Wonders, magic, and enchantment: top attractions to explore this weekend.
If you're unsure about the difference between fantasy and science fiction, where magic and other supernatural phenomena are central to the plot, unlike science fiction, UNN presents a selection of series to enjoy over the weekend.
His Dark Materials (2019-2022) tells the story of a thirteen-year-old girl named Lyra, whose life takes a dramatic turn after a horrific plane crash claims the lives of her loved ones. Her uncle, Lord Asriel, the only family she has left, decides to raise the orphan and sends her to study in Oxford. Here, the young girl lives and learns under strict supervision, but strange occurrences begin to unfold at the school. Her best friend mysteriously disappears, and in search of answers, she approaches her teachers, where she meets the enigmatic Miss Coulter, who reveals a terrifying secret about the events taking place. Lyra embarks on a perilous journey across the world and beyond its reality to uncover a mysterious conspiracy.
- Genre: Series, Drama, Fantasy, Adventure,
- Country: United Kingdom, USA
- Director: Jamie Childs, Tom Hooper, William McGregor
- Actors: James McAvoy, Kit Connor, Archie Barnes, Dafne Keen, Leanne Best, Andrew Scott, Amir Wilson, Ian Peck, Ruta Gedmintas, David Suchet, Frank Burke.
House of the Dragon (2022) takes place centuries before the events that lead to the massive conflict for the Iron Throne of Westeros, focusing on the Targaryen house—a powerful family that miraculously survived the Doom of Valyria, finding refuge on Dragonstone. Following the tragic death of Viserys Targaryen, who ruled the influential family for many years, Prince Aegon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen declare their personal claims to the Iron Throne. The brutal struggle for power spirals into a civil war that threatens the existence of House Targaryen.
- Genre: Series, Drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
- Country: USA
- Director: Miguel Sapochnik, Greg Yaitanes, Clare Kilner
- Actors: Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Rhys Ifans, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Ryan Corr.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022) is set in the fantasy universe of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events described in the famous "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." The gripping storyline recounts key moments of the Second Age, marking the beginning of a time of relative peace, when the forces of evil were just gaining momentum. This is the period of the decline of the island kingdom of Númenor and the last alliance between elves and men, who must fight against the army of the Dark Lord Sauron, attempting to dominate all of Middle-earth through the magical Rings of Power.
- Genre: Series, Drama, Fantasy, Adventure
- Country: USA
- Director: Wayne Yip, J.A. Bayona, Charlotte Brändström
- Actors: Morfydd Clark, Lenny Henry, Markella Kavenagh, Sara Zwangobani, Tyroe Muhafidin, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Maxim Baldry, Robert Aramayo.
The Sandman (2022) – to bring back his deceased son, the sorcerer Roderick Burgess summons the lord of the dream realm, Morpheus. After stealing Morpheus's power while he is weakened, he imprisons him in a glass sphere, hoping to gain from it. Unable to fulfill the sorcerer's wish, Morpheus remains imprisoned for many years, while millions of people fall victim to a mysterious sleeping sickness. Decades later, he manages to escape and return to his own realm, where he discovers that his absence has led to its decay.
- Genre: Series, Fantasy, Drama, Mystery, Horror
- Country: United Kingdom, USA
- Director: James Hawes, Andrés Baiz, Mike Barker
- Actors: Tom Sturridge, Niamh Walsh, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, David Thewlis, Joely Richardson, Vivienne Acheampong, Charles Dance, Nina Wadia.
Merlin (2008-2012) – the young wizard Merlin arrives in the kingdom of Camelot, only to learn that King Pendragon has issued a decree banning magic. Anyone who dares to break this new law faces certain death. In the dungeons of the royal palace, Merlin encounters the Great Dragon, who reveals his destiny—to use magic to protect Prince Arthur from numerous enemies.
- Genre: Series, Drama, Fantasy, Adventure
- Country: United Kingdom
- Director: Jeremy Webb, Alice Troughton, David Moore
- Actors: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, John Hurt, Richard Wilson, Angel Coulby, Anthony Head, Rupert Young, Owen Macken, Tom Hopper.