As 2025 starts, there's a score of great sci-fi and fantasy TV to get ready for!
2024 had some good sci-fi and fantasy shows, like Fallout, Interview With the Vampire and many more. But 2025 looks even better! There are some major hits coming back for new seasons and some very promising new shows. A few are comic book themed, others more dramatic, all worth checking out. Here are 25 sci-fi and fantasy shows that could make 2025 a great year for genre fans!
1. Mayfair Witches (AMC+, January 5)
This adaptation of the Anne Rice novels returns for a bigger season 2. Having given birth to the evil Lasher, Rowan (Alexandra Daddario) is out to claim her true power to fight him off. Expect a darker tone for the show with the addition of Ben Feldman as Rowan's ex-boyfriend, a scientist pulled into the conflict. There are likely more twists and turns coming as the cult series looks to expand its audience and cast a bigger spell in its second year.
2. Goosebumps: The Vanishing (Disney+, January 10)
Disney+'s adaptation of the R.L. Stine book series is back. Only now it's an anthology with a brand new cast and storyline drawing from several Stine books. A pair of teens settling into a new home find a supernatural threat tied to the vanishing of five kids back in 1994. David Schwimmer plays their dad, who's more involved in this than they believe.
If season 2 is half as good as the inventive first season, this could be one to watch. And the new cast members bring some fresh energy.
3. Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 (Netflix, January 16)
Netflix had a lot of success with its animated Castlevania series, based on the long-running video game series from Konami. The spinoff has found fans too. This new show is set during the French revolution, and follows vampire hunter Richter Belmont and his companions as they try to prevent the rise of a vampire messiah. The season 1 finale also brought in Alucard, the son of Dracula and a fan favorite.
The original Castlevania series ran high on crazy action scenes, stylized violence and grim vibes. Nocturne is following in its footsteps.
4. Severance (Apple TV+, January 17)
The second season of Apple TV+'s acclaimed, award-winning drama looks to seriously up the ante. The trailers hint at our characters fighting the system that erases their memories when at work, but the question is, how much of their other lives do they remember? Look forward to a corporate retreat from hell and Gwendoline Christie joining as a mysterious new company figure. As in the first year, it's hard to predict what will or won't happen. Axcept audiences will doubtlessly be sucked in trying to figure it out in a continuation of one of the most mind-bending shows on television.
5. Star Trek: Section 31 (Paramount+, January 24)
Technically a TV movie, this spinoff of the Star Trek: Discovery show is a must-watch for Trek fans. That's because it stars Oscar-winning action movie icon Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role as former Mirror Universe Empress Philippa Georgiou. The ex-dictator is recruited into Starfleet's top-secret black ops division for a mysterious mission with her own crew. It promises some major action and a look at the darker side of the Federation.
6. Invincible season 3 (Prime Video, February 6)
The first superhero show to appear on our list, Invincible is adapted from the comic book of the same name by Robert Kirkman, the guy who created The Walking Dead. It follows Mark Grayson, an unassuming teen who happens to be the son of the greatest superhero on the planet. When Mark's powers manifest in the season, he gets thrown into the high-stakes world of superhero-dom, which soon becomes far more complicated, violent, and important than he imagined.
The first two seasons of Invincible were strong, and it looks like the third will barrel ahead into some of the most exciting storylines from the comics. Things were already crazy. Now they get nuts.
7. Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+, March 4)
Once upon a time, Disney allowed original Marvel TV series to run on other streaming platforms. That's how Netflix ended up airing shows like Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. But Disney soon enough put a stop to all that, had the Netflix shows cancelled, and started anew on its own streaming service, Disney+.
The Netflix Marvel shows were thought lost forever, but the most beloved of them, Daredevil, is now coming back for a revival. Daredevil: Born Again will reunite the cast of the Netflix series, including Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, for a whole new adventure. There's some ambiguity as to whether the new Disney+ version of the show will be as dark as the Netflix original, but we'll all find out soon enough.
8. The Wheel of Time season 3 (Prime Video, March 13)
Prime Video's other big-budget adaptation of a beloved fantasy epic returns for another year. This third season of The Wheel of Time will adapt The Shadow Rising, which is considered one of the best books in the Robert Jordan 14-book-strong series. The cast is back with great new additions that include Shohreh Aghdashloo as Aes Sedai sorceress Elaida and Olivia Williams as the Queen of Andor, who happens to be Elayne's mother. Big moments will include a return to the Two Rivers and Rand making long strides as he grows into his role as the messianic Dragon Reborn. This show is getting better with every season and this could be its biggest yet.
