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Harry Potter is coming back this winter, but now as a TV show on HBO Max, and it already has some strong rivals across the biggest streaming platforms. The trend of revivals and remakes continues on the big screen and TV, and in the latter, some of the biggest fantasy franchises are being revived. Franchises like Alien have found a new life on TV, while others like Buffy the Vampire Slayer were stopped from making a comeback.
One of the most exciting returns in the fantasy genre is Harry Potter. Over a decade after the Harry Potter movie saga ended, the wizarding world is coming back to life in a TV show. Production of the Harry Potter TV series is planned to span a decade, with the first season adapting the first book, Philosopher’s Stone. As such, the series is adapting scenes and characters that the movies cut, and the first trailer has already given the audience a look at some of these.
The Harry Potter TV series is one of the most anticipated shows of the year, and it will arrive on December 25, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max. A winter release is fitting for the Harry Potter series as it follows a franchise tradition with the movie saga now heavily associated with the season, but as exciting as the show is, it’s already facing huge competition from HBO Max’s biggest rivals: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
Winter 2026-2027 Is An Epic Battle Between The Biggest Fantasy Adaptations
Image courtesy of Everett Collection
As mentioned above, some of the biggest and most popular fantasy franchises are getting the revival and/or remake treatment, and while some are in development or have already ended their newest run, others are set for a winter 2026-2027 release. Harry Potter is one of the biggest upcoming releases for winter, but it will be just one competitor in an epic battle of fantasy adaptations.
Before Harry Potter arrives, The Lord of the Rings is coming back. After Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy ended in 2003 and then the Hobbit trilogy closed in 2014, J. R. R. Tolkien’s universe came back to life with the TV series The Rings of Power, set thousands of years before the first novel and movie. As such, The Rings of Power chronicles the events of Middle-earth’s Second Age and takes its material from the appendices of the first book.
The Rings of Power premiered on Prime Video in 2022 to great success, and it's coming back in November 2026. Over at Disney+, its dominating fantasy franchise on TV right now is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The show has given new life to the franchise and is redeeming the movies, thanks to its worldbuilding, performances, production design, and how close it is to the source material. Percy Jackson season 3 is set for a November 20, 2026, release, as revealed during the show’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026.
After Harry Potter’s return in December 2026, fantasy fans will get one more treat in February with a return to the world of The Chronicles of Narnia. The movie Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, directed by Greta Gerwig, will be released in theaters on February 12, 2027, before being available to stream on Netflix on April 2, 2027. It’s a rare reunion of big and popular fantasy worlds, but luckily, the release dates are spaced out enough for fantasy fans to enjoy all of them without rushing.
Harry Potter Is The Favorite Heading Into Winter's Fantasy War
Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter playing Quidditch in HBO's Harry PotterMovieStillsDB
Winter 2026–2027 will be packed with great fantasy shows and movies, but even though Harry Potter has some strong competition, the wizarding world is the favorite contender in this battle. The world of Harry Potter became a huge worldwide cultural phenomenon when the first novel was released in 1997. It didn’t take long for the novels to be adapted to the big screen, becoming one of the biggest and most profitable franchises of the 2000s and in the fantasy genre.
There’s a lot of nostalgia attached to the Harry Potter franchise, which is why a TV adaptation was a huge risk. Although no established time has to pass after a movie’s release or the end of a saga for it to be remade, it still feels too soon for a new adaptation of the Harry Potter novels. However, the promise of the show being a lot more faithful to the books and making up for some of the movies’ mistakes is enough for it to draw in old and new viewers.
The uncertainty and doubt around the Harry Potter TV show has changed to excitement and curiosity, especially after the first trailer was released, and it became the favorite in the upcoming fantasy war, but that doesn’t mean the competition isn't fierce.
Winter's Fantasy War Is Anyone's To Win
Walker Scobell holding his sword in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2
All the franchises in the winter 2026-2027 fantasy war have an extensive and loyal following, which already makes them even, but they also have a lot to offer in their respective projects. The Rings of Power season 3 is about to explore important parts of the Lord of the Rings lore, most notably the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the latter seeks to forge the One Ring.
Percy Jackson season 3 adapts the book The Titan’s Curse, and the first trailer for it was released during San Diego Comic-Con 2026. Percy Jackson has been a huge surprise as it has been great since season 1, and season 3, with a darker story, is expected to continue the show’s streak of high quality and could even exceed expectations. Then there’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, a project that became a highly-anticipated one since it was announced to be in development.
Gerwig’s involvement is enough to draw new viewers to Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, more so after proving she can make interesting adaptations with her work in Barbie. Of course, there’s also the fact that the Chronicles of Narnia franchise is very popular and has a solid fanbase, which makes it a huge contender in this fantasy war.
It’s unlikely any of these fantasy projects will be a surprise disappointment, and instead, it’s highly likely some of them will be even bigger surprises than the audience expects. Ultimately, there will be a fantasy franchise for everyone to enjoy throughout winter 2026–2027, and even though Harry Potter is the favorite at the moment, there’s space and an audience for all of them.