50 highly anticipated TV series coming out in 2021
It should come as no surprise to anyone that this year's COVID-19 pandemic, which affected every area of our lives, also had an impact on our TV habits. As lockdowns and stay-at-home orders swept the country, folks flocked to their televisions in larger than normal numbers in an attempt to keep boredom at bay. For the first time in almost a decade, traditional TV viewership numbers are on the rise, jumping up by an estimated 8.3 million viewers. And while experts don't expect the boost to last, realizing that it was event-driven rather than a long-term trend, it does indicate that traditional TV isn't dead. Streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime, also saw massive surges in the number of people who watched shows on their platforms, with 75% of people reporting that they were streaming more content than ever before.
COVID-19 also had an impact on the way TV is made. Earlier this year, almost every major show shut down production as coronavirus infection numbers were on the rise. Many believed it would only be a temporary pause, lasting two weeks to a month at most, but as the pandemic stretched on, it became increasingly clear that the 2019-2020 television season would not proceed as normal. This led to many series changing their storylines or planned finales, and to other shows, that were set to premiere in the latter half of the season, getting bumped entirely.
The good news here is that we now have more to look forward to in 2021. With time to figure out a game plan and a better understanding of how COVID-19 spreads, many shows have resumed production and have even begun airing new episodes. Series that had been scheduled for a 2020 release will now be hitting our screens in 2021 (albeit occasionally with major changes). In anticipation of the upcoming television season, Stacker dug through 2021 release calendars, IMDb's most popular upcoming releases, and editorial most anticipated lists, and put together a diverse list of 50 of the most highly anticipated series coming in 2021 in alphabetical order. Limited series were included. From "A League of Their Own" to "Young Rock," read on to see what audiences are most excited to watch in the upcoming months, pandemic or no pandemic.
A League of Their Own
- Cast: Chanté Adams, Hanna Balicki, Kate Berlant, Caitlin Brodnick
- Genre: comedy
- Status: pre-production
The beloved 1992 movie, “A League of Their Own,” is getting its own spinoff in 2021. The series, which will star D’Arcy Carden and Abbi Jacobson, will feature an entirely new cast of characters and will explore the challenges that gender and race brought to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The half-hour episodes will be available on Amazon Prime.
[Pictured: D'Arcy Carden at the 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards on Jan. 12, 2020, in Santa Monica, California.]
Americanah
- Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Tireni Oyenusi, Uzo Aduba, Corey Hawkins
- Genre: drama, romance
- Status: announced
The fate of “Americanah” seems up in the air after its star Lupita Nyong’o was forced to drop out earlier this year thanks to COVID-related scheduling conflicts. The series, based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2013 novel about two Nigerian teenagers who are pulled apart by fate, had received a 10-episode order from HBO before the pandemic brought everything to a halt. As of December, it’s unclear whether or not viewers will be able to stream this series in 2021, but here’s hoping.
[Pictured: Lupita Nyong'o at the 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards on Oct. 25, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California.]
Big Shot
- Cast: Yvette Nicole Brown, Monique A. Green, Sophia Mitri Schloss, Cricket Wampler
- Genre: comedy, drama
- Status: filming
No stranger to family-friendly TV, John Stamos is set to star in this all-ages series about a temperamental basketball coach who is forced to take on a new position at an elite, all-girls private school after losing his job. The Disney+ dramedy series will be produced by ABC Studios and should be available to stream soon.
[Pictured: John Stamos at the 2020 MusiCares at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Jan. 24, 2020.]
Blade Runner: Black Lotus
- Cast: unknown
- Genre: animation, action, crime
- Status: announced
Cartoon Network will welcome the anime series, “Blade Runner: Black Lotus,” to its Adult Swim block of shows next year. Not much is yet known about the show, except for the fact that it will be set in the extremely popular “Blade Runner” universe in 2032. Produced by Sola Digital Arts, the network has ordered 13 half-hour episodes for its first season.
[Pictured: Ryan Gosling in the film “Blade Runner 2049.”]
