All 7 Movies & TV Shows Based On George R.R. Martin's Books, Ranked

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Author George R.R. Martin has written far more than his widely beloved "A Song of Fire and Ice" novels, though the still unfinished series certainly overshadows everything else in his writing career. Martin has written in a variety of genres beyond high fantasy, both for the novel and short story format, showcasing his storytelling versatility. George R.R. Martin even worked on the '80s sci-fi classic "Max Headroom," though strictly as a screenwriter, with his teleplay for the series going unproduced. Simply put, there is a lot more to Martin and his fan-favorite body of work than "Game of Thrones" and its growing number of spin-offs.

With over half a dozen adaptations of Martin's published work, we're looking at them all to see how they compare to each other. For the purposes of this article, we're sticking with film and television adaptations of Martin's literary work, as opposed to his original screenwriting projects. Of course, the ranking here does not reflect the quality of Martin's own literary version of these stories but the quality of the adaptations. 

Here are all seven movies and TV shows based on George R.R. Martin's books and short stories ranked.

The Martin-penned short story "In the Lost Lands" was collected in the 1982 anthology publication "Amazons II." Over 40 years later, the story was adapted by filmmaker Paul W.S. Anderson, with Anderson serving as director, producer, and co-developing the adaptation's story. A post-apocalyptic fantasy Western, the story takes place in a devastated Earth where society's remnants are ruled by the Overlord (Jacek Dzisiewicz) who maintains control through the Church. A witch, Gray Als (Milla Jovovich), teams up with a gunslinger, Boyce (Dave Bautista), as they try to survive in the treacherous Lost Lands while being hunted by the Overlord.

"In the Lost Lands" bombed at the box office, making back a fraction of its production budget during its theatrical run. The movie itself is an incomprehensible mess, with drab cinematography and art design, while its contentious core duo can't salvage the material that they're given. There are some who think the fantasy-Western deserves a second chance after flopping, but the movie takes itself too seriously for any B-movie charm to be appreciated. While trying to evoke the story's pulp fiction origins, "In the Lost Lands" falls apart as it tries to tell a coherent story.

The 1980 novella "Nightflyers" has actually been adapted into both film and television, yielding very different results each time. The latest adaptation is a 2018 television series originally airing on Syfy, following a team of scientists venturing into outer space to make first contact with extraterrestrials. While en route, catastrophic incidents begin occurring around the ship, putting the crew on edge and distrustful of each other. This complicates the impending contact with the spacefaring aliens, as crew tensions violently boil over in the midst of further incidents.

Syfy's "Nightflyers" adaptation only ran for a single season before it was ultimately cancelled by the basic cable network. The nightmarish undertones are retained, including the lengths the divided crew go to survive and keep themselves occupied, as a sort of interplanetary take on cabin fever. However, while the ominous atmosphere is beautifully rendered, the execution of the overarching narrative is far less effective in its delivery. A sci-fi horror series that deserves another look, "Nightflyers" can't quite tap into the appeal of its source material but stands as a noble misfire.

Over 30 years before being adapted for television, "Nightflyers" received a silver screen adaptation in 1987, with Martin co-writing the movie's screenplay with Robert Jaffe. The ship retains its core premise of an expedition headed to make first contact with extraterrestrials in outer space. The ship's telepath, Jon Winderman (Michael Des Barres), senses that the ship is alive and wants to harm the crew but they are unable to turn back. The mission then turns into an effort for the crew to keep the ship from killing them, discovering the ship is possessed by the spirit of another telepath.

Given its 89-minute runtime, the film version of "Nightflyers" is a much more streamlined version of the story than its television counterpart. Rather than rely on interpersonal paranoia, this take on the tale plays out more like a haunted house story in space. Having never received home video releases after the VHS and LaserDisc era, the movie is nearly impossible to watch today, at least by strictly legal means. In the meantime, the 1987 "Nightflyers" offers a more focused approach to Martin's narrative, with a pronounced '80s low-budget charm to it.

