Fantasy is one of the most marketable television genres in Hollywood right now despite being very difficult to pull off. Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon in the 2010s, sparking the interest of almost every streaming service to attempt their own fantasy series. Many subsequent shows like The Witcher or The Rings of Power have been divisive, and it’s fair to say that none has matched up with the cultural appeal that Game of Thrones had before season 8.
Many fantasy book series have huge audiences that care deeply about their favorite worlds being faithfully adapted on television. There are a number of ongoing series like The Wheel of Time and House of the Dragon, while other fantasy books surprisingly haven’t become shows yet. For these series to find success and be worth their ginormous budgets, they have to overcome certain challenges.
10 Studios Want The Next Game Of Thrones
A major issue fantasy series have been facing is the studio’s desire to replicate the success of Game of Thrones. It’s often the case in Hollywood that the wrong lessons are taken from one property’s success, and the end of Game of Thrones left a vacuum that studios rushed to fill without understanding the properties they had. The Witcher shouldn’t seek to be the next Game of Thrones. It should only try to be The Witcher. An adaptation diverging from its source material to imitate a different story is a recipe for tonal inconsistency and a messy narrative.
9 Fantasy Shows Are Expensive
Fantasy shows are incredibly expensive. The Rings of Power’s worst enemy was its budget, as it cost $450 million for season 1, making its success a steep hill to climb. House of the Dragon’s season 1 budget was $200 million, but those properties have already proven successful in Hollywood. For a fantasy book series to be adapted, the price tag may be too steep for the direct adaptation that a showrunner or fans would hope for. Making sure the budget is spent efficiently is also a factor, as simply throwing money at a movie or show hasn’t proven to be a successful formula recently.
8 Deviating From Source Material Is A Huge Risk
For whatever reason, fantasy book adaptations have struggled recently due to straying too far from their source material. The source material is proven to work, and large deviations can result in alienated fans and incoherent plot lines. The books are written with details in mind. Making slight changes can benefit a series, but too many changes can have a domino effect that topples over the essence of the show’s world. Rings of Power made changes to Tolkien canon, which many fans found upsetting.
7 Fantasy Action Is Difficult To Pull Off On A TV Budget
Regarding action, the show’s budget can be a limiting factor in fantasy. Game of Thrones wasn’t a series that relied too heavily on action. Particularly early on, there aren’t many magical aspects, and mystical creatures like direwolves and dragons are small and scarce. If a book series like The Stormlight Archive was to be adapted, the budget may inhibit many of the immense battles and epic fight sequences. High-magic fantasy fights have been underwhelming in television adaptations so far.
6 Production Design Is Overshadowed By CGI
A key element that made both the Lord of the Rings films and Game of Thrones so immersive was the production design. Neither project is too reliant on CGI aside from obvious cases like dragons and fell beasts. Both Middle-Earth and Westeros are designed to be entirely believable by an astute attention to meaningful detail. Everything from lighting to well-weathered wood to the filth on the characters is constructed with the world’s believability in mind. Shows with less time to prepare and shoot often rely on fixing things in post-production, resulting in worlds that feel inauthentic.
5 Hollywood Doesn’t Understand The Fantasy Genre Yet
The Wheel of Time and The Witcher are seen as the studios’ attempts to fill the Game of Thrones void because Hollywood doesn’t understand what they are. The Wheel of Time was regarded as one of the most prolific fantasy series ever written before Game of Thrones became a phenomenon. There’s no reason for The Wheel of Time to compete with Game of Thrones, and to try to fill the cultural vacancy of something it isn’t. Every fantasy series is different, and only by understanding the book series’ strengths can they be truly represented on screen.
4 Not Everything Can Be Adapted To The Screen Cleanly
Changes may be necessary when adapting from a novel. While budgeting is a huge reason for this, there are other factors. The episodic formula is particular and requires a different pacing than a novel. This can result in changes to a narrative due to the episode’s time constraint or momentum. Not to mention internal monologues and character observations are more challenging to depict than in novels.
3 Fantasy Worlds Are Complicated
It’s essential in fantasy stories for the viewer to understand the world. Fantasy worlds are complex, from political systems to magic systems to religions, and understanding that information are often integral to the story. Delivering that information on TV can be complicated, as the show doesn’t want to get bogged down by endless exposition and info-dumping. Trying to fit too much complexity into a show early on can severely damage the pacing. There’s a ton of world-building and mythology for The Wheel of Time for the show to explore over time.
2 Epic Fantasy Often Requires In-World Historical Context
Aside from just current-world exposition, fantasy stories often rely on previous historical context to establish their stories. Game of Thrones had Robert’s Rebellion, and Lord of the Rings had the events of The Hobbit and the War of the Last Alliance to explain. These backstories are essential to the current timeline and require a careful dose of exposition to ease into, but they don’t show everything between Robert’s Rebellion and Game of Thrones, as it would damage the flow and authenticity. Providing this context can be another barrier and can come at the sacrifice of character development early on.
1 Fantasy Characters Have To Relate To Modern Audiences
The essential element of great fantasy is its characters. Be they great heroes, wise mentors, or wicked villains, a fantasy show’s success rides on having characters the audience can connect to. Not every character has to be brilliantly complex, but they should have engaging conflicts and development that compels the audience to join them on their adventure. Jon Snow’s mission to defend the Wall against White Walkers isn’t the most relatable experience but his search for a sense of belonging and innocent approach to romance make him a lovable character to watch.