Cars: The Series
- Cast: Fernando Alonso, Corbin Bleu, Cathy Cavadini, Bob Costas
- Genre: animation, adventure, comedy
- Status: filming
A spinoff of the successful Disney franchise "Cars" is planned for the new year, with names like Larry the Cable Guy, Bruno Mars, Corbin Bleu, Mitchel Musso, and Cristela Alonzo set to participate. Details about the storyline have yet to emerge, but we do know that it will follow the adventures of already-existing characters and will introduce a few new faces. Fans can catch the series on Disney+.
[Pictured: Scene from the 2011 Disney/Pixar movie "Cars 2."]
Clark
- Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Alicia Agneson, Malin Levanon, Wilson Gonzalez
- Genre: crime
- Status: unknown
Netflix announced its new, six-episode drama series, ”Clark,” last spring. The show will star Bill Skarsgård as Swedish criminal Clark Olofsson, a controversial personality best known for inspiring the phrase “Stockholm Syndrome.” Its plot will largely be based on Olofsson’s autobiography and will chronicle his life from his early years through the present day, including the decades he’s spent behind bars.
[Pictured: Bill Skarsgård attends "Build" Series to discuss "Villains" at Build Studio on Sept. 12, 2019, in New York City.]
DMZ
- Cast: Benjamin Bratt, Rosario Dawson, Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez, Richie Acevedo
- Genre: action, adventure, drama
- Status: filming
A four-part limited series, “DMZ” will be directed by Ava DuVernay, written by “Westworld” writer Roberto Patino, and streamed on HBO Max. The show will be based on the DC Comics series of the same name, which is about a young female medic who’s searching for her son in a war-torn New York City while simultaneously butting heads with a powerful gang leader. Set in the near future, the show is expected to be a thrilling ride.
[Pictured: Actor Benjamin Bratt at the U.S. premiere of Disney/Pixar's "Coco" at the El Capitan Theatre on Nov. 8, 2017, in Hollywood.]
Dopesick
- Cast: Will Chase, Rosario Dawson, Kaitlyn Dever, John Hoogenakker
- Genre: drama
- Status: pre-production
As the opioid crisis in America continues, TV networks and streaming services, including Hulu, have begun to pick up shows that tell the story from a more humanizing perspective. “Dopesick,” based on a bestselling book by the same name, is among them. The drama, which will star Michael Keaton and Rosario Dawson, will look at how the crisis affects a small Virginia mining town, the members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Big Pharma “one-percenters.”
[Pictured: Rosario Dawson visits SiriusXM Studios on Feb. 7, 2020, in New York City. ]
Dr. Death
- Cast: Joshua Jackson, Dominic Burgess, Alec Baldwin, Molly Griggs
- Genre: drama, thriller
- Status: pre-production
Based on a Wondery podcast of the same name, “Dr. Death” is slated to be one of Peacock TV’s first original series. Joshua Jackson will play the Texas doctor who was accused of maiming four patients and killing two, before being sentenced to life in prison.
[Pictured: Actor Joshua Jackson attends Showtime's “The Affair” screening and panel discussion at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on May 6, 2015, in Beverly Hills, California.]
The Equalizer
- Cast: Adam Goldberg, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Chris Noth, Queen Latifah
- Genre: action, crime, drama
- Status: pre-production
Announced towards the end of 2019, "The Equalizer" will be one of the first shows on this list to premiere with its first episode set to air on Feb. 14 on CBS. The franchise began as a TV series in the '80s before becoming a series of successful movies starring Denzel Washington. With its return to TV, the series will once again follow a person with a certain set of skills who helps other people, but this time a woman (Queen Latifah) will be in the driver's seat.
[Pictured: Queen Latifah during Lifetime's 2020 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour on Jan. 18, 2020, in Pasadena, California.]
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Cast: Daniel Brühl, Desmond Chiam, John Gettier, Miki Ishikawa
- Genre: action, adventure, drama
- Status: post-production
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is a Marvel Comics Universe series set sometime after the events of “Avengers: End Game.” While exact storylines of this Disney+ original series haven’t been made public, we know that it will follow Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie (pictured), and Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) as they continue to fight crime after the demise of their superhero team.
