Multiverses and Revolvers: Only Two Upcoming Fantasy Stories Might Match 'The Lord of the Rings' — One Filming for 10 Years
And the other already made it to the big screen... but probably shouldn't have.
It’s been over 20 years since the release of The Lord of the Rings, and no fantasy adaptation has come close to matching its impact. Some tried earnestly (Narnia), others completely missed the mark (Eragon, we see you).
But somewhere on dusty bookshelves, there are still stories with the potential to bring that magic back — if put in the right hands.
As someone who cares a lot about book-to-screen adaptations, I’ve been keeping an eye on two upcoming projects that feel genuinely promising. Both are slow in the making, and maybe that’s exactly why they could work.
The Dark Tower already got a film adaptation in 2017 — and it flopped. The filmmakers tried to fit the entire saga into one movie. The result? The atmosphere, depth, and soul of the story vanished. That said, I actually thought the cast wasn’t bad at all.
Now, Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass) is in charge of the project. And honestly, that gives me hope. He’s planning five seasons and two feature films. Most importantly, he truly loves the book. This might be the first time the story gets the space it needs — and the director who gets it.
The Chronicles of Amber has had an even rougher path. The series was announced back in 2016, but it barely resurfaced in 2023 with a vague "we’re still working on it." Which is a shame, because this story is pure gold.
Ten books, filled with palace intrigue, magic, parallel worlds, immortal siblings constantly at war — it’s everything that modern fantasy thrives on. And unlike some newer franchises, Amber did multiverses before they were cool.
Tolkien set the bar high, no question. But The Dark Tower and Amber could be those rare shows that aren’t just 'background viewing', but worlds to get lost in — dark, mature, and full of meaning.
The best part, in my opinion?? The stories are already written. Now all we need is for the adaptations not to ruin them. And please, let’s not try to squeeze thousands of pages into 90 minutes ever again.
