Streaming was on the rise in 2020, with the pandemic accelerating viewing trends and major media companies launching new services like WarnerMedia’s HBO Max and NBCUniversal’s Peacock.
As the streaming war heats up and the battle for popular IP continues, streamers seeking to compete with Netflix (which is nearing 200 million subscribers worldwide) will look to ramp up content output in the new year after 2020 production delays.
Disney gave a preview last week of how it plans to bolster its marquee streaming service Disney Plus, which has gained an impressive 87 million subscribers since launching in November 2019.
So far, the service’s only big original release has been “The Mandalorian,” but several Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows are coming to Disney Plus in 2021 after “WandaVision” and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” were delayed this year.
And there are other shows for audiences to look forward to beyond Marvel.
The television tracking app TV Time provided Business Insider a list of the most anticipated new original TV shows coming to seven major streaming platforms next year (and beyond), based on its millions of users. (Many of the shows don’t have release dates yet, but the No. 1 shows are likely to debut next year.)
The services we highlighted aren’t even the end of it. For instance, ViacomCBS plans to rebrand CBS All Access next year as Paramount Plus.
Below are the most anticipated TV shows coming to major streaming services next year:
- “Shadow and Bone” is based on the “Grisha” fantasy trilogy of novels by Leigh Bardugo. “Shadow and Bone” is the tile of the first book in the series. It’s expected to debut in 2021.
- “Resident Evil” is a live-action adaptation of the hit Capcom video-game series of the same name developed by “Supernatural” producer Andrew Dabb.
- “The Sandman” is based on DC’s comic books by Neil Gaiman. Gaiman tweeted in November that he was “filled with too many emotions” after watching footage from the series.
- “Vikings: Valhalla” is a sequel series to History’s “Vikings.”
- “Cowboy Bebop” is an upcoming live-action adaptation of the popular anime series.
- “WandaVision” debuts January 15. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their roles of Scarlet Witch and Vision from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” premieres in March and stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as their respective MCU characters.
- “Loki” premieres in May and brings back Tom Hiddleston as the title character. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described the series as a “crime thriller” during Disney’s Investor Day last week.
- “What If…?” is an upcoming animated series about alternate realities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- “Hawkeye” debuts late 2021. Jeremy Renner reprises his role as Hawkeye and Hailee Steinfeld joins him as his potential successor, Kate Bishop.
- “The Wheel of Time” is based on the 14-volume fantasy series by author Robert Jordan. It’s expected to debut in 2021.
- “Invincible” is an animated adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s Image comic series of the same name. It arrives in 2021 and centers on a teenager who discovers that his father is a superhero.
- “The Lord of the Rings” doesn’t have a release date. Amazon bought the rights for $250 million in 2018, outbidding Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
- “Jack Reacher” is based on the series of thriller novels by Lee Child.
- “Daisy Jones and the Six” is based on the Taylor Jenkins Reid novel and is produced by Reese Witherspoon.
Hulu
- “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.” is an upcoming adult animated Marvel series starring Patton Oswalt that debuts in 2021.
- “American Horror Stories” is an FX on Hulu spinoff of Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story” that will feature standalone episodes. It’s set to debut in 2021.
- “Nine Perfect Strangers” is an adaptation of “Big Little Lies” author Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name. Nicole Kidman, who starred in HBO’s “Big Little Lies” adaptation, will also star in this.
- “The Devil in the White City” is based on the novel by Erik Larson and produced by Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.
- “Only Murders in the Building” is an upcoming comedy series starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez about true-crime obsessives.
The CW
- “Gossip Girl” is an upcoming reboot of the CW series that concluded in 2012.
- “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” will be a four-part director’s cut of “Justice League,” which debuted in 2017 to poor box office and critical reception. Fans had pleaded for Warner Bros. to “release the Snyder Cut” because they believed the theatrical version was a far cry from director Zack Snyder’s original vision (Joss Whedon replaced Snyder late into production).
- “Green Lantern” is a live-action series based on the DC Comics character. Max gave it a series order in October for 10 episodes.
- “Dune: The Sisterhood” is based on the “Dune” sci-fi novel, which in turn has been adapted into a movie directed by Denis Villeneuve. The movie debuts on HBO Max and in theaters in October.
- “Station Eleven” is based on the 2014 novel by Emily St. John Mandel about a fictional pandemic.
- “Dr. Death” is based on the Wondery podcast that tells the true story of a Dallas surgeon who killed his patients.
- “Punky Brewster” is a reboot of the 1980s sitcom and premieres in winter 2021.
- “Battlestar Galactica” is an upcoming reboot of the longrunning sci-fi series produced by “Mr. Robot” creator Sam Esmail.
- “Angelyne” follows the real-life Los Angeles “billboard icon” and is based on a 2017 Hollywood Reporter investigation.
- “One of Us Is Lying” is based on Karen M. McManus’ young-adult mystery novel series.
- “Lisey’s Story” is an upcoming Apple adaptation of the 2006 Stephen King novel of the same name.
- “Time Bandits” is a series adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s 1981 fantasy-adventure movie.
- “Shantaram” is based on Gregory David Roberts’ 2003 book about a man on the run after escaping prison in Australia.
- “Masters of the Air” is a World War II series from Steven Spielberg’s production company Amblin. “No Time to Die” director Cary Fukunaga is directing the first three episodes.
- “Severance” is an upcoming thriller series directed by Ben Stiller about a company that has developed a way to separate work and non-work memories.