The world of dark fantasy is expansive, encapsulating gothic themes, morally gray characters, and fantastical elements such as magic and mythological creatures. Yet, it is often more twisted and dark compared to other high fantasy stories. Dark fantasy tales may also incorporate frightening scenes or disturbing topics, but these are more of a focus for horror rather than dark fantasy.
Books, games, movies and TV shows have all immersed themselves in this twisted subgenre of fantasy, often to great effect. TV series allow creators the time to spin longer, more intricate threads that can gradually unravel throughout the episodes. For fans of the genre, these following series are perfect to immerse oneself in dark, eerie and fantastic worlds.
Best Dark Fantasy Movies, Ranked
These dark fantasy films provide a great mix of gothic atmosphere, chills, and action, and are some of the best in the genre.
6 His Dark Materials
A Dark Adventure Spanning Multiple Worlds
- Creator: Jack Thorne
- Number of Seasons: 3
- Original Release Date: November 3, 2019
Based on a series of books of the same name, His Dark Materials is set in a fascinating and unique world in which every human soul takes on the form of the appropriate animal, called a daemon. Lyra, a young girl living in an orphanage, is pulled across reality in her search for her missing friends, and finds herself immersed in the grim truth of her society, such as kidnappings and a witch's prophecy.
The dystopian settings and animal companions provide the perfect marriage between dark themes and fantastical elements. The multiple different worlds will enthrall viewers from the very first episode.
5 Angel
Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Darker Spinoff
- Creators: Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt
- Number of Seasons: 5
- Original Release Date: October 5, 1999
Angel first appeared as a character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a vampire with a soul and a potential love interest for Buffy. But due to a curse placed on him, Angel will lose his soul and become like every other vicious vampire if he ever experiences true happiness. This is the main reason Angel breaks things off with Buffy and leaves the city, starring in his own show in LA.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Best Angel Quotes, Ranked
It should come as no surprise to longtime Buffy fans that Angel has delivered several memorable quotes over the years.
As it turns out, the City of Angels is definitely in need of another one, as it is filled to the brim with demons and humans in need of help. Styled as a "monster of the week" series, Angel explores the gritty side of the city, and the darkness oozing out of every building and crack in the pavement.
4 Carnival Row
Shows the Hardship Fantasy Creatures Might Face in the Mundane World
- Creators: Rene Echevarria, Travis Beacham
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Original Release Date: August 13, 2019
When one thinks of mythical creatures such as fairies, mostly child-friendly movies or books will come to mind, as they are often used in family-friendly high fantasy. But Amazon's Prime's Carnival Row offers a fresh new take on fairy-tale creatures and their adventures, adding a darker spin to their stories.
The mythical beings are forced to flee their homeland after it becomes ravaged by war, but human society doesn't prove any safer. A series of murders spreads through the city, along with simmering tensions between the two species. A dark fantasy fairytale treat, Carnival Row expertly ties together fairytale stories and noir murder mysteries to great effect.
3 Castlevania
Animated Excellence
- Creator: Warren Ellis
- Number of Seasons: 4
- Original Release Date: July 7, 2017
Castlevania began its career as a popular video game series, one of the games responsible for starting the Metroidvania genre. But in 2017, fans were treated to an animated Netflix adaptation that drew more fans into the gothic world of Castlevania.
After his wife is burned at the stake for supposedly practicing dark arts, Dracula wages war against all humanity, sending legions of demons across the land to kill all indiscriminately. It's up to Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard to stop him. Despite being animated, Castlevanoa does not pull punches. It descends into dark fantasy with its gothic tones, gruesome scenes of gore, and truly terrifying demon designs.
2 Game of Thrones
A Masterclass in Morally Gray Characters
- Creators: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
- Number of Seasons: 8
- Original Release Date: April 17, 2011
Based on George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, Game of Thrones was one of the most ambitious shows of all time. It told the stories of many different characters including the war in Westeros, and Daenerys' long journey back home with her dragons. Every character was cast perfectly, and for the most part, the writing was second to none. The show was sadly let down by a disastrous final season, but none can deny every other season was excellent.
The Best Episodes Of Game Of Thrones, Ranked
Game of Thrones is often regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time, and these episodes prove why.
Dark magic, dragons, and political fallout are the dark fantasy features of this show, and each of them are a cornerstone of almost every episode. Fantasy fans wanting a series more dark and mature cannot go wrong with Game of Thrones. It is the perfect way to pass the time while waiting for the next book in the franchise to be released.
1 Penny Dreadful
An Excellent Show Aided by Iconic Book Characters
- Creator: John Logan
- Number of Seasons: 3
- Original Release Date: May 11, 2014
Vampires, werewolves, famous literary characters, Eva Green…this show really has it all. The Victorian setting lends Penny Dreadful an undeniable dark gothic atmosphere, and opens the door to introduce famous characters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dorian Gray.
The series follows the gifted Vanessa Ives as she works with the father of her best friend and werewolf, Ethan, to rescue Mina Murray from the mysterious and dark forces that have taken her. Dripping with dark fantasy elements as much as it does with blood, Penny Dreadful is an excellent show that does the dark fantasy genre justice.
Best Dark Fantasy Horror Games, Ranked
Dark fantasy games often run parallel to horror, eschewing the magic and wonder of high fantasy for the dark and grotesque scenes in these titles.