It's been an exceptional year for fantasy shows so far. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms started the year with a bang on HBO. Then, we saw new seasons of One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Most recently, House of the Dragon just finished off its best season in years this summer.
The good news is that the fantasy slate isn't slowing down anytime soon. We have three big fantasy shows to watch later this year. There's a bit of a gap between House of the Dragon season 3 and the next big fantasy release, so it's the perfect time to get caught up if you're behind.
Had I written this list about a month ago, it would have been a little longer. We were expecting the final season of The Witcher to be released this year. Unfortunately, that's not going to be the case. Netflix has bumped The Witcher season 5 to 2027.
Let's get the list started with one of the biggest fantasy shows of the last few years, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3
- Release date: Nov. 11, 2026
- Where to watch: Prime Video
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns this November more than two years after season 2 premiered on Prime Video in the late summer of 2024. It's been a big break, but I don't think it will hurt the season. Honestly, I think with the success of House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and other fantasy shows, it might actually help The Rings of Power soar to new heights in the upcoming season.
The Rings of Power season 3 definitely has the potential to be the best season of the series so far. After season 2 ended with a battle between Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Sauron (Charlie Vickers), the third season will follow Sauron's journey as he finally forges the One Ring.
Of course, there's a lot more going on in Middle-earth with the elves, dwarves, men, and Harfoots, but the primary story should revolve around Sauron's next move and how the rest of the key characters try to stop him.
It's also been revealed that Jamie Campbell Bower, the former star of Stranger Things, has joined the cast as Galadriel's long-lost love, Celeborn. We don't know how he's going to be introduced, but it's going to be fantastic.
Prime Video has a very interesting release schedule planned for Rings of Power season 3. We're getting four episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 11, followed by two episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and the final two episodes of the eight-episode season on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
We have no idea why that's happening this season, but we'll see how it goes!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3
- Release date: Nov. 20, 2026
- Where to watch: Disney+
One week after The Rings of Power season 3 hits Prime Video, we have another season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Season 3 premieres on Friday, Nov. 20, followed by weekly episodes throughout the eight-episode season.
Percy Jackon season 3 is based on The Titan's Curse, which is the third book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series. The Titan's Curse is one of my favorite books in the series. After the events of season 2, the story follows Percy (Walker Scobell) and his fellow demigods on another cross-country journey. This time, though, the stakes are higher than ever before.
Like Rings of Power, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3 might just be the best season of the series, too!
It's so refreshing to have a fantasy show like Percy Jackson that can crank out new seasons every year. I know it's a show that skews a bit younger, but there's still a massive amount of work to bring this incredible show to life. And the cast, crew, and creative team deserve a lot for making it happen.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- Release date: Dec. 25, 2026
- Where to watch: HBO and HBO Max
Last but not least, we have Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The new HBO series based on the first book of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series premieres on Christmas Day (Dec. 25).
The first season, which consists of eight episodes, will tell the story of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which begins with Harry Potter (Dominic McLaughlin) learning he's a famous wizard who vanquished Lord Voldemort as a baby and going off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. McLaughlin will be joined by Alistair Stout, who plays Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton, who plays Hermione Granger. John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Nick Frost, Paapa Essiedu, and more round out the cast.
There's absolutely no doubt Harry Potter will be one of the biggest fantasy shows of the year. Honestly, I'm expecting it to be the biggest TV premiere since Stranger Things season 5, and it's probably going to be even bigger than that. I just don't think we've ever seen a TV series based on a more popular book and movie franchise. I know there are a lot of people sitting this one out because of Rowling, but it's still going to be a massive release.
We still haven't learned the release schedule for season 1 yet, but we're expecting each episode to be released weekly on HBO and HBO Max.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second season of the HBO series, is already in the works. Production on the new season started this summer, so we probably won't have quite as long of a wait between seasons.
Those are the three biggest fantasy shows to watch later this year! Of course, there's still time for Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, and others to surprise us with other fantasy shows before the year ends. For now, stay tuned for more news about Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and The Rings of Power!
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