New contenders battle to be TV’s next Game Of Thrones
Major production houses around the world are lining up television shows that all want the title of being the next Game Of Thrones. So who will it be? Here’s our look at the 10 big contenders.
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The armour is polished, the swords are sharp and the contenders are lined up, all ready to do battle — not for the Iron Throne but something more valuable, the title of the next Game Of Thrones.
After the incredible fantasy show redefined television, with enormous budgets that were dwarfed only by the whopping viewing figures, everyone wants a piece of that action. Fantasy, once a derided genre, is so hot that it’s cool right now.
And major production houses around the world are lining up shows that all want the title of Next Game Of Thrones.
So who will it be? Can there even be a show that replicates that effect on popular culture?
We don’t know — but in 12 months or so, we’ll have a good idea as all these series fight for our attention.
So here’s Insider’s look at the 10 big contenders — although as Bran Stark showed us, sometimes the one you least expect ends up with the throne.
HIS DARK MATERIALS
Foxtel
This is based on the Philip Pullman trilogy that mixes action and adventure with some powerful punches at the Catholic Church and its approach to sin.
Some may remember the 2007 movie The Golden Compass with Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman that tried to turn a dark fantasy in a light, fluffy film that didn’t annoy the church.
It managed to fail on pretty much all fronts and books two and three were never adapted. This time HBO has crafted an eight-part series based on the first book and, so far, it looks the goods.
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The opening credits have more than a hint of GoT about them and the production values are lavish, plus it has the brilliant James McAvoy as Lord Asriel. Series two has already been commissioned and this feel like it’s going to be a hit. And we haven’t even got to the fighting polar bears yet!
THE WITCHER
Netflix
This series will launch on December 20, with all eight episodes of the first season. The book series by Andrzej Sapkowski has eight main novels as well as two prequels of short stories.
From the cast list, it’s going to at least feature some of the prequel stories before it moves into the main yarn. Henry Cavill (Superman) is Geralt, the nominal hero. He’s a Witcher, a human trained to fight the monsters of the world.
He, his lover the wizard Yennefer and a mysterious princess called Ciri find themselves caught up in war and intrigue.
Although one of the features of the book series is the many non-human races (elves are hot, dwarfs are the tradies and so on), this will play up the horror element. Done well, this has huge potential.
But recreating monsters such as the hideous Striga, not to mention the Nilfgaardian army, is going to take some serious special effects. If you want violence, then the books have plenty as Geralt guzzles special Witcher potions and uses the extra speed and strength they give him to slaughter enemies.
He and Yennefer have plenty of steamy sex, while Geralt’s best mate, the poet Dandelion, shags everything that moves, human or not. So in many ways, this could evoke memories of GoT.
LORD OF THE RINGS
Amazon
Remember the five-minute introduction sequence starring Hugo Weaving at the start of the Peter Jackson films? Well, Amazon plans to take that and turn it into multiple series set in Middle-earth.
Tolkein being Tolkein, there is a lot of history there, from the fall of Numenor up to the rise of Sauron and the last alliance of men and elves that kicked off the movie trilogy.
With a rumoured $1 billion budget and five seasons planned, we’re going to be getting our first look probably towards the end of next year.
Will it be as big a hit as the movies? Well, it has the name and Amazon is betting big on it. It has armies of Chinese schoolchildren slaving away night and day in its factories to earn enough to pay for it.
WHEEL OF TIME
Amazon
If noughties readers were obsessed with GoT, the 1990s were obsessed with Robert Jordan’s Wheel Of Time. This sprawling 14-book series had to be finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan (real names James Rigney) died.
Like LOTR, the stakes are high. The Dark One is breaking free of his prison and one man learns he is destined to save the world from the ultimate evil — or destroy it.
There are journeys across many nations, plenty of heroes and heroines, war, destruction and political backstabbing.
Filming recently began in the Czech Republic with Rosamund Pike in the cast and again we can expect to see something late next year. Will this be the one-two punch that sees Amazon crowned as the ruler of the fantasy genre? Or will it and LOTR cancel each other out?
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON
Foxtel
After juggling two Game Of Thrones prequel shows, HBO has dumped the Naomi Watts-led Longest Night and instead signed up House Of The Dragon.
This is based on the rise of House Targaryen and was recently the subject of George RR Martin’s mock history book Fire And Blood. So, the White Walkers miss out but the dragons will fly again. Former GoT director Miguel Sapochnik (The Battle Of The Bastards) is one of the showrunners.
Once again, we probably won’t see this on our screens until late next year or even early 2021. Can it recapture the magic of GoT? Well, HBO certainly thinks so and Martin has even offered to write a few episodes — once he has finished off the last two books in the series.
So don’t expect him to get a screenwriting credit for the first few seasons at least...
GORMENGHAST
Showtime
We’re not sure yet where this one will be screened, let alone how it will be received. Back in 2000 the BBC tried to turn it into a miniseries. But despite a glittering array of actors including Celia Imrie, Christopher Lee and Stephen Fry, it was a flop.
Now, with more money and better effects, this four-book series will get another adaptation. Gormenghast is a castle the size of a city.
Young Titus is the heir to this rambling place, with its strange rituals but he yearns for the outside world while a young kitchen apprentice plots to take over. This is in its earliest days but we could see the first episodes in 2021.
THE WATCH
BBC
Terry Pratchett wrote many hilarious stand-alone fantasy novels but one of his most beloved series featured The Watch.
Drunken, cynical Captain Sam Vimes leads a crew of shirkers and cowards in a city where crime has been legalised. Yet he somehow manages to save the day and solve the mystery.
It’s kind of a fantasy murder-mystery series, with lashings of jokes. Richard Dormer (Beric from GoT) stars as Captain Vimes. Eight episodes have been commissioned and shooting is underway now. Hopefully we’ll see it debut this time next year.
SHADOW AND BONE
Netflix
Filming started last month in Hungary on this eight-part fantasy series, based on the Grisha books of Leigh Bardugo. Again, we’re not going to see it until next year at least but it has Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) at the helm and the books have sold in their millions.
Bardugo’s “Grishaverse” is a world cut in two by a barrier of perpetual darkness, where strange creatures prey on humans.
Young soldier Alina discovers a power that might bring peace to the world but she will quickly become hunted as she tries to master her powers. With a heroine at the core of the story and a hot young cast, this could be a dark horse in the race for the fantasy throne.
CURSED
Netflix
This is potentially a very exciting retelling of the Arthurian legend, from the eyes of the sorceress Nimue. In some versions of the tale she is the Lady of the Lake; in others she works against Arthur.
But in this one, Nimue (played by Aussie Katherine Langford from 13 Reasons Why) and a young Arthur work together to help Merlin and defeat the evil Red Paladins of King Uther.
Filming recently finished on the 10-episode first series and it is scheduled to screen late next year. Langford is mesmerising and the story of Arthur is one of constant fascination, so this could also be a winner.
EARTHSEA
No network yet
The Earthsea Cycle of five fantasy novels of Ursula K Le Guin have been favourites since the first was published in 1968. After two failed adaptations, which Le Guin reportedly criticised, Jennifer Fox (The Bourne Legacy) has signed up to have a proper crack at the sprawling series that saw its last novel released in 2001.
It doesn’t yet have a network, or a cast or anything else but it has plenty of name recognition. The story of young wizard Ged’s journey from a simple village boy to a powerful wizard is seemingly made for television. And if the above shows are all hits, expect to see it on your screen around 2021.