Foundation
- Cast: Cassian Bilton, Laura Birn, Jared Harris, Leah Harvey
- Genre: sci-fi
- Status: filming
Isaac Asimov wrote one of the cornerstone works of science fiction, “Foundation,” back in 1951. Seventy years later, the work, which inspired series like “Star Wars” and “Star Trek,'' is set to receive the TV treatment. Taking place in the far future and over the course of thousands of years, the Apple TV+ show will focus on the development and use of a new predictive science called psychohistory.
[Pictured: Jared Harris attends the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sept. 15, 2019, in Los Angeles.]
Gaslit
- Cast: Armie Hammer, Joel Edgerton, Sean Penn, Julia Roberts
- Genre: drama
- Status: pre-production
The second podcast adaptation on this list, “Gaslit” stems from the Watergate-focused series “Slow Burn.” The series will star some of Hollywood’s biggest names including Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Armie Hammer, and Joel Edgerton, and will tell the stories of some of the scandal’s lesser-known figures. The series will stream on Peacock.
[Pictured: Julia Roberts at the “Eat Pray Love” premiere in New York City, Aug. 10, 2010.]
The Gilded Age
- Cast: Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, Louisa Jacobson
- Genre: drama
- Status: post-production
“Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes is back with a new series, “The Gilded Age,” an HBO exclusive. The character-heavy drama, starring folks like Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon, will tackle wealth and class issues in turn-of-the-century New York City. The show was first rumored to be in the works during the height of “Downton,” but got put on the back burner when its original network decided the timing wasn’t right. Fans have been eagerly anticipating it ever since.
[Pictured: Christine Baranski at SiriusXM Studios on March 12, 2019, in New York City.]
Girls5Eva
- Cast: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Ashley Park, Paula Pell, Busy Philipps
- Genre: comedy
- Status: filming
Tina Fey will direct this Peacock comedy about the reunion of a '90s girl band in a last-ditch effort to bring its music dreams to life. Ashley Park, who previously worked with Fey on the Broadway adaptation of "Mean Girls," will star in "Girls5Eva."
[Pictured: Ashley Park at the 2019 Make-A-Wish Gala at Cipriani Wall Street on June 6, 2019, in New York City.]
Glow & Darkness
- Cast: Denise Richards, Bruce Davison, Steve Byers, Joan Collins
- Genre: history
- Status: filming
A historical drama, “Glow & Darkness” tells the interconnected stories of figures like St. Francis of Assisi, Richard the Lionheart, Leonor of Aquitaine, Pope Urban II, and several others. The show is currently expected to have three seasons, although director José Luis Moreno has yet to secure distribution.
Gossip Girl
- Cast: Kristen Bell, Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Adam Chanler-Berat
- Genre: drama, mystery
- Status: pre-production
In 2021, the early ’00s teen series, “Gossip Girl,” will be rebooted on HBO Max. The forthcoming show will have an almost fully new cast (Kristen Bell will return as narrator), and will focus on a new generation of Upper East Side elite rather than rehashing the events of the first go-round. With production underway in New York City, all that remains to be seen is whether it will be as big a hit as the original.
The Great North
- Cast: Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, Dulcé Sloan
- Genre: animation, comedy
- Status: post-production
“The Great North,” the newest offering from the team behind the animated Fox hit, “Bob’s Burgers,” has already been renewed for a second season—before the first even premieres. Set in Alaska, the show will be about the Tobin family (to whom Nick Offerman and Jenny Slate lend their voices), and their various antics.
Halston
- Cast: Rory Culkin, Rebecca Dayan, Ewan McGregor, Gian Franco Rodriguez
- Genre: drama
- Status: filming
“Halston” is one of the many things to stem from Ryan Murphy’s five-year, $300 million deal with Netflix. The five-episode, limited series will be about fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick (played by Ewan McGregor), who single-handedly changed fashion in the ’70s and hung out with the likes of Liza Minnelli, Andy Warhol, and the rest of the Studio 54 crowd.
[Pictured: Ewan McGregor at the Los Angeles premiere of “Christopher Robin” at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, on July 30, 2018.]