9. Star Wars: Andor season 2 (Disney+, April 22)
While Star Wars TV shows can be hit and miss, most critics and audiences were united in their praise for Andor. The prequel to Rogue One focuses on how Diego Luna's title character joins the Rebellion. It brilliantly mixes political storylines with Star Wars lore. Season 2 looks to explore more of the growing Rebellion and the inner workings of the Empire, all leading up to the events of the Rogue One movie.
With so much acclaim behind it, this may be the Star Wars prequel fans truly go wild for. This will be the final season for Andor, which means it's ready to go out in a blaze.
10. Ironheart (Disney+, June 24)
Ironheart is yet another Marvel TV series coming to Disney+. This one revolves around Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a young inventor who was first introduced in the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Riri is a huge fan of Iron Man and has fashioned her own robotic suit that allows her to fly around and fight crime. Hit the adventure button!
11. Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+, August 6)
The final Marvel series on our list is Eyes of Wakanda, an animated show that will follow the Hatut Zaraze, a group of Wakandan warriors who travel the world retrieving artifiacts made of the valueable metal vibranium. Obviously we'll be spending more time in the fictional country of Wakanda, as popularized in the Black Panther movies, but it looks like the main characters from those movies will be playing supporting roles at best. This show will mostly tell a brand new story.
12. The Last of Us season 2 (HBO, Spring)
The first season of the adaptation of the hit video games was an absolute sensation, earning multiple awards. Topping that will be difficult. The team will try with this adaptation of the equally acclaimed second game in the series.
Years after the first season, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are now distant thanks to Joe's actions in the season 1 finale, when he saved Ellie's life at the price of depriving the world of a cure for the zombie plague that has decimated society. Kaitlyn Dever joins the cast as Abby, one of the game's most notorious characters. If the show follows the same plotline as the game, it's going to rock the fandom. No matter how it goes, the show should continue to be one of the best video game adaptations ever.
13. The Handmaid's Tale season 6 (Hulu, Spring)
The Handmaid's Tale began as an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's bracing novel about a dystopian future where child-bearing women are forced to live as slaves during a worldwide fertility crisis. The show ran out of source material pretty quickly, but has forged ahead with its own original story. That story will be coming ton an end in 2025. Elizabeth Moss will return in her award-winning role as Jund Osbourne, and fans will get to see how this saga wraps up.
14. The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2 (AMC, Spring)
The original Walking Dead show may be a few years in the rearview mirror, but AMC has multiple spinoffs keeping the franchise alive. Dead City is the first of those, a tale about an unlikely team-up between Maggie (Laruen Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), whom she recruits to help her find her son Hershel, who was kidnapped and taken to New York City.
What does Manhattan look like after the zombie apocalypse? Dead City gives us a good look. Long story short, the first season ended with Maggie and Negan on opposite sides of a war to control the ruined metropolis. The story continues this spring.
15. Doctor Who season 15 (Disney+, Spring 2025)
In 2023, Doctor Who rebooted itself yet again with Ncuti Gatwa stepping into the shoes of the iconic time-traveling alien. The show actually rebranded that season as Doctor Who season 2, so this new season might actually be season 2? Or it's season 15 if we're treating this as a continuation of the "New Who" continuity that began in 2005. Or if we're taking the entire show into account, it's season 41. With a show as old as Doctor Who, it can be hard to keep track.
Anyway, the Doctor's new companion will be Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu). His most recent companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) will be working with the government agenty UNIT back on Earth while the Doctor and Belinda jet off to heaven knows where...or when.
16. Alien: Earth (Hulu, Summer)
It's been a long wait, but fans of this iconic sci-fi franchise finally get to see it in television form. This prequel series takes place before the events of the first Alien. A ship crashes to Earth and a group of explorers and soldiers soon find it filled with Xenomorphs, so we finally get to see the Aliens in our world.
It's interesting to think how this might affect the timeline of the movie. Fans can expect some great sci-fi action and a good cast led by Timothy Olyphant.
17. The Witcher season 4 (Netflix, TBA)
Netflix's fantasy epic faces a huge change in season 4 as Liam Hemsworth takes over from Henry Cavill in the lead role of Geralt of Rivia. That puts a lot of pressure on the show. Will fans will accept this transformation?
Hopefully it won't distract from the storyline as Geralt heads to Nilfgaard to rescue a captive Ciri, unaware she's fallen in with a group of thieves called the Rats. Hopefully, folks won't be too distracted by the new leading man and once more become enthralled by this hit show.
18. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO, TBA)
The Game of Thrones universe is expanding again with this much-anticipated new show based on a series of novellas by author George R.R. Martin. Set about a century before the events. Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will follow the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squid Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) as they navigate the always tricky world of Westeros politics. Expect plenty of adventure and action, as well as some of the in-fighting and backstabbing that's always afoot in the Seven Kingdoms. It'll be a great way to pass the time until House of the Dragon returns.
