Fantasy franchises often have long runways, as the nature of the genre lends itself to continuation. After all, there’s plenty to be done with all that world-building and lore, especially once fans are thoroughly invested. Because of this, many iconic franchises find ways to capitalize on their success, whether it’s through prequels and sequels or by expanding into new types of media. Just look at all the Game of Thrones spinoffs underway, or the fact that Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere keeps going and going.
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It’s great to see these iconic franchises blow up the way they deserve, but there are popular ones that warrant better treatment than they’ve gotten. Whether they’re undervalued by Hollywood, audiences, or both, they should be larger and more successful considering their reputations. From a ’90s classic that’s not getting its much-anticipated reboot to a franchise that can’t seem to catch a break, these fantasy properties deserve much better.
5) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is considered a classic by most fantasy lovers, and it’s one of the most influential shows in the category. Its trail-blazing approach to supernatural storytelling and representation is what makes it so beloved. And although it occasionally shows its age, it’s a fantasy series that holds up well decades later. It’s no surprise it’s expanded in the form of comics, novels, a movie, and its Angel spinoff. However, Angel was cancelled, marking one way Buffy deserves better.
The more obvious reason, however, is that its highly anticipated Hulu reboot was cancelled earlier this year. It’s the latest in a lineup of cancelled Buffy the Vampire Slayer projects — and given the involvement of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Chloé Zhao as director, easily the most gutting yet. From what’s been said about the Buffy reboot’s cancellation, it seems like the reasons for axing the show are dubious at best. The series remains popular, so it’s genuinely a head-scratcher…and the perfect example of a fantasy franchise not getting its due.
4) The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings franchise is one of the biggest to grace the screen, and as new projects are still being made, it’s clear Hollywood recognizes its value. It’d be difficult not to, as J.R.R. Tolkien’s work laid the foundation for so much of what came after. But even if The Lord of the Rings continues to be a massive IP, its treatment in recent years leaves something to be desired — both when it comes to creatives and fans. On Hollywood’s end, there must be more of an effort to maintain the franchise’s originality and quality. It’s been on a downward trajectory since The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and nearly every chance to turn things around leans too far into nostalgia or makes too many jarring canon changes.
Of course, the cynicism surrounding so many Lord of the Rings projects is also hurting the franchise as a whole. Recent releases don’t make things easy with certain choices, but there’s negativity before many of them even come out. The negativity online may simply mean The Lord of the Rings has “made it,” but it still deserves better on all sides.
3) Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe kickstarted an exciting fantasy franchise in the ’80s, and given the nostalgia surrounding the IP, it’s no surprise it’s still going today. The shows and films to emerge since the original series vary in quality, but even some of the strongest additions don’t receive the recognition they deserve. For example, 2026’s Masters of the Universe film is an incredibly fun time that leans into the strengths of the original cartoon. Unfortunately, that didn’t prevent Masters of the Universe from being a box-office flop. The film has grossed around $107 million on a reported $170 million budget (via The Numbers), indicating that audiences aren’t showing up for this IP.
That’s a shame, as it’s a film worth supporting — and one that could expand through sequels if given the opportunity (though that seems unlikely now). It’s not the only recent disappointment fans of the franchise have faced, either. Despite also being a great spinoff, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is no longer streaming anywhere as of February. Needless to say, it’s been a bummer of a year for Masters of the Universe.
2) Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons lends itself to all kinds of storytelling, whether it’s in the form of books, TV shows, or films. And some projects based on the tabletop RPG fare well, but when it comes to live-action movies and shows, the franchise doesn’t have much luck. The 2000 attempt at bringing it to the screen is poorly regarded. And although Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is an absolute blast, its box office numbers don’t reflect that. The film only brought in $205 million on a reported $150 million budget (via The Numbers), cementing it as another great project that audiences didn’t come out for. Despite some success on streaming, it doesn’t seem to be getting a sequel. That means it’s up to Netflix’s upcoming D&D show to turn things around.
What makes D&D’s struggles in live-action so frustrating is that it’s clearly a good source of inspiration when handled well and given time to find its footing. The critical success of The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein on Prime Video prove as much. It’s really a shame studios aren’t rushing to replicate it by making more D&D-based projects.
1) Avatar: The Last Airbender
After 21 years, Avatar: The Last Airbender remains a near-perfect fantasy series — but most expansions of the franchise deserve better in some way. The Legend of Korra is a divisive follow-up, but many of its issues stem from its disjointed narrative. And that stems from the spinoff having to take things one season at a time, which prevented the creators from planning for a whole story like they did with the original. Netflix’s live-action adaptation is also proving controversial, and regardless of fans’ feelings, it’s sad that Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko aren’t involved.
Perhaps the biggest reason Avatar: The Last Airbender deserves better, though, is that its most-anticipated upcoming release — 2026’s The Legend of Aang movie — was leaked online earlier this year, something that risks hurting its actual debut. It’s yet another blow to a franchise that remains consistently great. It really makes you wonder how big Avatar: The Last Airbender would be if it could just catch a break.
What’s a fantasy franchise you think deserves better? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