Housebroken
- Cast: Lisa Kudrow, Clea DuVall, Nat Faxon, Will Forte
- Genre: animation, comedy
- Status: pre-production
Fox is ramping up their animated series lineup this year, adding "Housebroken" to the list of critically-acclaimed series. The 30-minute comedy will explore neurosis and dysfunction through a group of neighborhood pets and animals. Lisa Kudrow, Clea DuVall, and Nat Faxon will lend their voices.
[Pictured: Lisa Kudrow attends the 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sept. 9, 2018, in Los Angeles.]
Inventing Anna
- Cast: Anna Chlumsky, Laverne Cox, Alexis Floyd, Julia Garner
- Genre: drama
- Status: filming
Shonda Rhimes is another creator with a major Netflix deal (rumored to be worth $100 million). Her latest show for the streaming service, “Inventing Anna,” is a limited drama series about New York City con artist Anna Delvey, who scammed the city’s elite and was profiled in New York Magazine and Vanity Fair. Julia Garner from Netflix's “Ozark” will play Delvey.
[Pictured: Shonda Rhimes at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 24, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California.]
Invincible
- Cast: Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen
- Genre: animation, action, adventure
- Status: post-production
Superhero fans will rejoice at the news that Robert Kirkman’s long-running comic book series, “Invincible,” is being transformed into an animated series for Amazon Prime. According to Kirkman, the show will stick pretty close to its source material, following Mark Grayson, the son of the world’s biggest superhero, Omni-Man. While coming into his own powers, Mark begins to realize that his dad might not be as great as he appears.
Kenan
- Cast: Kenan Thompson, Aris Alvarado, Bonnie Bailey-Reed, Willow Beuoy
- Genre: comedy
- Status: post-production
“Saturday Night Live” star Kenan Thompson will be getting his own show on NBC sometime in 2021. Set in Atlanta, the series will follow a recently widowed morning show host (Thompson) who’s struggling to balance his job, his young daughters, and everything else life has to bring. Fellow “SNL” cast member Chris Redd will also have a role, and “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels will executive produce.
[Pictured: Kenan Thompson at the premiere of NBC's “Bring The Funny” at Rockwell Table & Stage on June 26, 2019, in Los Angeles.]
Kings of America
- Cast: Amy Adams
- Genre: drama
- Status: pre-production
Despite what its title may lead you to believe, “Kings of America” is actually about three women: a Walmart heiress, a Walmart executive, and a Walmart saleswoman and preacher who brings the country’s biggest class-action lawsuit against her employer. The drama series will run on Netflix and will star Amy Adams.
[Pictured: Amy Adams attends the premiere of “Nocturnal Animals” during the 73rd Venice Film Festival on Sept. 2, 2016, in Venice, Italy.]
Landscapers
- Cast: Olivia Colman
- Genre: comedy, crime, drama
- Status: pre-production
"Landscapers," a darkly comedic HBO miniseries, is sure to be a new favorite for true crime fans. The show will tell the story of Susan (Olivia Colman) and Christopher Edwards, a seemingly mild-mannered U.K. couple who killed Susan's parents and buried them in the backyard of their Mansfield home, in a crime that went undiscovered for a decade.
[Pictured: Olivia Colman attends AFI Fest: The Crown & Peter Morgan Tribute at TCL Chinese Theatre on Nov. 16, 2019, in Hollywood.]
The Last of Us
- Cast: unknown
- Genre: adventure, drama, horror
- Status: announced
HBO will break new ground with “The Last of Us” by adapting the first installment of a popular video game franchise. If the series follows the video game closely, it will be about a hardened survivor, Joel, who works to smuggle a teenager, Ellie, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. However, the show is still in the earliest stages of development and has not formally announced cast members, further plot details, or a release date, so things could change.
[Pictured: Still from the video game “The Last of Us.”]
Law & Order: Organized Crime
- Cast: Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay
- Genre: crime, drama, mystery
- Status: pre-production
“Law & Order: SVU” is one of the longest-running scripted dramas to date, and with “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” creators are hoping for another mega-hit. Christopher Meloni will reprise his role as Elliot Stabler in the NBC drama, which is expected to cross over quite a bit with “SVU.”
