14 Fantasy Books getting Film / TV adaptions in 2022
Over the past couple of years, it's understandably been quite slow on the new films/TV shows front.
But, 2022 is definitely looking to be rather promising!
With the recent announcement of Disney green-lighting the Percy Jackson TV Series on Disney+ (based on the book series written by Rick Riordan), I wondered what other fantasy book adaptions we should be bracing ourselves for in 2022.
Therefore, I've curated a list for you of 14 fantasy books to film/TV adaptions happening this year, and where you can watch them.
I'll also be mentioning the books they're based on - I don't know about you, but I always find reading and imagining the books first to be a MUCH more magical experience, compared to watching the film/TV adaption first.
And hopefully, you'll be as excited for these upcoming book adaptions as I am!
- The Witcher: Blood Origin
Where to watch: Netflix
Expected release date: 2022
Book/s based on: The Witcher book series by Andrzej Sapkowski
Quick synopsis: This 6-episode mini-series will be a prequel set 1200 years prior to the events seen in The Witcher (Season 1 & 2) currently on Netflix - if you haven't seen The Witcher yet, I 100% recommend that you do! Featuring Michelle Yeoh, Blood Origin will delve into the lives of the Elves at the time of the Conjunction of the Spheres. We've heard this event referenced quite a few times already in The Witcher - it was a world-altering event where different worlds and realities all collided into one, and the world that the Elves knew as their own became overrun with Humans and Monsters (hence why Witchers were then created). It's definitely going to be awesome seeing how this piece of Witcher lore actually played out, and I'm sure the visuals won't disappoint from what we've already seen in the trailer! It's most likely Blood Origin will be released on Netflix towards the end of this year, given that filming wrapped in November 2021.
2. House of the Dragon
Where to watch: HBO (in the UK it will air on Sky Atlantic, or will be available on NOW TV)
Expected release date: 2022
Book/s based on: Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin
Quick synopsis: If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, this spin-off series is one to watch out for. It'll be set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and will chronicle the Targaryen's reign of power - with dragons galore! As I'm sure you'll know, there are bound to be power-hungry rivalries between the other Houses in Westeros and Essos to keep us entertained. And with filming wrapping up in September 2021, it's won't be too long until we get to see it on our screens.
Photos by Amazon | Featuring Morfydd Clark (as elven queen Galadriel), Sophia Nomvete (as dwarven Princess Disa), and Ismael Cruz Cordova (as silvan elf Arondir)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Expected release date: 2nd September 2022
Book/s based on: The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Quick synopsis: This will definitely be a fantasy series to behold this year! Based on the historical second-age extracts found in The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein (the posthumously published 'Middle-Earth bible'), the Amazon Prime series will follow familiar names such as Galadriel (a younger version) and unfamiliar names alike, and will delve into the history of the fabled Rings of Power - before the One Ring, there were many! And may also feature Sauron in his physical humanoid/elvish form. The series will also pull a focus towards the island of Númenor, as well as other tales to be told from across Middle-Earth.
4. Fantastic Beasts 3: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Where to watch: in cinemas
Expected release date: 8th April 2022
Book/s based on: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
Quick synopsis: On our third (long-awaited) adventure with magizoologist, Newt Scamander and his team of witches, wizards, and a muggle baker, we get to travel back to the 1930s to try to stop Grindelwald from seizing control of the Wizarding World. And also to see what happens after the shock revelation that Credence, a havoc-wreaking Obscurial, is supposedly Albus Dumbledore's long lost brother - Aurelius Dumbledore. And, as per the title, it will be interesting to see what secrets Dumbledore has been withholding...
5. Salem's Lot
Where to watch: in cinemas
Expected release date: September 2022
Book/s based on: Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
Quick synopsis: Based on the Stephen King novel, Salem's Lot follows a writer named Ben Mears who returns to his home town of Jerusalem's Lot, only to find out that everyone he used to know is now a bloodthirsty vampire. Given how much of a hit other Stephen King adaptions/remakes have been within recent years (IT: Chapter 1 & 2, Pet Sematary, In the Tall Grass, Gerald's Game, Carrie, etc.), I'm sure this will be an absolute treat for horror fans.
6. Matilda
Where to watch: Netflix
Expected release date: 2nd December 2022
Book/s based on: Matilda by Roald Dahl
Quick synopsis: This lovable story of a bright young girl discovering her magical abilities while cleverly overcoming situations that her nasty parents and the evil Head Mistress put her in, will be given a bit of a refresh on our screens this year. For those who haven't seen the musical version of the Roald Dahl classic, this is your time to enjoy the songs and theatrics!
7. Shining Girls
Where to watch: Apple TV+
Expected release date: 29th April 2022
Book/s based on: The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
Quick synopsis: I'm not gonna lie, this book/series has such a cool and intriguing plotline, and I'm definitely going to prioritise reading Lauren Beukes' novel before watching the adaption on Apple TV+. Basically, the plot is about a 1930's serial killer who discovers how to travel through time so he can get away with murder any time he wishes (quite literally). But then, one victim survives...
With Elisabeth Moss (The Invisible Man, The Handmaid's Tale, etc.) starring as the lead character who manages to survive the killer's attack, this is sure to be an absolute thrill to watch.
(Fun fact: Elisabeth Moss is also directing and executive producing, and Leonardo DiCaprio will also be executive producing).
8. FireStarter
Where to watch: Peacock / in cinemas
Expected release date: May 2022
Book/s based on: With this being the second Stephen King book adaption on this list (and more to come next year), you can tell that there's no stopping the Stephen King book adaption train! Which I am all here for.
