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This Is One of the Greatest Fantasy Worlds Ever Created, and It’s Never Been in a Movie or TV Show
From Middle-earth to Westeros, many of the fantasy genre’s most recognizable settings have appeared on-screen — and with Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere now poised to make the jump, there will soon be very few iconic worlds that haven’t been adapted. However, there is one fantasy universe that has never been in a movie or TV show, and it’s somewhat surprising. Not only would adapting it appeal to a well-established fan base, but it would bring about a genuinely promising Game of Thrones successor. After all the shows that have tried and failed to replicate Game of Thrones‘ success, that’s no small feat.
And any fantasy world that stands out enough to land it among the classics deserves a chance on-screen, as there’s a reason it’s so popular on the page. The most obvious examples come from franchises like The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and The Chronicles of Narnia, but even Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, and Robert Jordan’s “Randland” have been brought to life (albeit with varying degrees of success). The fact that so many fantasy staples have been depicted in some capacity makes it all the more disappointing that the Malazan Empire hasn’t.
Despite Being One of the Best Fantasy Worlds, the Malazan Empire Has Never Appeared On-Screen
Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont’s Malazan Empire is often touted as one of the best fantasy worlds ever made, with Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series cementing it among the genre’s greats. It’s no surprise that this backdrop gets so much praise. Between Erikson’s 10-part main series and Esslemont’s connected books, the Malazan Empire is more thoroughly fleshed out than even George R.R. Martin’s world in A Song of Ice and Fire. The scope and detail of the world-building is next level, which is part of the appeal. It makes the series political themes that much more believable, as the creators aren’t afraid to get into get into the weeds of it all.
And perhaps that’s why the Malazan Empire has never been on-screen in any form: it would be too much of an undertaking with too much potential to get things wrong. There have reportedly been talks of adapting this world, but nothing concrete — not even an officially announced show or movie that sits in development hell for years. Hollywood really should consider changing this, as Malazan Book of the Fallen could be the next big fantasy franchise if done correctly. Taking the story’s nature and scope into account, it could even be the next Game of Thrones…for real this time.
A Malazan Adaptation Would Be the Most Promising Game of Thrones Successor
For years after Game of Thrones‘ ending, studios rushed to find the ideal successor to the HBO show — and it’s shocking they didn’t consider Malazan Book of the Fallen for that role. The Wheel of Time and Tolkien’s writings don’t recapture the political intrigue or dark realism of the HBO series. Malazan could have. It’s known for being darker and more violent than Martin’s books, and it’s just as massive in terms of characters, storylines, and setting. Needless to say, Hollywood shouldn’t be sleeping on it. Hopefully, it’ll get picked up in the next fantasy IP rush (which feels bound to happen after Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive finally release).
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