Category Superheroes

Jul 12 2026

DCU: Fallout From Supergirl

The relatively new cinematic universe, DC Universe (DCU), got off to a solid start with last year’s release of Superman and two TV shows, Creature Commandos and the second season of Peacemaker. However, the DCU and DC Studios, which produces the DCU films and TV shows, have been rattled by the failure of the DCU sophomore film, Supergirl.

It was hoped by DC Studios that Supergirl’s popular cameo appearance in Superman would translate to a healthy and respectable box office performance with her solo film. No one expected it to earn $1 billion dollars but at least it should have earned $400 to $500 million and help cement the DCU. Unfortunately that was not how things turned out and based on BTS stories about how DC Studios struggled with the film’s poor reception during previews is not a surprise. As the film was being put together the film studio and its head James Gunn saw that Supergirl was not scoring well during previews and the film was hastily edited. This resulted in a movie that felt disjointed in its mood. Sometimes it felt like a gritty and somber Mad Max-style action piece. Other times it seemed as if it was trying to ape the atmosphere of a more light-hearted and goofy space adventure like Guardians of the Galaxy.

This doesn’t mean that Supergirl is a terrible film. It has its faults but overall it was a fine superhero film and certainly cannot be compared to those awful Sony films featuring Spider-Man villains or some of the worst of the former DC Extended Universe (DCEU). But in DC Studios’ situation, the film had to be more than fine, it had to stand out and resonate with audiences. Perhaps if they delayed the film to tinker with it some more in reshoots or editing and released it another time it would have fared better. It is maddening to think that Warner Bros. thought that releasing the film in late June sandwiched between the animated juggernauts of Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters was a good idea. They could have released the film in early May where it had no competition. It probably would have still received the same negative to mixed reviews but it might have earned much more than it will now. Traditionally, the early May schedule was reserved for films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but this year, there were no MCU films scheduled with only The Devil Wears Prada 2 in the way.

Despite how much Monday-morning-quarterbacking can go on, Supergirl is in the rearview mirror. Where does the DCU go from here? Is it already doomed? Will James Gunn be removed? To answer the last two questions: no the DCU is not in trouble though it took a nasty black eye from Supergirl’s failure and it is too premature to deem the DCU dead or in trouble, and Gunn’s position is safe…for now. Certainly the next DCU film, Clayface, has to do very well, as well as the upcoming TV show, Lanterns. The success of one or both projects will stem all the negativity the film studio is getting until the big test coming with next year’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

Fortunately, the previews for Clayface and Lanterns have been received well, especially Clayface’s. What is helping Clayface is that it seems more like a horror film and will come out at a perfect time to take advantage of that perception. Plus, being perceived as a horror film helps distinguish Clayface from standard superhero/comic book films and this is something that DCU needs at the moment. Meanwhile, Lanterns is being marketed as more of a murder mystery which will annoy Green Lantern fans who expected a traditional space adventure, but the more grounded TV show could pull in viewers who are not traditional superhero fans.

Of course, none of that will matter if Superman: Man of Tomorrow does not perform well. Going for it is that like Superman, it is being directed by James Gunn and the reaction to what has been revealed about it has been positive. Given Gunn’s talent, it is unlikely that the film will get negative reception but it has to do at least as well as Superman and earn over $600 million to keep the DCU viable. Its success also will determine the future of the DCU and James Gunn’s position as head of DC Studios.

Gunn’s contract with Warner Bros. will end next spring and no one can say for certain if he will remain as the president of DC Studios. Many have speculated with Warner Bros. being taken over by Paramount Pictures that it will mean that there will be massive executive changes at Warner Bros. Paramount could take a hard look at how the DCU is performing and demand changes or else. Whether or not Gunn will go along with this is unknown, and it has to be considered that he will be wooed by other film studios, starting with Disney. Do not be surprised if news comes out next year after Superman: Man of Tomorrow is released that Gunn will leave DC Studios to work for Marvel Studios with the intent that he could take it over at some point in the future. If that happens what becomes of the DCU? Who will take over and what direction will it take? Obscure heroes like Booster Gold and the Authority will be disregarded for proven popular characters, that is certain. But do not expect a return of the old DCEU or its creator Zack Snyder despite what some fans wish for.

