeline, it’s safe to assume they won’t be anywhere as huge as Vecna or the Mind Flayer. And that’s part of the reason this spinoff ranks so low in terms of excitement. It needs to have lower stakes by default, and it risks retconning the main show. A Stranger Things spinoff more removed from the original series would be a bigger deal. And I’ll admit, I could use a break from hearing about this franchise. It’ll be fun to get back to Hawkins, but this gives us little time away to miss it.
7) The Witcher Season 5
Although The Witcher Season 4 dropped on Netflix at the end of last year, the series’ fifth and final outing has already been confirmed for 2026 (via Tudum) — which means it can keep whatever momentum it has going, at least. Unfortunately, The Witcher has had a rocky run, with its changes to Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and Geralt of Rivia recast marking its biggest controversies. It’ll be interesting to see how it ends, particularly after Season 4 picked up a bit after Season 3’s lows. However, it’s not the highest priority of the year’s fantasy lineup. That said, if the production quality and performances are on par with Season 4’s, it’ll be an entertaining watch.
6) Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2
Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is back for Season 2 this year, though it’s not clear when we can expect it. The trailer for The Last Airbender‘s next chapter promises a time skip and the introduction of Toph, but it doesn’t tell us much else. Ideally, the adaptation will follow the events of the animated show’s Book 2 closely, which would make it even more exciting than this ranking suggests. But given Season 1’s struggles to capture the tone of the original, I’m going into this one with a heavy dose of skepticism. Netflix has had time to iron out the wrinkles, so it has the potential to surprise us. Even so, other returns seem more certain to impress.
5) The Vampire Lestat/Interview With the Vampire Season 3
Interview With the Vampire is returning for Season 3 this year, and the latest outing will be dubbed The Vampire Lestat. This is because it will dig into Lestat’s backstory and perspective, a fact that makes this comeback even more compelling. And the AMC series’ NYCC trailer promises a wild ride in the coming episodes. They’ll need to explore the characters’ trauma, but even knowing that, they look… fun. It helps that Sam Reid is absolutely magnetic as Lestat. There are larger series that are even more exciting to dive back into, but Interview With the Vampire Season 3 is still a must-watch this year.
4) House of the Dragon Season 3
House of the Dragon Season 2 laid the groundwork for the Dance of the Dragons to fully kick off in Season 3 — and fans of the Game of Thrones spinoff don’t have much longer to wait. House of the Dragon is slated to return sometime this year, which is especially exciting given that it’s not the only Game of Thrones show on the roster. House of the Dragon Season 2 received its share of backlash, both due to its adaptation of Fire & Blood and its somewhat underwhelming finale. Even taking those things into account, Season 3 seems promising. Showrunner Ryan Condal told EW that it’s “the biggest season to date” and promised major events from the source material. Needless to say, this will be one of the year’s most-talked-about fantasy releases. Given last season’s flaws, however, there are a few others I’m looking forward to just a little more.
3) The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4
Up until 2025, The Legend of Vox Machina was Prime Video’s best fantasy offering. Considering that its spinoff, The Mighty Nein, now holds that title, I’m eager for more of this franchise. Fortunately, The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 is premiering this year, and it will tide fans over under The Mighty Nein continues. Given that The Legend of Vox Machina Season 3 wraps the initial story arc pretty well, the show will need to kickstart a new adventure for its ragtag group of heroes. The fact that we aren’t waiting on some cliffhanger or major storyline to resolve prevents this from ranking higher, but I’m still confident that the Critical Role team will suck us right back in.
2) One Piece Season 2
A pleasant surprise, Netflix’s One Piece is one of the best live-action adaptations of all time — and one of the best fantasy shows to emerge in recent years. And while it has a long road ahead adapting the manga and anime, Season 2 will bring it one step closer to that end. One Piece Season 2 premieres on Netflix on March 10, 2026, and there’s much to be excited about. Not only will it bring fan-favorite characters like Tony Tony Chopper and Nico Robin to live-action, but it will build up to the beloved Alabasta arc, which should be covered in Season 3. If the action and performances are anything like Season 1’s, this will be at the top of 2026’s fantasy releases. There’s just one show that’s more exciting, and it comes out even sooner.
1) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The most exciting fantasy show headed our way in 2026 is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, HBO’s new Game of Thrones spinoff. It’s poised to revitalize the franchise by adapting George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, which have a very different feel from both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. I’d argue that’s precisely what the franchise needs: more humor and more personal, small-scale storytelling. Every trailer and still of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms looks great, and despite his criticisms of House of the Dragon, Martin has had high praise for the upcoming series. A return to Westeros is always going to land at the top of a fantasy list — and although we’ll be visiting Game of Thrones‘ world twice this year, this is the project to really be excited about. The best part? It premieres soon. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms debuts on HBO on January 18.
What 2026 fantasy show are you most excited about? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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