{Pictured: Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay in “Law & Order: SVU.”]
Loki
- Cast: Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Genre: action, adventure, fantasy
- Status: filming
The god of mischief, who died at the beginning of “Infinity War,” is back in an alternative timeline in this Disney+ 2021 release. Tom Hiddleston will reprieve his role in the six-hour series, “Loki,” which will be hitting (coronavirus permitting) the streaming service in May.
Lupin
- Cast: Vincent Londez, Shirine Boutella, Nicole Garcia, Antoine Gouy
- Genre: comedy, crime, drama
- Status: filming
Just after the New Year, on Jan. 8, “Lupin” will begin streaming on Netflix. The series is heavily inspired by the French tale of the gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin, and will follow Omar Sy’s character as he attempts to get revenge on those who wrongfully accused his father of a crime some 25 years ago.
Maid
- Cast: Billy Burke, Andie MacDowell, Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson
- Genre: comedy, drama
- Status: filming
Stephanie Land's bestselling memoir, "Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive," is getting the small screen treatment in this Netflix series that will star Margaret Qualley. The series will be created in partnership with Margot Robbie's production company, and will be written and directed by two former members of the "Shameless" production team.
[Pictured: Margaret Qualley attends the premiere of the movie "Seberg" during the 76th Venice Film Festival on Aug. 30, 2019, in Venice, Italy.]
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
- Cast: Richard Jenkins
- Genre: crime, drama
- Status: pre-production
Another Ryan Murphy creation, “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,'' will focus on the life and crimes of the serial killer from the perspectives of his many victims. No casting announcements have been made about the Netflix series yet, but viewers can expect to learn how the killer evaded justice for so long thanks to his white privilege, good looks, and police incompetence.
[Pictured: Ryan Murphy attends the premiere of Netflix's "The Politician" at DGA Theater on Sept. 26, 2019, in New York City.]
Monsters at Work
- Cast: Ben Feldman, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Leon Jones
- Genre: animation, adventure, comedy
- Status: filming
A spinoff of the beloved “Monsters, Inc.” franchise, “Monsters at Work” will follow a young monster who’s willing to do whatever it takes to climb the corporate ladder so that he can work on the Laugh Floor alongside his idols Mike and Sulley. Billy Crystal and John Goodman will reprise their roles in the Disney+ series, while Ben Feldman will lend his voice to the new monster, Tylor Tuskmon.
[Pictured: Scene from the 2013 Disney/Pixar movie “Monsters University.”]
Mr. Mayor
- Cast: Christian Anaid, Mike Cabellon, Ted Danson, Kyla Kenedy
- Genre: comedy
- Status: filming
Tina Fey created this Ted Danson-led comedy about a retired businessman who runs for mayor (and then, shockingly, wins office) in order to prove to his daughter that he’s not a “useless old man.” The series will air on NBC, although arrival dates are somewhat up in the air thanks to a recent COVID-19 outbreak that required filming to come to a halt.
[Pictured: Ted Danson arrives at the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 22, 2019, in Los Angeles.]
Ms. Marvel
- Cast: Matt Lintz, Iman Vellani
- Genre: action, adventure, comedy
- Status: announced
Things just got more real for “Ms. Marvel” after the announcement of its cast and release date was made on Dec. 16. Iman Vellani will play the titular character—a New Jersey-based, crime-fighting teenager who can shrink or grow parts of her body as needed—whose appearance will mark the first Muslim hero from the Marvel Universe to hit the small screen. The show will debut on Disney+ in late 2021.
The Nevers
- Cast: Elizabeth Berrington, Ben Chaplin, Anna Devlin, Laura Donnelly
- Genre: drama, sci-fi
- Status: filming
Until very recently, Joss Whedon had been co-writing and directing "The Nevers," an HBO sci-fi drama about a group of Victorian-era women with unusual abilities on a mission to change the world. Whedon's departure from the series was announced in November 2020, but the show goes on. Filming continues on the series that is expected to land in the summer of 2021.
