Entertainment
10 Upcoming Fantasy Movies, Ranked by Anticipation
The vast creative possibilities and fun to be had within the fantasy genre has made it one of the most acclaimed and memorable genres in filmmaking history. The genre continues to be massively successful in the modern era, whether it be through expansive franchise blockbusters like Wicked or distinct, thought-provoking art films like All of Us Strangers. The genre shows no signs of slowing down in the modern era of film, with there being a wide array of notable fantasy films worth getting excited for in the future.
From the latest entries in massively celebrated franchises to striking original films that are making the most of fantasy worldbuilding in their execution, these films show a bright future for the fantasy genre both in terms of blockbuster success and distinct high quality. While these are far from the only notable fantasy films that will be released in the next few years, these stand out as the ones to get most excited for with biting anticipation.
10
‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’
Release Date: June 11th, 2027
Live-action remakes of animated movies have had a massively mixed reception in the modern era, usually having overwhelming box-office success despite middling reception from critics and audiences. However, one exception to the rule was How to Train Your Dragon, thanks largely to having the same director as the original animated trilogy and dedicating themselves to recreating the magic of the original movies. This helped the original film be a massive hit with audiences and immediately greenlit a live-action remake of the sequel, How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Even today, many fans consider the animated How to Train Your Dragon 2 to be the best in the franchise, placing all sorts of hype and excitement on a live-action remake of this iconic story. While many other live-action remakes have largely followed their own path in terms of sequels and prequels, this is one of the only times when an actual high-profile animated sequel is being given the live-action remake treatment. If it even comes close to the impact and emotional weight of the animated version, then it will surely be an absolute blast.
9
‘Practical Magic 2’
Release Date: September 11th, 2026
The original Practical Magic was a quaint yet undeniably charming 90s fantasy rom-com, largely succeeding off of the comedic duo of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as they acquainted themselves with the world of magic and witchcraft. Following in the footsteps of other female-led legacy sequels of recent memory, like Freakier Friday and The Devil Wears Prada 2, Practical Magic 2 is building off of the cult following that the original has been building, bringing back the same iconic duo with various new faces for a fun modern twist.
Simply bringing back the charming presence and combination of Kidman and Bullock on-screen together for fantasy mischief is enough for fans of the original film to get excited about this return to form. However, Kidman and Bullock are not the only returning cast members, as Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest are also reprising their roles, being joined by new faces in Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, Joey King, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod.
8
‘Frozen III’
Release Date: November 24th, 2027
Frozen has quickly cemented itself as one of the most celebrated and iconic Disney films of the 21st century, with both the original film and its sequel finding massive blockbuster success as true evolutions to the classic Disney princess musical formula. This has laid the groundwork for a large amount of anticipation and excitement for this long-awaited third film in the franchise, with Frozen III set to release 8 years after Frozen II. With the same cast and crew returning to the world of Arendelle, one can only assume that the film will be of similar musical charm and wit as the previous films.
Frozen II had already made waves when it released by being one of the few truly great Disney sequels to get a primary theatrical release and was a part of the larger Walt Disney Animation Studios. Even if Frozen III proves to be little more than just similarly catchy songs and compelling wintertime animation, there will be a lot of flourish and flair to make this film a must-watch among the animated fantasy films of the future.
7
‘The Legend of Zelda’
Release Date: April 30th, 2027
The Legend of Zelda continues to be one of the most recognizable and highly acclaimed fantasy video game franchises of all time, laying claim to countless masterpieces that have helped shape and reform the very medium of video games in their success. It seems entirely baffling that such an important and prominent video game franchise has still never made the jump to the big screen, yet, following the success of Nintendo’s previous cinematic outing in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Legend of Zelda is finally getting the movie treatment.
Set in live-action and helmed by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball, this film has all the expectations in the world in having to live up to such an iconic video game franchise, yet certainly has the tools and potential to make fans proud. A lot of specifics about the film are still a mystery, but the few promo photos show that they’re taking inspiration from across the entire history of the franchise, from the early NES games to the recent masterpiece, Breath of the Wild.
6
‘Highlander’
Release Date: TBA
The original Highlander was one of the most iconic, ruthlessly brutal fantasy action movies that the 80s had to offer, still being iconic in its stature despite a myriad of underwhelming sequels in the years since its release. It seemed all but inevitable that the Highlander franchise would find a reboot in the modern day, yet it’s the star power and talent attached that makes the upcoming Highlander film a real must-watch. Even without a confirmed release date, the Highlander reboot is one of the most promising and exciting fantasy films of the future.