There are many unknowns but expect a hard shift to focus on Batman as the lynchpin of the new DCU. Given the supposed lack of progress in launching a new Batman for the DCU, Gunn could face pressure to just fold The Batman films into the DCU since the first film, was very successful. The only thing is that that grounded version of Batman will be nearly impossible to connect it to the more bright and goofy DCU that Gunn has created. Of course, all this could be moot if the next couple of films and TV shows succeeds.

It is unlikely that the DCU will be dissolved by Warner Bros. anytime soon. It just got started with only two films under its belt. The cinematic universe has not achieved the disastrous results of the DCEU and still has some good will towards it. Some adjustments will have to be made just as Marvel Studios did and continue to do with their MCU films and TV shows. For one, James Gunn will have to step away from actively directing films and concentrate on running DC Studios. Trying to do both is impossible since running a film studio and maintaining the quality of films is a full time position. He has to devote more time to ensuring that what comes out is above average and deserves to be made, otherwise you end up with another Supergirl. Another thing for Gunn to contemplate is that although he loves quirky obscure characters major DCU projects cannot be devoted to them. He should be paying his full attention to the most popular DC characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and so on. It’s fine to feature the quirky characters in films about popular characters like Superman did. Doing so would serve as a testbed for the quirky character and see if they are well received by fans, as what happened with Mr. Terrific, who is being considered for a TV show.

So, is it time to panic for DC Studios? Not yet, it’s early, Warner Bros. and the fans just have to be more patient and see how upcoming projects turn out. Yes, Supergirl is a failure but this experience was an opportunity for Gunn and the film studio to learn from the mistakes and make adjustments. Seeing what worked and what doesn’t will guarantee future success for the DCU going forward.

Jun 6 2026

Spider-Noir Shows How To Do The Multiverse

Spider-Noir is the latest superhero TV show now streaming on Prime Video and stars Nicolas Cage as a variant of Spider-Man set in New York City during the 1930s. This time, for legal reasons, his name is Ben Reilly and he is called The Spider instead. Noticeably older and gruffer than the traditional Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Reilly operates as a classic gumshoe private detective in a gritty New York oozing with corruption, crime and notorious gangsters. In other words, this is not your typical Spider-Man story and this is how the Multiverse should have been done by the studios.

When Spider-Noir begins, Ben Reilly operates out of his tiny office in Manhattan as a gumshoe for hire and still grieving over the death of his girlfriend Ruby five years ago, Ever since her death, Reilly retired from being the masked vigilante, The Spider, but all that changed when he is hired to track down a criminal named Addison, who turns out to have pyrokinetic powers. After Addison is killed, circumstances drag Reilly and his associates down a nefarious rabbit hole involving the city’s corrupt mayor (Michael Kostroff), the notorious mob boss, Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson), who runs the city’s underworld with a savage fist, and Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), a conflicted nightclub singer he is hired to track but falls in love with. Silvermane has superpowered henchman in his employ, such as Flint Marko (Jack Huston), a Sandman variant, Lonnie Lincoln (Abraham Popoola), a more sympathetic version of Tombstone, and Dirk Leyden (Andrew Lewis Caldwell), a version of the obscure Spider-Man villain Megawatt, who all come into conflict with the Spider.

During his investigations, Reilly finds out that the villains are connected to his World War I past and how he got his spider powers. More importantly, Reilly is forced to come out of retirement as The Spider, which brings him to the attention of Silvermane, who wants to consolidate his grip of power in New York City.