[Pictured: Joss Whedon attends the premiere of Disney and Marvel's "Ant-Man And The Wasp" on June 25, 2018, in Los Angeles.]
Nine Perfect Strangers
- Cast: Tiffany Boone, Bobby Cannavale, Luke Evans, Melvin Gregg
- Genre: drama
- Status: pre-production
Following the success of HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” Hulu is cashing in on the Liane Moriarty machine announcing the impending arrival of “Nine Perfect Strangers,” based on another Moriarty novel. In this series, nine strangers arrive at a wellness retreat desperate for a change in their lives and blissfully unaware of what the resort’s director has in store for them. Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy will star as the show’s leads.
[Pictured: Actress Nicole Kidman at the premiere for HBO's “Big Little Lies” at the TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood on Feb. 7, 2017.]
Peacemaker
- Cast: Steve Agee, John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Chris Conrad
- Genre: action, adventure, comedy
- Status: pre-production
“Peacemaker” will star John Cena as its titular character, a man who believes in peace no matter the cost. Coming to HBO Max next year, the show is slated to have eight, hour-long episodes.
[Pictured: John Cena at the World premiere of “Bumblebee” held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood on Dec. 9, 2018.]
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
- Cast: Malcolm M. Mays, Mekai Curtis, Omar Epps, Hailey Kilgore
- Genre: crime, drama
- Status: announced
A prequel to “Power,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” will be set in the ’90s and follow the early years of the now-deceased Kanan Stark. 50 Cent, the franchise’s executive producer, has called the upcoming ABC series “crazy.” It can be watched on Hulu.
[Pictured: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson at the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony honoring the artist on Jan. 30, 2020.]
Rugrats
- Cast: Terra Jolé, Nancy Cartwright, Melanie Chartoff, Cheryl Chase
- Genre: animation, adventure, comedy
- Status: pre-production
’90s kids are sure to have mixed feelings about this CGI reboot of one of their old-school favorites. First announced in 2018, the “Rugrats” reboot will begin airing its 26 episodes on Nickelodeon sometime next year. The original voice actors for Chuckie, Angelica, and Mrs. Pickles will all be returning to the series.
[Pictured: Still from “Rugrats” (1990).]
The Sandman
- Cast: Tom Sturridge
- Genre: drama, fantasy, horror
- Status: pre-production
Netflix will finally be bringing Neil Gaiman's comic "Sandman," a tentpole of the genre, to the small screen towards the end of 2021. Fans have pushed for the series to get the TV treatment for years, but its philosophical complexity, non-linear storyline, and massive scope have proven to be major obstacles to that mission. As of December 2020, no casting announcements have been made for the show, which remains in pre-production.
[Pictured: Neil Gaiman at New York Comic Con in 2018.]
Scenes from a Marriage
- Cast: Jessica Chastain, Oscar Isaac, Sunita Mani
- Genre: drama
- Status: pre-production
HBO’s “Scenes of a Marriage” will reimagine Ingmar Bergman’s 1973 original through the relationship of a modern American couple. The project has been in the works for years, but with Oscar Isaac and Michelle Williams signed on to play the married couple, 2021 seems to be the year the show will finally see the light of day. All angles of a relationship from desire to love, to marriage to divorce, will be explored in the miniseries.
[Pictured: Jessica Chastain at the 2019 CinemaCon - Warner Bros. Pictures' The Big Picture Presentation held at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 2, 2019.]
Severance
- Cast: Patricia Arquette, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Adam Scott
- Genre: drama, thriller
- Status: pre-production
“Severance” will be an Apple TV+ thriller about Lumen Industries, a company that is attempting to take work-life balance to the next level by removing employees’ out-of-work memories. Patricia Arquette, Tramell Tillman, Adam Scott, John Turturro, Jen Tullock, Zach Cherry, and Britt Lower will star.
[Pictured: Patricia Arquette attends the “Boyhood” photocall during 64th Berlinale International Film Festival at Grand Hyatt Hotel on Feb. 13, 2014, in Berlin, Germany.]