19. Murderbot (Apple TV+, TBA)
Expected to premiere on Apple TV+ later this year, Murderbot is based on the popular sci-fi novel The Murderbot Diaries. Alexander Skarsgård voices a murderous robot who hides how it's self-aware and studies humanity. It sounds like a fun dark comedy and could become a sleeper success whenever it debuts.
20. Stranger Things season 5 (Netflix, TBA)
It all comes down to this. Netflix's incredible epic sci-fi tale and 1980s pastiche comes to its grand conclusion in its fifth and final season. Some behind-the-scenes signs hint that we may jump forward to 1989, which makes sense given that the young actors are much older than when the show began. The final run is likely to include some major changes, perhaps a character death, and will hopefully bring one of Netflix's most groundbreaking hit series to a worthy conclusion.
21. It: Welcome to Derry (HBO, TBA)
Making a prequel to arguably Stephen King's most famous work is a daunting task. HBO is trying with this series, which is set years before the events of the original It novel. It explores the town of Derry and looks at the other times the deadly Pennywise (played again by Bill Skarsgard) has awoken to trouble this quiet community. Any fan of It or King will want to see how the terror began.
22. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 (AMC, TBA)
Sticking with horror, we have yet another scary show on the way in the form of Daryl Dixon season 3, the second of two Walking Dead spinoffs on our list. The first season of this show took fan favorite Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) to France. The second season brought in his platonic soulmate Carol (Melissa McBride), and the third will take the both of them to England and then Spain. What's the zombie apocalypse like in Europe? Tune in later this year to find out.
23. Wednesday season 2 (Netflix, TBA)
After a first season that became a sensation, this Tim Burton-directed take on The Addams Family franchise looks to get crazier in season 2. Jenna Ortega is back as the title character, and our favorite sociopath is facing new supernatural challenges at her school. We get the entire cast back, along with new faces like Steve Buscemi, Joanne Lumley, Thandiwe Newton, Frances O'Connor, and Haley Joel Osment. But it'll still be Ortega's show.
24. Star City (Apple TV+, TBA)
It's unlikely we're getting season 5 of the sci-fi drama For All Mankind in 2025. However, we might be getting the planned prequel. Star City will flash back to the 1960s and show us how the Soviets beat the U.S. to the moon in this alternate history. The series will also likely shed new light on the events of the original show.
25. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 (Paramount+, TBA)
Season 2 of Strange New Worlds gave us time travel, a crossover with Lower Decks and even a musical episode. So how in the world are they going to top it? Well, they'll start by resolving the big cliffhanger of the Enterprise facing a Gorn fleet with Pike going against orders to rescue captives from the hostile aliens. After that, it's anyone's guess, but the producers promise episodes will "hop genres," so expect everything from high drama to zany comedy. Whatever happens, it should be another terrific year for this amazingly fun Star Trek show.
26. School Spirits season 2 (Paramount+ TBA)
After too long of a delay, the supernatural drama finally returns. Season 1 ended with a huge twist as Maddie (Peyton List) discovered she was never dead at all. Rather, female ghost Janet stole her body to escape the school. Thus, season 2 has List doing double-duty as both Maddie and Janet in Maddie's body (with Jess Gabor also as Janet) as Maddie tries to find a way back to life. It'll also ask whether the group's ghostly mentor is responsible for their fates. A couple new ghosts will join the cast to keep this cult hit going.
27. One Piece season 2 (Netflix, TBA)
After beating the odds for a second season, the live-action adaptation of the hit anime is ready to set sail. The Straw Hat Crew is now heading to the Grand Line on their hunt for a massive treasure. That means clashing with various pirate crews both returning and new ones, including the sinister Captain Smoker.
The show surprised many by wonderfully bringing the manga and anime series to vivid life, and season 2 should make the journey even bigger and better.
28. The Sandman season 2 (Netflix, TBA)
The second season of this adaptation of the award-winning DC Comic promises more imaginative drama and adventure. We'll see lead character Dream (Tom Sturridge) hold a "family reunion," which includes his Endless siblings Delirium, Destruction, and Destiny. Then Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie) shocks everyone by quitting Hell and giving Dream the keys. The first season did a great job adapting the famously esoteric and moody comic. With those episodes under their belt, hopefully the cast and crew of The Sandman can do a better job with season 2.
29. The Librarians The Next Chapter (TNT, TBA)
Originally intended for The CW, this new spinoff of the fantasy-adventure franchise instead heads to TNT. A former Librarian shows up in the modern day to form a new team to track down magical artifacts. The cast includes Jessica Green, Callum McGowan, and Christian Kane reprising his role as a mentor and trainer. The show will hopefully bring the same fun as the original series, and TNT should be a good fit for this light-hearted show.
30. Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 (Disney+, TBA)
Season 2 of this YA novel adaptation will tackle the second book in Rick Riordan's fantasy series, The Sea of Monsters. It will see Percy, Annabeth, and Grover go on a new quest to stop a brewing war between the gods of Olympus, with Percy learning more about his heritage as Poseidon's son. New cast members include Andra Day as Athena, while Courtney B. Vance takes over from the late Lance Reddick as Zeus. The series has done a fine job adapting the hit books, and season 2 should continue its heroic journey through this modern Greek myth.
31. Revival (Syfy, TBA)
Based on the comic book, this new series imagines what happens when a small Wisconsin town suddenly sees dead residents return to life. Rather than zombies, they're still acting as they did when alive. When a murder occurs, the town sheriff (Melanie Scrofano) has to investigate a case where even the undead are suspects. This unique mix of zombie tale and mystery show could make this another Syfy channel sleeper hit when it debuts later in 2025.
32. Outlander season 8 (Starz, TBA)
2025 will bring fans the eighth and final season of Outlander, Starz's long-running adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's time-traveling romance series. How will the tale of Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and his wife Claire Fraser (Caitrinoa Balfe) end? They've crossed centuries to be together, had kids and grandkids, and weathered multiple wars. It's hard to know what will happen to them in the end, because Gabaldon hasn't published the final book in her series yet. The show will skip ahead a reveal the ending a bit meaning, meaning fans will all be surprised together, whatever their experience with the franchise.
We don't know exactly when the eighth season of Outlander premiere, but it's likely to come out only after the next entry on our list has wrapped up:
33. Blood of My Blood (Starz, TBA)
Outlander fans won't want to miss this amazing prequel series, which tells the stories of not one but two important romances. It shows how, in 18th century Scotland, Jamie Fraser's parents (Harriet Slater and Jamie Roy) first met. At the same time, we see how Claire's parents (Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine) met during World War I. The dual romances will show how our heroes became the people we remember from the original series. For Outlander fans, the prequel is going to be a worthy tale in its own right.
34. Black Mirror season 7 (Netflix, TBA)
Given how crazy the real world has become, the question is how Netflix's famed sci-fi anthology can satirize it. They're sure to try with more twisted tales of technology run amok. One detail we know about the upcoming seventh season is that it will feature a sequel to one of Black Mirror's most beloved episodes, "USS Callister," which is itself a twisted take on the Star Trek franchise. The new episode will likely take aim at sci-fi sequels.
As usual, the new season will have a star-studded cast, which this time will include Awkwafina, Peter Capaldi, Emma Corrin, Paul Giamatti, and more. So whenever it hits, it'll be another crazy ride.
35. Gen V season 2 (Prime Video, TBA)
The Boys is one of the most successful series on Prime Video, a brutal skewering of superhero movies and the current madness of our political moment. Gen V is the show's first proper spinoff; it's set at a college for young superheroes where, as you'd expect, all is not as it seems.
The first season of Gen V introduced us to an appealing new cast of characters who, in the grand tradition of The Boys, have spectacular superpowers and a flimsy grasp on morality. They'll be coming back for season 2, minus Andre Anderson, since actor Chance Perdomo tragically died in 2024. Prime Video has confirmed they will not be recasting the role.
36. Leviathan (Netflix, TBA)
The popular YA trilogy of books by Scott Westerfeld comes to Netflix as an anime. In 1914, as World War I breaks out, a renegade prince and a girl disguised as a boy meet on an airship. The twist? In this world, the war is waged between giant metal robots and genetically engineered creatures in a steampunk setting. The anime looks to do justice to that wild tale and should be a winner when it hits, especially coming from the creators of Beastars and Trigun Stampede. The six-episode series hopefully kicks off a new trilogy.
37. Anne Rice's The Talamasca (AMC, TBA)
We already talked about Mayfair Witches near the start of this list. That's not the only show based on the works of Anne Rice we expect to see in 2025. AMC is also making a series about the Talamasca, the shadowy organization that keeps tabs on vampires, witches, and all things spooky.
As for Interview With The Vampire, the Anne Rice that kicked off this budding television universe, don't expect a new season of that until 2026.
38. Squid Game season 3 (Netflix, TBA)
The first season of Squid Game, an action drama about deeply indebted individuals railroaded into playing a series of life-or-death games in hopes of winning a huge cash prize, was the most successful original show in the history of Netflix. The second season just came out the other week and the third and final season is on the way. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk expects it to land on Netflix in the summer or fall of 2025, but we don't have an exact release date yet. In any case, we won't have to wait nearly as long for the third season as we did for the second.
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