As one can tell by the premise and seeing the show itself, Spider-Noir is an inspired homage to the classic 1930s crime films that were once so popular during the Golden Age of Film. The show can be watched either in garish color with popping bright hues or in noirish black and white, which feels more appropriate. The TV show captures many of the elements that made crime noir films so popular: the jaded detective; a dazzling but conflicted femme fatale; struggling people who talk with exaggerated New York accents and read script lines that would make Humphrey Bogart feel right at home; numerous Dutch angles; split focus shots, and scintillating photography that evokes stark existentialist German cinematography. There are so many ways this approach could have approached a satire, but thanks to the skills from everyone involved, Spider-Noir is a respectful tribute to those types of crime noir films. The actors have to be singled out for their innovative performances, especially Cage, who evokes a combination of Bogart and Jimmy Cagney while infusing his performance with the bouts of unpredictable insanity that made him so famous. The other actors turn in commendable work here as well, such as Li whose near-tragic Hardy captivates every scene she’s in and Gleeson, who projects a chilling presence.

The Multiverse is a great concept that allows for the exploration of many famous characters in different settings which provide captivating insights into what makes them work. The comic books from DC and Marvel have produced many memorable works based on variants of their renowned characters, but live-action attempts at exploring the Multiverse have had mixed results. For Marvel’s part, it seemed as if the studios were too afraid to go all out and give us wildly different versions of their characters. Why is that? Perhaps the studio heads fear that doing so will confuse audiences. But they underestimate them all the time. Other times, the efforts were laughably bad, such as Sony’s misguided films starring Spider-Man villains that were dead on arrival. We could have had more inspired Multiverse films and TV shows in the run up to Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars and even the beloved Spider-Verse films that took greater advantage of the Multiverse concept like Spider-Noir has done. The executive producers of Spider-Noir are Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who also guided the Spider-Verse films and they should be the go-to guys for more Multiverse works if they ever happen.

Spider-Noir is more than an homage to crime noir films, it is also one of the best superhero TV shows ever done that focuses on character and exciting superheroics. Underneath his cynical exterior, Ben Reilly still has a good heart because he knows that having great power has great responsibility. Even though this setting is unbelievably different than the traditional one seen with Spider-Man lore, it still is a Spider-Man story and one that hints at how the character would be like if he were middle aged. This approach allows the character to be shown in a unique way while sticking to what makes Spider-Man so popular. By going all in with the Multiverse concept, this TV show is able to present a novel approach to the Spider-Man character and see how he would have turned out under a different setting. Spider-Noir, simply put, takes full advantage of the Multiverse concept and how it should be done.

May 9 2026

Daredevil: Born Again Rises Again To Greatness

While many fans of the original Netflix TV show, Daredevil, were elated when the program was revived for Disney+ as Daredevil: Born Again, quite a few had complaints about the new TV show. Originally, the revival was supposed to be a soft reboot of the original Netflix show, but Marvel Studios was not happy with the episodes filmed and retooled it with new footage. The result was a strange hybrid that at times matched the greatness of the original show and other times it fell short. Still, Daredevil: Born Again was a fine TV show with its faults, it just was that it could not compare to the greatness of the Netflix show. That changed, however, with Daredevil: Born Again’s second season.

The second season of Daredevil: Born Again just concluded its eight-episode run and it was very evident from the first episode to the last that it reached the heights of the intense drama and gritty superhero fights that made the Netflix TV show so renowned.

When the first episode “The Northern Star” begins, blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), who is actually the costumed viglante Daredevil with superhuman senses, operates in the shadows with a dedicated group to undermine the criminal mayor of New York City, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), who is nicknamed the Kingpin. In the first episode, Daredevil raids a cargo ship approaching Brooklyn that is smuggling weapons and is willfully sunk by its captain during the raid to scrub any evidence linking the shipment to Fisk. As Murdock and his allies try to expose Fisk’s crimes and Fisk uses every means possible to cover up his link to the shipment, a series of events pits Murdock and Fisk into a forceful confrontation that will determine the fate of the city and its citizens.

The overrall storyline of Fisk’s iron grip on the city and the reign of terror caused by his Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF), who are made up of corrupt and violent cops, was much more compelling and distressingly relevant to our times. We are shown how oppressive the AVTF are on the locals, and how they begin to fight back after being cowed for so long. We also witness how Fisk’s rule negatively impacts everyone, including the main characters who either suffer from internal ethical struggles or just do their best to survive and heroically try to expose Fisk.