The Shrink Next Door
- Cast: Will Ferrell, Kathryn Hahn, Paul Rudd, Casey Wilson
- Genre: comedy
- Status: pre-production
Yet another series based on a Wondery podcast, “The Shrink Next Door” will be an Apple TV+ limited series. Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd will reunite “Anchorman 2” movie costars in this story about the bizarre relationship between one man and his manipulative shrink who slowly begins to take over his life.
[Pictured: Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and The Hollywood Reporter Celebration of the 2020 Golden Globe Awards Season on Nov. 14, 2019, in West Hollywood, California.]
Slow Horses
- Cast: Jack Lowden, Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas
- Genre: thriller
- Status: announced
The first spy drama on this list, “Slow Horses,” will tell the story of a team of MI5 British intelligence agents who find themselves relegated to a “dumping ground” department called Slough House. An adaptation of a series of novels by Mick Herron, the show will star Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, Jonathan Pryce, and Olivia Cooke.
[Pictured: Gary Oldman attends the “Darkest Hour” U.K. premiere at Odeon Leicester Square in London on Dec. 11, 2017.]
Star Trek: Prodigy
- Cast: Kate Mulgrew
- Genre: animation, family, sci-fi
- Status: pre-production
"Star Trek: Prodigy" will bring the beloved sci-fi franchise to life for an entirely new generation of fans in 2021. The animated series is being developed exclusively for Nickelodeon and will follow a group of teens who discover a derelict Starfleet ship that they commandeer for their own exploratory purposes.
[Pictured: Actress Kate Mulgrew speaks during the 17th annual official Star Trek convention at the Rio Hotel & Casino on Aug. 4, 2018, in Las Vegas.]
Time
- Cast: Sean Bean, Stephen Graham, Bobby Schofield, Manoj Anand
- Genre: crime, drama
- Status: filming
Announced just a couple of months ago, “Time” is a BBC prison drama whose story will be told through the eyes of a corrections officer and an inmate. The three-part series will be a realistic representation of life in the British penal system—it has been described as emotional and thrilling.
[Pictured: British actor Sean Bean arrives for the “Game of Thrones” eighth and final season premiere at Radio City Music Hall on April 3, 2019, in New York City.]
Vikings: Valhalla
- Cast: Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Álfrún Laufeyjardóttir, Jack Mullarkey, Frida Gustavsson
- Genre: action, drama, history
- Status: filming
A spinoff of the History Channel’s “Vikings” series, “Vikings: Valhalla” will be released on Netflix sometime in 2021. The historical drama is set about 100 years after the end of the first series, at the close of the Viking kingdom. Among its cast of characters will be real-life figures Leif Erikson, Freydis Eiríksdóttir, Harald Hardrada, and William the Conqueror.
[Pictured: Clive Standen in the History Channel series “Vikings” (2013).]
WandaVision
- Cast: Paul Bettany, Kat Dennings, Kathryn Hahn, Elizabeth Olsen
- Genre: action, adventure, comedy
- Status: post-production
A bizarre blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “WandaVision” will feature two of Marvel’s lesser-known characters, Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). Part rom-com, part action series, the show will follow the two characters as they begin to suspect their all-too-perfect life may not be as great as it seems. Shot before a live studio audience, the show will begin airing on Disney+ on Jan. 15.
What If...?
- Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Hayley Atwell, Josh Brolin, Dominic Cooper
- Genre: animation, action, adventure
- Status: filming
Coming in the summer of 2021, “What If…?” is another Marvel Cinematic Universe series. Based on a line of comic books of the same name, the show imagines alternative outcomes for some of the MCU’s biggest moments, which put recognizable heroes on entirely new paths. The animated, irreverent show will feature the voice work of many former Marvel actors.
Young Rock
- Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Joseph Lee Anderson, Bradley Constant, Adrian Groulx
- Genre: comedy
- Status: pre-production
Finally, we have "Young Rock," an NBC comedy that tells the story of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's early years. Three actors will play Johnson at different stages of his life, and Johnson himself will make appearances in each episode. The heartwarming and hilarious show has begun filming in Australia, giving fans hope it will hit their screens sooner rather than later.
[Pictured: Dwayne Johnson at Disney's D23 EXPO 2019 in Anaheim, California.]