The biggest draw for excitement is that the reboot comes from director Chad Stahelski, whose previous work includes all four main series entries in the legendary John Wick franchise. On top of that, the film is filled with exceptional talent across the board, with Henry Cavill in the leading role and a top-notch supporting casting including Russell Crowe, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Dave Bautista, and Jeremy Irons. Between Cavill’s previous experience in fantasy action playing Geralt in The Witcher and this being Stahelski’s first non-John Wick directorial work, there is overwhelming potential in this being even better than the iconic original.
5
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’
Release Date: December 17th, 2027
Few fantasy movie franchises even come close to the stature and overwhelming praise that has graced The Lord of the Rings films, with them often finding themselves among conversation as some of the greatest blockbusters ever made and masterpieces of 21st century filmmaking. Even after a less than masterful trilogy of The Hobbit films, the allure and excitement for more Middle-earth films is compelling, leading to the return to these iconic characters with The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
The film will follow an often untold chapter of The Lord of the Rings mythos, where Gandalf and Aragorn hunt for Gollum after his escape from Mordor, happening in parallel with early events of The Fellowship of the Ring. The immediate draw for many fans is that it features a lot of the same cast as the legendary Peter Jackson films, with the likes of Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, Kate Winslet, Lee Pace, and Elijah Wood all reprising their roles from the Jackson films. Serkis himself is even directing the film, a perfect fit considering his iconic performance is what helped bring Gollum to life in the first place.
4
‘Elden Ring’
Release Date: March 3rd, 2028
Image via Bandai Namco Entertainment
One of the biggest and most acclaimed fantasy video game releases of recent memory, Elden Ring has been an overwhelming phenomenon that expanded upon the Soulslike formula to create FromSoftware’s magnum opus in combination with intricate worldbuilding from George R. R. Martin. The stature and legacy of the original game makes this cinematic adaptation all the more enticing for fans, as the world of Elden Ring is rife with potential in its intricate world and pure spectacle.
However, it’s the combination of passion and talent from director Alex Garland that really sets this film apart as one of the most anticipated video game adaptations. Garland has not only been on an absolute hot streak as both a director and a writer, but he has a clear passion and understanding of Elden Ring‘s game and story, being dedicated to accuracy and recreating the energy of the games above all else. With A24’s backing and giving him large creative control, Elden Ring could just become one of the all-time greatest video game adaptations.
3
‘Wildwood’
Release Date: October 23rd, 2026
LAIKA has been the go-to animation studio for masterful stop-motion ever since their inception, releasing masterpiece after masterpiece in their tenure of brilliant fantasy filmmaking. However, after an elongated period of no feature films from the studio, Wildwood is setting itself up to possibly be their most enthralling and captivating stop-motion fantasy experience yet. The film follows a young girl going on a journey off into a mysterious magical world in order to save her kidnapped baby brother from a mysterious witch.
The film seems to be sporting some of the most breathtaking and exceptionally crafted stop-motion animation that the studio has ever created so far. Especially in a modern era where human achievement and meticulous craft in filmmaking is more greatly appreciated, Wildwood has the potential to wow and delight audiences better than any LAIKA film before it. If the story can similarly live up to its visual mastery, then this could easily be one of the definitive animated masterpieces of the decade.
2
‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’
Release Date: February 12th, 2027
Adapting one of the most acclaimed and celebrated fantasy novels of all time, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is also looking to continue and extend the cinematic legacy of the Narnia franchise, which previously had an entire successful trilogy in the 2000s. While it’s inherently exciting enough to see this beloved series return to the big screen, the real selling point of this upcoming must-watch epic is that it’s being helmed by director Greta Gerwig, as her last film Barbie was an inescapable cultural phenomenon.
With Gerwig being given massive Netflix blockbuster funding and the creative liberties to tell the story of Narnia in her own distinct way, even non-fans of the Narnia franchise have grown antsy with anticipation as to what Gerwig could accomplish with this timeless material. Netflix themselves seems to have high hopes for this blockbuster, as the film is set to be one of the first real theatrical releases for the studio, collaborating with IMAX and making a true, must-watch blockbuster event out of the film.
1
‘The Odyssey’
Release Date: July 17th, 2026
It’s certainly easy to be more excited about the prominent fantasy films that are closest to their wide release, but ever since this project was announced, Christopher Nolan‘s take on The Odyssey has been at the top of anticipated fantasy movies and possibly even movies in general. The very prospect of one of the greatest modern-day filmmakers providing his own twist and perspective on one of the most influential and important epics in human history is the stuff that dreams are made of.
The potential and excitement is certainly there, as anticipation and fervor for the film has only exponentially grown following the release of various trailers and sneak peeks at its content. From the high-tension Trojan horse sequence to the battle against the Cyclops, the trailers do a great job of showing off standout moments without giving away too much about the overarching story and experience. It was already being perceived as one of the year’s best before trailers were even released, with the short time until its release feeling like an eternity in patience.
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