While the first season struggled with its new supporting characters that really did not engage audiences, here in the second season, they came into their own and added their mark to the series. Take for example, Daniel Blake (Michael Gandolfini), the young deputy mayor of communications. When first introduced last season, Blake came off as naive, easily enthralled by Mayor Fisk, and eager to win Fisk’s approval. But in the second season, Blake comes to fear the tyrannical Fisk and questions his own loyalty especially when it comes to dealing with BB Urich (Geneya Walton), a journalist who is out to expose Fisk. Then there is Heather Glenn (Margatita Levieva), a therapist and former girlfriend of Murdock. She also gets enthralled by Fisk after working for him and later begins to lose her sanity after her ordeal of being kidnapped in the first season by the masked serial killer known as the Muse. How they and other characters wind up by the end of the season felt organic and rounded out the characters so that we understood them better.

Of course, the main characters like Murdock, Fisk, and Murdock’s girlfriend Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), were well developed with captivating arcs that explored their inner emotional turmoils. Fisk certainly belongs in the conversation as one of the best live-action villains ever presented on film or TV thanks to how he is written and D’Onofrio’s intense performance. The man is a terrifying mountain of barely controlled rage and sensitivity who more and more becomes unhinged. Meanwhile, Murdock struggles to defend a broken justice system by taking extra-judicial measures to preserve it and barely does so. Yet, thanks to his skill as a lawyer, in one of the most riveting scenes in the series takes place in the final episode “The Southern Cross” Murdock redeems the law when he confronts Fisk in a courtroom. Unlike their previous encounters that ended with bloody fistfights, this confrontation was one of pure will and words, but it was still intensely compelling. How the confrontation ended was one of the most memorable moments in the TV show.

One of the MVPs of the season was hands down the insane assassin Bullseye (Wilson Bethel). Once a disgraced FBI agent manipulated by Fisk in the original series down a path of crime, Bullseye, otherwise known as Benjamin Poindexter, sets off on personal quest of redemption. In the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, Bullseye murdered Murdock’s best friend Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), and ever since then he wants to amend for his sin. This sets him off an a murderous rampage that culminated in the episode “Gloves Off” where he skillfully takes out an entire team of AVTF agents in a diner. That was one of the most inventively filmed action sequences in the TV show and demonstated how deadly Bullseye is. Thankfully, the series did not salvage him or try to re-invent him to be some kind of anti-hero, but his actions helped significantly propel the show’s narrative.

Another pleasing aspect of Daredevil: Born Again, which fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) should enjoy is its connection to the MCU. It’s not over the top with pointless cameos by established MCU characters but the subtle connections are visible, such as an establishing cityscape shot that features the Avengers Tower or a name drop. More impressive is that this TV show is clearly a continuation of the original Netflix Daredevil with flashback scenes, references and even character appearances. The most joyful returns were characters from other Netflix Marvel TV shows like Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and even Luke Cage (Mike Colter). Their appearances reinforce a sense of continuity and herald an eagerly awaited Defenders reunion that will take place in the third season of Daredevil: Born Again. This is much appreciated and helps cement the relevance of both Daredevil TV shows.

The future is unknown for Daredevil: Born Again after its upcoming third season. The ratings for the second season were not the greatest, which is a shame since it rises to the level of greatness from the Netflix era. Hopefully word of mouth will increase attention to this TV show. Perhaps an appearance by Cox in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day (which is not a guarantee and do not expect his character to don the Daredevil outfit) or any other MCU film will steer more fans to give Daredevil: Born Again a deserved chance.

José Soto

Feb 1 2026

The Unexpected Surprise Of Wonder Man

Wonder Man is the latest Disney+ Tv show based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and it is so unlike the typical MCU project, which can be either a pleasant surprise for some or disappointing for fans expecting your typical superhero fare. No matter how a viewer may judge the show, it has to be admitted that it is different.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as Simon Williams a down-on-his-luck actor in Hollywood looking for his big break and learns that an ‘80s sci-fi action film, Wonder Man, is being remade by the renowned eccentric director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić). Simon is eager to be cast in the title role because it was a favorite film of his when he was young. What needs to be mentioned is that he learned about the role from Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), the disgraced actor who was jailed for portraying the terrorist, the Mandarin, in Iron Man 3.

