Over the past 20 years, moviegoers have been exposed to a wide variety of takes on the fantasy genre. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy not only boosted the genre’s popularity, but showcased the wide array of tones it can contain, from lighthearted whimsy all the way to grim self-seriousness. In the years since Game of Thrones premiered, however, an increasing number of films and shows have stuck disappointingly close to HBO’s oppressively dark take on the genre.