This film features Zac Efron as the father of a girl named Charlie who has the ability to conjure fire. Albeit an uncontrollable ability. Zac Efron's character, Andy McGee, also possesses psychic powers following torturous experiments he was subjected to by a secret government entity called The Shop. And now that The Shop knows about his daughter's extraordinary abilities, their relentless forces will do anything to capture them both.
9. The School for Good and Evil
Where to watch: Netflix
Expected release date: 2022
Book/s based on: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
Quick synopsis: With a star-studded cast including Michelle Yeoh, Charlize Theron, Ben Kingsley, Kerry Washington, and Laurence Fishburne, this is bound to be one to watch out for. The story is based around two young girls: Sophie who is filled with hopes and dreams of going to the School of Good to become a princess and find her prince charming, and her best friend Agatha who is quite the opposite and lives within a graveyard. When the time comes for them to be whisked away to the School of Good and Evil, Sophie 'mistakenly' ends up in the School for Evil while Agatha is placed in the School for Good.
10. Pinocchio
Where to watch: Netflix
Expected release date: December 2022
Book/s based on: The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Quick synopsis: I think we all know the story of Pinocchio by now - the little wooden puppet who wishes he was a real boy. However, if you're a fan of Guillermo Del Toro's work (he'll be directing, writing and producing this stop-motion animation film), you'll know that he has a flair for the creepy/elegant gothic horror aesthetic and will definitely turn this story into a masterpiece. It will feature a star-studded voice cast including: Cate Blanchett, Ron Perlman, Tilda Swinton, Ewan McGregor, and Finn Wolfhard (from Stranger Things). Del Toro will be closely referencing the source material of the 1883 Italian children's novel, written by Carlo Collodi, and the artistic design of Gris Grimly's 2002 edition of the same book. So definitely brace yourself for a dark and twisted fairytale!
11. Pinocchio
(No, this isn't a duplicate, there really are going to be x2 Pinocchio films coming out this year!)
Where to watch: Disney+
Expected release date: Autumn 2022
Book/s based on: The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Quick synopsis: This Pinocchio remake will be a lot more lighthearted than the version Guillermo will be making. It's interesting that they're both being released in the same year, but we shall have to wait and see how good they are. The Disney live-action remake will star the likes of Tom Hanks as Geppetto, Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Keegan-Michael Key as Honest John, and Luke Evans as The Coachman.
12. The Power
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Expected release date: 2022
Book/s based on: The Power by Naomi Alderman
Quick synopsis: This 10-episode TV Series (with all the episodes being written by women) is set in a dystopian world where teenage girls suddenly gain the power to electrocute anyone they want by simply touching them. And so women begin to evolve into the dominant gender. The series will closely follow the lives of 4 individuals:
Margot Cleary-Lopez (played by Leslie Mann - The Other Woman, 17 Again) is a mother to three and the Mayor of Seattle.
Roxy (played by Ria Zmitrowicz - Teen Spirit, Mr. Selfridge) is the daughter of a North London crime boss.
Tunde (played by Toheeb Jimoh - Ted Lasso) is a Nigerian video journalist whose video of 'the power' went viral.
Allie (played by Hallie Bush) is an American foster child who escapes from her abusive foster parents and finds her faith on her journey across the USA.
13. Peter Pan & Wendy
Where to watch: Disney+
Expected release date: 2022
Book/s based on: Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie (originally a play in 1904, and adapted into a novel in 1911)
Quick synopsis: This year we'll be treated to another Disney live-action remake to drink up me 'arty's! (Personally I don't think we need another Peter Pan remake, but hopefully Disney will surprise us). So far we know that Jude Law will be playing the charismatic Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys will instead be the Lost Children, with a sprinkling of them being girls instead of boys. It'll be good for Disney to also address some of the problematic/racist tones in the original animated classic (Disney+ even issues a warning message before you watch the animated version on their streaming service). Hopefully, this adaption will prove to be a revitalising and enchanting adventure.
Photo by Netflix | Featuring Tom Sturridge (as Morpheus, a.k.a. Dream) and Gwendoline Christie (as Lucifer)
14. The Sandman
Where to watch: Netflix
Expected release date: 2022
Book/s based on: The Sandman comic book series by Neil Gaiman, published by DC Comics
Quick synopsis: And lastly, the series that I'm probably most excited for this year, is the Netflix adaption of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comic book series, originally published by DC Comics in 1989 - 1996 (with a few spin-offs including one about Lucifer Morningstar that inspired the 'Lucifer' TV Series now on Netflix). There will be a total of 11 hour-long episodes that will be an absolute dream (pun intended) to watch.
For those not in the know, The Sandman (who goes by many names, most commonly Morpheus or Dream) is the living embodiment of dreams and has existed for eons, tending to the slumber of all beings across the universe. This dark and glorious fantasy adaption will absolutely thrill those interested in mythological lore, and even DC Comic fans as beloved superhero's such as Batman, John Constantine, Martian Manhunter, etc. have been known to make cameos. The plot for the first season is set to cover Volume 1 “Preludes and Nocturnes,” Volume 2 “The Doll’s House”, and the first half of Volume 3 “Dream Country”. One of the main plot lines we'll see is Morpheus' quest to seize back his 3 totems of power - his Helmet of Dreams, his Ruby, and his Sand Pouch - after bing imprisoned by the Order of Ancient Mysterious...
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Currently residing in West Sussex, Maddie is a 26 y/o blogger and illustrator with a passion for mythology, legends, fairytales & folklore. You'll regularly find her escaping into fantasy books, films, TV, and games.