The two actors form an unlikely bromance as the elder actor mentors the younger one about being a true thespian and how to navigate the Hollywood filmmaking landscape. Unfortunately, Trevor was forced to initiate the friendship with Simon because he was arrested by the Department of Damage Control (DODC) for escaping jail and was promised his freedom if he entrapped Simon. The DODC suspects Simon of harboring superpowers and wants to jail him for being dangerous and to meet quotas. Meanwhile, Simon, who actually has superpowers, is desperate to keep his powers a secret from everyone because superpowered people are banned from acting in Hollywood and obviously his acting career would be over if the world learned his secret.

That is basically it about Wonder Man. Anyone expecting superhero escapades and world-ending threats will be sorely disappointed. There are not even any pesky villains or any deep connections to the MCU aside from Trevor and the DODC. So, the TV show can be enjoyed and understood by non-MCU fans. Anyone with an open mind will find out that Wonder Man is an enjoyable and slightly humorous look at the plight of modern actors. In many ways, the TV show is Marvel Studios’ version of Entourage or The Studio but not as comedic, but that’s fine. The emotions are in the right place and anyone can’t help but feel for Simon as he navigates his life and the quirky people he meets. We get enough details about Simon to relate to him, which was best seen in the episode “Pacoima” where Simon visited his mother (Shola Adewusi) for her birthday and had to defend his acting career, especially with his older brother Eric (Demetrus Grosse). Highlighting that episode was the classic sitcom trope of the main character’s buddy, in this case Trevor, tagging along for the family gathering.

What helps Wonder Man tremendously is the terrific and genuine chemistry between Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley. The two have great rapport with each other and the friendship between them feels very authentic and natural. Kudos, of course, go to both actors, and Kingsley turns in one of his best performances and this MCU vehicle is the best one to showcase Trevor. It would be a crime if we never saw the duo again since they light up every scene they are in.

The future for Wonder Man is unknown at this time, since Marvel Studios has reduced their offerings in light of recent disappointments. Unlike other MCU TV shows, this one was released with all eight episodes simultaneously, which implied that Disney did not have confidence in the TV show. But anyone dismissing it for that reason would be mistaken since it is one of the better MCU TV shows that tried something different that worked thanks to the talent in front and behind the cameras. This is a case where being different worked for Marvel Studios. As long as the talent is there, they should do more of this.

Wonder Man is under the Marvel Spotlight label, which implies it was just a limted series. But even if a second limited series never comes to fruition, Simon and Trevor deserve to be seen again whether dealing with Hollywood politics or L.A. living or just shooting the breeze in a movie theater as they discuss film and TV shows. Besides, without giving anything away about the final episode, anyone who enjoyed Wonder Man should know what else happened to Simon and Trevor.

José Soto

Jan 4 2026

Top Ten Most Anticipated Films & TV Shows Of 2026

2026 looks to be another jam-packed year with all the sci-fi, horror, fantasy and animated projects planned for the year. There are many promising original films and TV shows and returning franchises that will excite any fan. Also, it can be said that 2026 will be do or die for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), since it has struggled lately. Once their films were guaranteed to rake in the money, but that’s not the case anymore and Marvel Studios is betting it all with the films Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. On the other hand, the DC Universe is off and running with this year thanks to the success of last year’s Superman film. Now let’s look at the most anticipated films and TV shows of 2026.

Films

10. Toy Story 5

It’s incredible that Pixar has been able to come up with a new angle for a Toy Story film that is very relevant to current times. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return to voice the iconic toy characters Woody and Buzz as they and their toy companions now have to contend with a tablet that threatens their popularity with their child owner.

8. The Dog Stars

Not a lot is known about this post-apocalyptic film about a pilot, his dog and a disgruntled veteran, but master director Ridley Scott is behind this adaptation of Peter Heller’s novel. Given Scott’s track record with genre classics like Alien, Blade Runner and The Martian, this one should be another winning notch in the director’s filmography.

