upcoming fantasy – From a live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2 remake to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Wes Ball’s The Legend of Zelda, here are 10 fantasy films set to land across 2026 to 2028—and why they’ve earned serious hype.
On paper, fantasy has always been a genre built for reinvention. In practice, the next few years are shaping up like a full-on delivery route for big-screen worlds—some returning to familiar legends, others betting on new magic.
Here are 10 upcoming fantasy movies, ranked by anticipation.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 — June 11th, 2027
The leap from animated to live-action hasn’t always landed cleanly, even when box-office results stayed strong. But How to Train Your Dragon is the standout exception. with the live-action approach benefiting from having the same director as the original animated trilogy and a clear commitment to recreating the magic of the original movies. That audience hit was big enough to greenlight a live-action remake of the sequel, How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Even now. many fans consider the animated How to Train Your Dragon 2 the best entry in the franchise—so the idea of turning that specific emotional and action-packed story into live-action is exactly the kind of high-risk. high-reward project fantasy fans circle. If the remake lands even close to the animated version’s impact and emotional weight. it’s poised to be a crowd-pleaser built for repeat viewings.
Practical Magic 2 — September 11th, 2026
Practical Magic arrived as a charming, 90s fantasy rom-com, and its success leaned heavily on the chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. The sequel, Practical Magic 2, is clearly aiming to tap into that same kind of legacy momentum.
The pitch for fans is immediate: Bullock and Kidman are back, returning as a duo built for “fantasy mischief.” The movie also brings back Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, and it adds new cast members including Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, Joey King, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod.
Frozen III — November 24th, 2027
Frozen has become one of Disney’s most iconic fantasy hits of the 21st century. with both the original film and its sequel delivering massive blockbuster success. That momentum is why Frozen III carries so much built-in anticipation—especially because it’s scheduled to arrive 8 years after Frozen II.
The expectations are sharpened by one key detail: Frozen III is set to return with the same cast and crew in the world of Arendelle. The assumption fans are making is simple—if the film mirrors the musical charm and wit of the earlier movies. it should slot right into the conversation as one of the essential animated fantasy events still to come.
The Legend of Zelda — April 30th, 2027
For all its massive impact on gaming culture, The Legend of Zelda still hasn’t made the jump to the big screen—until now. After the success of Nintendo’s previous cinematic outing in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Legend of Zelda is finally getting its movie treatment.
This adaptation will be live-action and is helmed by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball. Specifics are still a mystery, but promo photos suggest the film is pulling from across the franchise’s history: from the early NES games through to Breath of the Wild.
Highlander — TBA
The original Highlander was a defining, ruthlessly brutal fantasy action movie from the 80s. Since then, the franchise has spent years dealing with underwhelming sequels, which made the modern-day reboot feel almost inevitable.
What changes this one from “interesting” to “must-watch potential” is the talent lined up behind it. The reboot is coming from director Chad Stahelski. whose credits include all four main series entries in the John Wick franchise. There’s also a major leading-role draw in Henry Cavill. supported by Russell Crowe. Karen Gillan. Djimon Hounsou. Dave Bautista and Jeremy Irons.
Stahelski’s film will also be his first non-John Wick directorial work, while Cavill’s fantasy action experience includes playing Geralt in The Witcher. Even with no confirmed release date yet, that combination has plenty of momentum behind it.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum — December 17th, 2027
Few fantasy franchises have the cultural gravity of The Lord of the Rings. often discussed alongside some of the greatest blockbusters ever made and major 21st century filmmaking achievements. Even after The Hobbit trilogy didn’t quite land as well, the appetite for more Middle-earth stories remains strong.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to return to beloved characters, following an untold chapter of the mythos. In this story, Gandalf and Aragorn hunt for Gollum after his escape from Mordor, in parallel with early events of The Fellowship of the Ring.
For fans, the cast is a huge hook. Andy Serkis returns to star and is directing the film. and he joins Ian McKellen. Kate Winslet. Lee Pace and Elijah Wood. all reprising their roles from the Peter Jackson films. Serkis directing feels especially fitting, given the performance that helped bring Gollum to life in the first place.
