From the first ever double-season year for HBO’s “Game of Thrones” universe to major new installments in the realm of dark fantasy and fresh adaptations of beloved classics, there’s tons for fans of fantasy of television to get excited about in 2026.
“Outlander” fans can look forward to Season 8 premieringMarch 6 on Starz,while Netflix’s “The Witcher” is set to air its fifth and final season — its second with Liam Hemsworth in the role of Geralt of Rivia — at a yet-to-be-declaredlater date this year.”Lord of the Rings” fans hope that “The Rings of Power” Season 3 streams this year, though Prime Video has not announced anything to indicate that they should get their hopes up.
With those honorable mentions out of the way, let’s dig a little deeper into a few of the most interesting fantasy series coming in 2026.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
After the massive success of “House of the Dragon,” HBO is premiering its third show set in George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” universe. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” kicks off on Sunday, January 18, with a story set nearly a century before the beginning of “Game of Thrones.” This is a nice middle ground between the two prior series — it shows elements of the Targaryen lineage in the wake of the civil war depicted in “House of the Dragon” while setting up the state of Westeros in “Game of Thrones.” But what’s arguably more interesting is that “A Knight … ” could provide a low-pressure jump-off point for new fans getting into the franchise for the first time.
Like the last two series, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is based on published material from Martin himself — in this case, the “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas that follow hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), aka “Dunk,” and his squire Prince Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell), aka “Egg.”
If the show holds true to the books, this will be a lower-key series than “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon,” more focused on the core character relationship and the state of the world than any massive, era-defining war or supernatural cataclysm. There’s something refreshing about the prospect of a grounded “Game of Thrones” show, and HBO’s track record deserves the benefit of the doubt.
House of the Dragon Season 3
After “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” in the winter, “House of the Dragon” Season 3 is set to air later this year. While an exact premiere date has not yet been announced, HBO CEO Casey Bloys told Deadline in September of 2025 that we can expect more “HoD” “just outside of [the 2026 Emmy eligibility window].” That suggests a premiere somewhere in June or early July, as the Emmy window closes at the end of May.
This new season is set to be big, after Season 2 brought more setup than payoff, especially at the end. Though some fans complained that the series takes too long to get to the action, others praised Season 2 for its precise character work, especially regarding Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).
There was some drama last season, with George R. R. Martin writingin a now-deleted blog post, “There are … toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4.” Meanwhile, the stage is set for the Dance of the Dragons to open up into full-scale on-screen war, and if you’ve read the “Fire & Blood” book, you know a few of the titanic story moments that are likely coming later this year.
The Vampire Lestat
For two seasons, AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” has been one of the best shows on television. The centerpiece of the network’s burgeoning Anne Rice universe, the series packs romance, high drama, vampire action, gorgeous cinematography, and some of the best writing you’ll find anywhere into one tight package.
With “Interview with the Vampire” Season 3,AMC is launching a soft rebrand of the show as the story moves from the first novel in Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles” series to the second, titled “The Vampire Lestat.” That means that Sam Reid, who plays the eponymous French vampire on the show, is back in the spotlight after taking a comparatively small role in Season 2. The new season also looks to be adopting some fresh aesthetics, with a gothic rock and roll angle that Reid is sure to shine in — and makes us wonder if Season 3 also pulls from Rice’s third vampire book, “The Queen of the Damned.”
If you’ve already been on board for the prior seasons, you know this is one of the big TV events of 2026. But if you haven’t started yet, it’s also the perfect time to start. As of this writing, both prior seasons are streaming on Netflix, as well as on AMC+. Do yourself a favor and check out Jacob Anderson in perhaps the most underappreciated starring performance on TV right now.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2
This year continues Netflix’s grand project of adapting the beloved 2000s animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” to live action. Its second season, “Book 2: Earth,” may be the defining moment.
The middle season of the original series is arguably its strongest. It may not have the same crescendo climax moments as Season 3, but its consistency and complex handling of numerous storylines, themes, and political ideas launched the show to new heights back in 2006. Now, Netflix gets to show us whether this new version can do justice to the source material.
Changes to the timeline have been made to account for the actors — namely Gordon Cormier, who plays Avatar Aang — growing up on screen. That may work to the show’s benefit, as it probably means the characters look older during their intense “Book 2″arcs.Will Netflix’s live-action “Avatar” ever match its predecessor? Probably not, but this second season could still be a major hit.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm
There’s a lot of new anime series debuting in 2026, but for fans of fantasy and classic shonen, there may not be a more exciting upcoming show than “Daemons of the Shadow Realm.” The series is based on the manga of the same name from Hiromu Arakawa, best known for her work as the creator of “Fullmetal Alchemist.”
If you’re a fan of “Fullmetal,” there are a few other key similarities between it and “Daemons of the Shadow Realm” — namely, a distinct magic system and a core relationship between two siblings. The story follows twins Yuru and Asa, who live in a world where some people can command magical beings called Daemons. The art style of the manga will feel like home to fans of Arakawa’s past endeavors, and the anime is set to debut in April on Crunchyroll.
Blending dark fantasy and high fantasy elements, “Daemons of the Shadow Realm” could be one of the sleeper hits of the year.