8. The Mandalorian and Grogu

Earlier this decade, a film based on the TV show, The Mandalorian, would have set fandom on fire. But given how Disney loves to milk their IP to the death, interest in the galactic bounty hunter Mandalorian and his adopted Force-sensitive child Grogu has declined and the timing of this film may be unfortunate. Still, it will be the first Star Wars film released since 2019, so that should generate interest.

7. Supergirl

The next DC Universe (DCU) film features Superman’s drunken cousin, Kara-Zor-El (Milly Alcock) aka Supergirl, in an outer space adventure that supposedly adapts Tom King’s acclaimed comic book mini-series, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. The film gets bonus points for featuring the return of Krypto the Superdog and Jason Mamoa making his DCU debut as Lobo, the intergalactic bounty hunter.

6. Project Hail Mary

The directing team of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord return to live-action with this adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel about a lone astronaut (Ryan Gossling) sent on a desperate mission to another star system to find out why the stars in the universe are suddenly being extinguished. Given the credentials of the directors, who were revered for their work on the Spider-Verse films, and the off-kilter look of the trailer, Project Hail Mary should be a unique and off-beat film that could resonate.

5. Dune, Part Three

The third film adapts the Dune sequel novels, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune and completes the epic sci-fi trilogy by director Denis Villeneuve. The first two films received nearly universal praise from critics and fans for its faithful adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel about political intrigue and religion in the distant future, which featured stunning visuals, strong performances and engrossing worldbuilding. Dune, Part Three will conclude the spiritual journey of the messiah-like Paul Atreides as he struggles to set a course for humankind in the universe while retaining his own humanity.

4. The Odyssey

The latest film from director Christopher Nolan which is based on the epic Greek fantasy poem by Homer has generated tremendous word of mouth thanks to the meticulous artistry of Nolan and the reputation his films have garnered. The Odyssey is a suitable project for Nolan because of its grand nature, and he is only one of a handful of directors who can do justice to the film. The six-minute trailer that was recently released which focused on the subterfuge of the Trojan Horse increased the fervor for the film given how impressive and large scale the scenes looked on large screens.

3. Disclosure Day

Steven Spielberg, one of the most acclaimed directors of all time, returns to his genre roots with this UAP/UFO-related film that is largely shrouded in mystery. Unlike his previous UFO films that seemed hopeful, Disclosure Day feels more grounded, mysterious and ominous judging by the teaser trailer alone. The teaser implies the film will tackle government conspiracies and spirituality. After a long period of non-genre dramas and musicals, seeing Spielberg tackling aliens once again is a welcome event.

2. Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Following the aftermath of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the latest MCU Spider-Man picks up after Spider-Man’s (Tom Holland) civilian identity has been erased thanks to a magical spell. Not a lot has been revealed about the next MCU Spider-Man film but it features popular Marvel characters like the Hulk and Punisher, a bunch of new supervillains and a mysterious new character played by Sadie Sink. Aside from speculation about Sink’s role, the film is noted for being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton who directed the well-received MCU film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

1. Avengers: Doomsday

From the chair announcement trailer to the character teasers, no other film coming out in 2026 has generated the amount of buzz as the first Avengers film since Avengers: Endgame. The film begins the conclusion of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, which will finish with next year’s film Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel Studios has a lot riding on the success of this film given how MCU films and TV shows have had uneven reception lately. The film is pulling out all stops to bring back fans to guarantee a box office win with its hard pivot to legacy characters and actors, notably those from the Fox X-Men films and Robert Downey, Jr. who returns not as Iron Man but as the premier Marvel villain Doctor Doom. No matter how it ends up, Avengers: Doomsday will be the event film of 2026.

Notable Mentions:

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple; The Bride!; Clayface; Coyote vs. Acme; Evil Dead Burn; Flowervale Street; Forgotten Island; Godzilla: Minus Zero; Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die: Greenland 2: Migration; Hokum, Hoppers; Iron Lung; The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender; Masters of the Universe; The Mummy, Primate; Redux Redux, Werwulf, Wildwood

Television

10. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Most likely the latest Star Trek TV show will be garbage given the cringy publicity images and clips that highlight cliche teenage angst. Also going against it is that not many fans were interested in a Star Trek show set in the unpopular Star Trek: Discovery era of the 31st century, but it looks well produced and could surprise us.