Elden Ring — March 3rd, 2028
Elden Ring isn’t just another fantasy game adaptation—it’s one of the biggest and most acclaimed fantasy video game releases in recent memory. The project expanded on the Soulslike formula, built by FromSoftware with intricate worldbuilding from George R. R. Martin.
That legacy is a big reason the cinematic adaptation carries so much appeal. The world is described as full of potential and built for spectacle.
Director Alex Garland is the other major reason anticipation is spiking. The film is being framed as a passion project with an effort toward accuracy and recreating the energy of the games. Garland’s involvement is paired with A24 backing and “large creative control. ” a setup that. if it translates to screen. could push this adaptation far beyond typical video-game fare.
Wildwood — October 23rd, 2026
After an elongated period without feature films from LAIKA, Wildwood is aiming to break the pattern. LAIKA has long been known as the go-to animation studio for stop-motion, delivering masterpiece after masterpiece in fantasy filmmaking.
Wildwood follows a young girl who goes on a journey into a mysterious magical world to save her kidnapped baby brother from a mysterious witch.
The excitement here starts with craft. The film is expected to showcase exceptionally crafted stop-motion animation, described as some of the most breathtaking LAIKA has ever created. If the story matches the visual mastery, the project could end up as a defining animated masterpiece of the decade.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew — February 12th, 2027
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is set to bring one of fantasy literature’s most acclaimed stories back to the big screen. The plan is also meant to extend the Narnia cinematic legacy that previously included a successful trilogy in the 2000s.
What elevates this project is director Greta Gerwig. Her last film Barbie became a cultural phenomenon, and that reputation is feeding anticipation.
The adaptation is framed as a Gerwig project with major support and room to shape the story. The film is described as having massive Netflix blockbuster funding and the creative liberties to tell Narnia in Gerwig’s distinct way. That’s not just appealing to fans—it’s also fueling anticipation even among people who aren’t already Narnia readers.
Netflix is also positioning it as an event release. The film is set to be one of the first real theatrical releases for the studio, collaborating with IMAX.
The Odyssey — July 17th, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is one of the most anticipated fantasy movies—possibly one of the most anticipated movies overall. The project has been a top talking point since it was announced. driven by Nolan’s track record and by the sheer cultural weight of The Odyssey itself. described here as one of the most influential and important epics in human history.
Anticipation has only grown after trailers and sneak peeks. The content previewed standout moments without giving away the overarching story experience, including the high-tension Trojan horse sequence and the battle against the Cyclops.
The film is said to have already been perceived as one of the year’s best even before trailers were released, with the short time until release feeling like “an eternity” in patience.
The through-line across these titles is how often big names are paired with big swings: sequels being retold for new audiences, legacy franchises getting another shot, and video-game and myth adaptations reaching for the kind of cinematic energy that fantasy fans expect from the genre’s best eras.
fantasy movies upcoming fantasy films How to Train Your Dragon 2 Practical Magic 2 Frozen III The Legend of Zelda movie Highlander reboot The Lord of the Rings The Hunt for Gollum Elden Ring adaptation Wildwood LAIKA Narnia The Magician's Nephew The Odyssey Christopher Nolan
Is this real or just clickbait? Like where’s the list lol
I don’t get why they’re making a live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2 remake when the first one already felt weird to me. Nolan doing The Odyssey though?? That sounds like it could be awesome or totally snoozefest. Also Zelda… we’ll see. Hollywood loves milking stuff.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is gonna be confusing as hell, like how do you even fit that into a movie without it being like 4 hours of thinking. And Wes Ball’s Legend of Zelda… isn’t he the guy from that ape movie? So like does that mean Zelda is gonna be gritty??
Ok but if they’re doing a live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2, shouldn’t they just admit it’s gonna be CGI dragons arguing again. I swear every “fantasy” movie now is just a bunch of worlds rebooted for the same people who already watched it. Also 2026 to 2028 is a LONG time, I’ll probably forget this list by next week.