By now, we’ve all heard it at least a thousand times: during its eight seasons on air, Game of Thrones has become a cultural sensation, with more influence than almost any franchise could ever hope to achieve. Its ratings are impenetrable, and each and every decision the series makes sparks passionate conversation. For better or worse, few series can ever spark enough emotion in fans to convince them to, say, start an absurd petition calling for an entire season of television to be remade.

But soon, Game of Thrones will be gone forever, unless you want to stream the entire series again on HBO’s apps or, the premium cabler hopes, tune in for the upcoming spin-offs. So, what will replace it after the finale airs on Sunday night? Throughout its run, Thrones has inspired plenty of imitators—and now, with the finale looming, there are more hopeful contenders waiting in the wings than ever. When viewed at a distance, the Game of Thrones model is simple: make a well-composed and -performed adaptation of existing I.P. that comes with a passionate fan base. The devil, as ever, is in the details.

There are several projects in development right now that are at least trying to fit that formula. And more than anyone, Amazon seems to be leading the charge, hopeful that if it spends enough money on a popular franchise, it can strike gold as well. Though it’s worth a reminder: it’s very likely we’ll never see a phenomenon like Game of Thrones ever again.

The Spin-Offs

Might as well start in the most obvious place, right? HBO has been working on multiple Game of Thrones spin-offs. The first of these will debut next year, and comes from X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service screenwriter Jane Goldman. It’ll take place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones. The spin-off’s informal title is The Long Night, and Naomi Watts is on board to star.

There’s a good chance that the spin-offs—or “success shows,” as George R.R. Martin prefers to call them—will gain at least a decent amount of traction, as have series like Better Call Saul and The Good Fight. But replicating the cultural impact of Thrones entirely is a tall order. Chances are, none of the series in this list will match the power of Thrones—but if any of these spin-offs capture even a fraction of that lightning in a bottle, HBO will likely be more than pleased.

Wild Cards

Meanwhile, Hulu got its hands on a different Martin work: Wild Cards. In fact, beyond one show, the streamer has a whole universe of series in mind. This series, however, is set in the present, exploring the aftermath of an alien virus that killed off most of Manhattan in 1946. (For another Martin adaptation away from HBO that’s already premiered, see Syfy’s Nightflyers.) For now, the series is still in development, with no expected release date.

Watchmen

Another contender from HBO comes from a different world entirely: the Regina King–staring Watchmen adaptation, which just released another teaser earlier this month and premieres this fall. It’s an adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s popular limited series of graphic novels, and promises to explore some new territory while also hitting a few nostalgic beats.