9. The Boroughs

Fresh off concluding their popular TV series, Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers follow up that TV show with The Boroughs. This one focuses on middle-aged residents of a suburban community instead of kids who team up to face an unusual threat. Starring Al Molina, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman and others, The Boroughs should echo the same magic that made Stranger Things so well regarded.

8. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

The second season of the Monsterverse TV show is finally upon us. The first season unexpectedly provided depth and intriguing worldbuilding for the action-oriented Monsterverse films while featuring many appearances by our favorite kaijus like Godzilla. The second season will provide more of this and should develop the Monsterverse storyline further.

7. Neuromancer

Apple TV has turned into the premier streaming service for high-quality sci-fi programs and given recent adaptations of popular sci-fi literary works like Foundation and Silo, it was time for the streaming service to jump into adapting the William Gibson novel that jumpstarted the cyberpunk subgenre. Details are not available but since Neuromancer will stream on Apple TV, it should be a quality adaptation.

6. Spider-Noir

While it is lamentable that this program about an alternate take on Spider-Man set in the 1930s will stream on MGM+ (who actually subscribes to that streaming service?), it offers a unique take on Spider-Man. Filmed in black and white to establish a noir mood, the series will star Nicolas Cage (who voiced the same character in the Spider-Verse animated films) as Ben Reilly, an older and more jaded version of Marvel’s most popular hero.

5. X-Men ’97

After the triumphant first season that redefined the animated X-Men TV shows, this second season takes place right after the events of the first season as the heroic mutants find themselves scattered in different time periods and have to find a way back home. Only this time, the X-Men have to grapple with the mega-villainy of Apocalypse. However, being that Beau DeMayo, the showrunner of the first season, has been fired by Marvel Studios, it has to be seen if the new showrunners can match DeMayo’s work.

4. VisionQuest

This MCU TV show concludes the loose trilogy made up of WandaVision, Agatha All Along, and now VisionQuest. This shows follows the journey of the white android Vision (Paul Bettany) who was imbued with the memories of the original Vision in the final episode of WandaVision and now he has to struggle to find his identity. What makes the concluding part of the trilogy more exciting is that Terry Matalas, who was responsible for the popular third season of Star Trek: Picard, will be the showrunner.

3. Lanterns

The sole DCU TV show coming out in 2026 is a detective show will feature the intergalactic sentinels Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) investigating a murder in Nebraska that will lead to dark and otherworldly events. Given the success of other DCU TV programs like Peacemaker and Creature Commandos, and the bonafides of the showrunners, including DCU head James Gunn, Lanterns should be another win for the fledgling superhero cinematic universe.

2. The Boys

The final season of the adaptation of Garth Ennis’ comic book series about “superheroes” dominating popular culture and the world itself promises to go all out as a ragtag group of anti-heroes led by Bill Butcher (Karl Urban) have their final confrontation against the twisted and sadistic Homelander (Anthony Starr) who rules the United States in a reign of terror with his lackeys and cohorts. The final season of The Boys promises to be just as brash, graphically violent and sardonic as the previous four seasons and its spinoff TV show Gen V.

1. Daredevil: Born Again

It’s true that the first season of Daredevil: Born Again turned out to be uneven, but the best episodes of that season were produced by Dario Scardapane and directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who were the showrunners of the original Daredevil TV program on Netflix. The second season will be completely done by them and that is reason alone to look forward to it. Another reason is that it will focus on how the blind superhero Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and his allies (including Kristen Ritter reprising her role of Jessica Jones) operate on the streets of New York City under martial law as the police enforce a ban on vigilantes imposed by Daredevil’s nemesis Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio).

Notable Mentions

3 Body Problem, Army of Shadows, Avatar: The Last Airbender; The Beauty, Blade Runner 2099, For All Mankind; Invincible, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, One Piece, Paradise; Silo, Star City, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Wars: Maul-Shadow Lord; Stranger Things: Tales From ’85; The Testaments, Wonder Man, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man