Fantasy & fantastic

Sheetal

After psychological thrillers, documentaries and anthologies, fantasy genre has now caught the fancy of filmmakers. So, what makes these projects with massive budgets popular with the masses as well as the content-creators, given that it takes years for the story and characters to unfold? We find out.

Sea of choices

Last year in December, Netflix project The Witcher Season 2 helped viewers keep Game of Thrones blues at bay. But for the lovers of GOT, only RR Martin could quench their thirst for an epic fantasy and thus House of Dragons, prequel of GOT, was premiered on Netflix last Sunday.

Adapted from graphic novels of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, the final season of fantasy-horror series Locke and Key was released on Netflix this month. Indian industry is not far behind. After Baahubali, Karthikeya 2, starring Nikhil Siddhartha, Anupama Parameswaran, and Anupam Kher, has done good business at the box-office. Released on August 13, it is based on the quest to find the lost anklet of Lord Krishna.

Then there is Ranbir-Alia starrer Brahmastra: Part One –Shiva, which happens to be Bollywood’s most ambitious fantasy franchise project till date, which will release in the first week of September. Meanwhile, The Rings of Power will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on September 2.

New horizons

Talking about fantasy films, Harry Potter and The Lord of The Rings are the two that immediately come to mind. The producers and directors had pushed the limits of filmmaking to adapt classic fantasy novel series into a visual treat. The fans’ obsession with those films and books has forced content creators to find alternatives in the form of prequels and sequels.

Fantastic Beasts: Where To Find Them premiered in 2016, while the third part, The Secrets of Dumbledore was launched this year. Amazon Prime Video also went on similar lines and proposed to creators worldwide to pitch their stories to open the world of The Lord of the Rings. Thus became the tedious process of making of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

House Of The Dragon renewed for second season

On August 22 the much-awaited HBO series House of the Dragon premiered on Disney Hotstar. Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood, the 10-episode series is the turbulent story of the House of Targaryen, set 200 years before the events that captivated global audiences in Game of Thrones. Now, the series has been renewed for season two, right after the premiere of season one.

Upcoming Series

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power — September 2, 2022

The Witcher: Blood Origin Prequel — December, 2022

The Witcher: Season 3 — 2023

Shadow and Bone: Season 2 — 2022 end

Ragnarok: Season 3 — 2022 end

Upcoming films

Avatar: The Way of Water: Part 2 — December 16, 2022

Avatar: Part 1(re-releasing) — September 23(India)

Brahmastra: Part One-Shiva — September 9

Addictive genre

Fantasy genre always had an audience. I feel this genre gives a different kick as an artiste. I can watch Game of Thrones over and over again. It is an addictive genre. —Mrunal Jain, Actor

Loyal audience

Fantasy genre opens your eyes to completely new realms, filled with endless possibilities. I don’t think makers ever lose loyal audiences. So, they are always excited for a prequel, sequel or spin off. —Mohit Malhotra, Actor

Relatable characters

Fantasy allows for a lot of personality types that don’t often fit in and make them relatable for viewers. There’s always a risk, as a filmmaker or producer, with such big-budget projects, but often bigger risks result in bigger successes. —Mreenal Deshraj, Actor

Driving force

The twists and turns in this genre keep you on your toes. It’s the driving force of fantasy dramas on which the makers thrive. The long gaps don’t make a difference. —Nyrraa M Banerji, Actor