Game of Thrones is considered one of the best fantasy shows of all time, but these five upcoming shows could rival the beloved series. Based on the bestselling books by George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones took the world by storm. It was one of the highest-budget fantasy shows ever to hit TV, and boy, did it come out swinging.

Fans became enthralled with the morally gray characters, the grittiness, and the fearlessness. This show delved into dark parts of life in a way few dared to. Plus, Daenerys Targaryen, aka Khaleesi, is an absolute badass character.

Since it ended, many series have tried to emulate Game of Thrones, but few have even come close to competing. However, that won’t always be the case. These five upcoming fantasy series already have the potential to rival Game of Thrones.

5

Fourth Wing

The TV adaptation of Fourth Wing has major potential to rival, if not beat, Game of Thrones. Two defining traits of Game of Thrones are its gritty realism and expansive storytelling. There’s no arguing that it does both of these things incredibly well. However, Fourth Wing could do both those things just as well.

Fourth Wing is nothing short of intense and brutal, and the entire purpose of the dragon-riding school is to create warriors who can battle in war. Despite the romance, the story isn’t lighthearted by any stretch of the imagination. The show will be packed with violent dragon fights and explicit sex scenes, much like Game of Thrones.

What’s more, the worldbuilding of Navarre, Poromiel, and the Continent is just as detail-oriented as that of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms. Ultimately, the deciding factor between Game of Thrones and Fourth Wing will come down to two things: the acting and the dragons.

4

Wings of Fire

Game of Thrones is widely considered the ultimate dragon show, and nothing has lived up to the level of excellence, yet. However, Wings of Fire has the strongest potential to beat out the beloved fantasy series as the ultimate dragon show because, firstly, the books and world-building are incredible, and secondly, it’s actually, by definition, a dragon show.

To be frank, Game of Thrones has so much human politics and wars that it doesn’t really feel like a dragon show except when it comes to Daenerys’ storyline. Wings of Fire centers on dragon characters who are prophesied to end a brutal dragon war set within a world of ten dragon empires. They aren’t props. It is the dragons’ story. Wings of Fire also isn’t afraid to dabble in heavy themes either.

What’s more, the fact that Wings of Fire will be animated shouldn’t be cause for dismissal. If KPop Demon Hunters, Arcane, Castlevania, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse have taught us anything, it’s that animation can be just as compelling a medium as live action. It just has to be done right.

3

The Mighty Nein

The Mighty Nein started releasing less than a month ago, and the first season isn’t even completely out yet. As such, we’ve decided to include it with the upcoming series that could rival Game of Thrones. The most impressive part of Game of Thrones is the sheer scope, and The Mighty Nein mirrors this.

The Game of Thrones world and its characters feel like they could exist off-screen, given how well-thought-out they are. The Mighty Nein also has this trait. It feels like the world and its characters expand beyond what we see. The story is emotional and character-driven, with small moments of silliness to add levity. Plus, the characters all have trauma.

The thing that tips the scales in The Mighty Nein’s favor over Game of Thrones is the magic, which feels better executed. It’s also more central to the story. However, we aren’t even a full season in, so it’s impossible to know whether The Mighty Nein will continue thriving.

2

Valdemar Universe

The Valdemar Universe comprises 42 individual books, not including collections or omnibuses. The book series spans over 2,500 years, is packed with different types of magical creatures, and includes a myriad of heroes and villains. If any series is more expansive than Game of Thrones, it’s the Valdemar books. However, the audience won’t be overwhelmed with all this information at once.

The first season will focus on The Last Herald-Mage, a trilogy centered on a hero named Vanyel, who has been persecuted and abused by his Valdemaran noble parent. He travels with his companion and aunt to train as a Herald-Mage, becoming the strongest in the history of Valdemar. Now, he’s the only hope against an enemy who wants to destroy all the magic in the world.

It’s a huge fantasy epic, but it still manages to be extremely grounded when it comes to the storyline. Ultimately, between the massive scale of the story and the compelling central hero, The Valdemar Universe has a serious chance of rivaling Game of Thrones, if the TV show is done right. However, it will require a large budget and incredible special effects.

1

The Ring & The Crown

Of all the upcoming shows that could rival Game of Thrones, The Ring & The Crown is the most similar to the show, except that it’s an exciting adaptation of a YA book series instead of an adult novel series. Based on Arthurian lore, the fantasy story is an ensemble piece with main characters who are a part of various ancient kingdoms filled with magic.

Like in Game of Thrones, most of the main characters are royals or those who have influence over the empires, including Princess Marie-Victoria, the heir to the most powerful kingdom, and Aelwyn Myrddyn, the born-out-of-wedlock daughter of Merlin, who is forced to serve Marie-Victoria’s family.

The story is packed with magic, betrayals, arranged marriages, and major political conflicts. If they take a more mature approach to this adaptation, it could be the spiritual successor to Game of Thrones.

Release Date

2011 – 2019-00-00

Showrunner

David Benioff, D.B. Weiss

Directors

David Nutter, Alan Taylor, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff