The sci-fi TV genre is continuing to grow with literary adaptations or fun reboots, and these eight shows are ones you won’t want to miss. While it was once considered niche, science fiction has become a mainstream staple, with the genre being more popular than ever.
Mainstay franchises like Star Trek and Doctor Who are still going strong. Star Trek just released Starfleet Academy, and Doctor Who will return with a 2026 Christmas special. Plenty of new shows are also being released. Recent success stories include Pluribus, which has become Apple TV’s biggest series of all time, and Hulu’s Paradise.
Luckily, we won’t see a dip in great sci-fi shows any time soon. Many great sci-fi shows are returning for more seasons. Meanwhile, these eight upcoming TV shows have strong storylines and huge potential for success.
8
Lanterns
Release Date: August 2026
DC fans have been begging for a good Green Lantern TV show for years, and we finally might get one with James Gunn’s Lanterns, starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The story follows the two characters as Jordan trains Stewart. Unlike some superhero stories that lean into fantasy, Green Lantern has been science fiction since the 1960s.
The Green Lantern ring is an impressive piece of alien technology that uses the Green Light of Willpower to manipulate light, energy, and, to a certain degree, matter. The specific abilities, such as flying and blasting things, depend on the comic book writer and the character.
Besides Kyle Chandler flying, the abilities of the ring aren’t shown in the Lanterns trailer, but that makes it all the more exciting. They saved the best part for the actual TV show. Hopefully, they will blend together the True Detective vibe with some epic Lantern ring action.
7
Blade Runner 2099
Release Date: TBA 2026
Blade Runner and Neuromancer are the two pieces of media widely credited with jumpstarting the previously niche cyberpunk genre, so it’s extremely exciting that both are getting a TV show in 2026. Blade Runner 2099 is the fourth major installment of the franchise based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Phillip K. Dick, after two movies and an anime.
The TV show will take place 50 years after Blade Runner 2049. While the actual plot is under wraps, we know one of the main characters is Michelle Yeoh’s Olwen, a replicant nearing the end of its lifecycle. This will be an interesting change of pace since both films focus on the humans who hunt replicants.
Additionally, the show will have plenty more time to continue expanding the fascinating world of Blade Runner, as the original announcements confirmed it will have 10 episodes. We might not have an exact release date yet, but the 2026 Prime Video show is one that you won’t want to skip.
6
Snowball Earth
Release Date: April 3, 2026
Snowball Earth is one of the most exciting sci-fi anime in years, and everyone who enjoys animated TV shows needs to check it out when it releases in April. The story takes place in 2035 (10 years after the manga’s setting), after the protagonist, Tetsuo Yabusame, and his giant robot, Yukio, lose a war against intergalactic kaiju. Now, Tetsuo wakes up on an Earth that has experienced a snowy, icy apocalypse.
There are plenty of reasons Snowball Earth will be amazing. It features monsters from outer space, a giant robot, mechas, and an environmental apocalypse. There’s a strong mystery, as Tetsuo has to figure out what happened to the Earth in the eight years since he lost the war. Plus, the director of Zombie Land Saga is making Snowball Earth, so it’s bound to have some great action sequences and comedy.
5
Consider Phlebas
Release Date: TBA
In early 2025, news broke that Iain M. Banks’s Consider Phlebas, the first book in the Culture series, would become a Prime Video TV show. The fast-paced space opera books follow a war between a post-scarcity civilization called the Culture, in which humans and AI live side by side, and the imperialist Idrian Empire, where religion dominates the law.
As of the time of writing, it’s not clear whether the show will follow just the first book or the entire Culture series, but either way, it’s thrilling. The series is naturally cinematic, and there are plenty of space battles to keep viewers engaged. Additionally, sci-fi author Charles Yu will write the show, and his experience with the genre bodes well for Consider Phlebas.
4
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
Release Date: April 6–May 4, 2026
The Star Wars franchise continues to expand on television, and the upcoming animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is among the most promising shows. The story follows Maul after the finale of Clone Wars season 7. He tries to set up a new base of operations on the planet Janix.
Rather than being an Empire-versus-Jedi sci-fi, this series will be a sci-fi noir thriller with a more serious tone. The story will be packed with criminals and dirty cops. Plus, the show will still feature police droids, lightsabers, blasters, and all the other great science fiction elements of the franchise.
The best part is that the creators of Clone Wars, one of the best parts of Star Wars, will lead the Maul. They are fantastic at weaving together a satisfying story and developing the known characters in surprising ways.
3
The Captive’s War
Release Date: TBA
The Expanse is one of the best modern science fiction TV shows, and the authors already have their next project in the works. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the duo who write under the pen name James S.A. Corey, are in the middle of releasing their next book series, The Captive’s War, which will be turned into a Prime Video show.
The story follows a group of human scientists who are captured by the terrifying, imperialist Carryx Empire and attempt to start a rebellion. Luckily, Abraham and Franck are involved in the show, which means we won’t have to wait until all the books are released to start. Additionally, The Expanse’s Naren Shankar and Breck Eisner are returning for The Captive’s War.
2
Astro Boy Reboot
Release Date: TBA
Astro Boy Reboot has been in the works for over a decade, and it has changed hands and designs many times. As such, most have written it off as unlikely to happen. However, progress has been made, which is obvious from the image and animation test leaks.
They show Astro Boy, Uran, Dr. Ochanomizu, and Yuko Kisaragi, among other characters. Additionally, a video shows Astro Boy jumping into action. If the leaks are any indication, Astro Boy Reboot could actually be great. The animation, in particular, looks fantastic.
Additionally, Mediawan Kids & Family, the parent company of Method Animation, presented Astro Boy Reboot at the 2026 San Diego Kidscreen Summit. The event is closed-doors, so we won’t get to see any of the assets, but it’s a great sign that the show is actively moving forward.
1
Neuromancer
Release Date: TBA 2026
The cyberpunk novel Neuromancer was foundational, even if it wasn’t the first piece of media in the genre. The book follows a disabled cyber hacker named Case who gets hired by a mysterious organization to run a digital heist with a mirror-eyed razorgirl and a mercenary. Shockingly, it took 42 years for the book to get an onscreen adaptation.
However, the long wait was worth it because Apple TV is bringing the show to life. The streamer has developed a reputation for prioritizing quality over quantity and making top-notch science fiction. BAFTA-nominated actor Callum Turner is also playing Case, which is surprisingly perfect casting. Plus, Briana Middleton will rock as Molly if her role in The Silent Planet is any indication.