One last science fiction story by Martin adapted for the screen is one based on his 1979 novella "The Sandkings." The adaptation actually served as the series premiere for the 1995 revival of the classic '60s anthology series "The Outer Limits," setting the tone for the revival moving forward. The episode focuses on scientist Simon Kress (Beau Bridges), who secretly begins raising Martian life at his rural home when his government funding is cut for the project. Kress' obsession affects his personal life as it becomes clear that the Martians are incredibly dangerous, voracious, and territorial.

"The Sandkings" marked Martin's work receiving television award season attention for the first time, with Bridges nominated for his guest-starring lead performance in the episode. The adaptation itself gets the broad strokes of the story down, though makes it one set on Earth in the near-ish future rather than in a far-future setting. This grounds the story, in addition to making it more affordable to produce, while adding a layer of relatability to its sci-fi overtones. The strongest adaptation of Martin's science fiction on-screen to date, "The Sandkings" started the "Outer Limits" revival off on a decidedly positive note.

After several cancelled "Game of Thrones" spin-offs, the first one to make it air was the 2022 series "House of the Dragon." Taking place approximately 200 years before the events of "Game of Thrones," the prequel adapts the companion book "Fire & Blood." After succeeding his father to claim the Iron Throne, Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) finds the kingdom descending into civil war. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) leads a faction to claim the throne from her younger half-brother, with the fate of Westeros hanging in the balance.

A divisive "Game of Thrones" spinoff, even George R.R. Martin has problems with "House of Dragon," which has gone public with. But the show does feel like the spin-off closest to "Game of Thrones," at least in its sweeping fantasy scope. The show also boasts a strong ensemble cast bringing this epic family squabble to life, with D'Arcy giving a particularly exceptional performance. The weakest adaptation of Martin's "A Song of Fire and Ice" work to date, "House of the Dragon" works best when it leans into the sheer spectacle of its story.

In contrast to "House of the Dragon," the 2026 prequel series "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" is a welcome return to Westeros and Martin's fantasy stories. Set approximately 90 years before "Game of Thrones," the show follows the adventures of hedge knight Ser Duncan (Peter Claffey). Reluctantly taking in a strange child nicknamed Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) as his squire, Duncan joins a tournament. When Duncan defends the honor of a young woman attacked by the cruel Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), his destiny is changed forever.

An adaptation of Martin's "Tales of Dunk and Egg" novellas, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" provides a funny subversion of the normally self-serious "Game of Thrones" stories. The stakes still matter, and there is still heartbreaking character development, but many episodes are punctuated by playfully self-effacing gags. Despite its comparatively slim amount of source material, there is an ambitious multi-season plan for the adaptation, teasing plenty of further adventures for its knight and squire. "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" hasn't quite surpassed "Game of Thrones" yet, but it's certainly off to a strong start.

While "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" might have begun with a stellar first season, "Game of Thrones" maintained its undeniable status as event television for its eight seasons. After the death of Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) and the subsequent betrayal and execution of Ned Stark (Sean Bean), Westeros descends into war. Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) makes her own rise to power, initially outside of Westeros, determined to restore House Targaryen's place on the Iron Throne. In between these battles for power, the White Walkers to the north lead a growing army of undead wights, intent on bringing eternal winter to the kingdom.

Yes, there are still people who absolutely hate the HBO show's ending and will let everyone know, but "Game of Thrones" deserves the enduring legacy it received. With its complex web of rivalries and alliances, the show is a compelling enough medieval drama with finely honed character arcs by its all-around impressive ensemble cast. The show also brings increasingly epic battles to the forefront as it progresses, from the intense action of "Hardhome" to the crushing "Battle of the Bastards." Arguably the greatest fantasy television series, "Game of Thrones" largely does "A Song of Fire and Ice" justice, though admittedly better when it hews closer to the source material.