Our Most-Anticipated New and Upcoming Animated Shows in 2026

Upcoming animated shows in 2026 and beyond!

Finding new animated shows to watch in 2026 can be a struggle, especially if you’re an adult trying to avoid the constant onslaught of “Family Guy”–esque adult comedies. If you’re looking for fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and everything in between, you want something a little meatier. And I’ve got your back.

Behold: a list of my personal most-anticipated upcoming animated shows of 2026 from Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video.

Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 | Supernatural, mystery

“Stranger Things” may just have ended a few months ago, but Netflix is already back with more Upside-Down content. This animated show takes place between the second and third seasons of the live-action show, giving us more adventures without worrying about pesky things like continuity.

And don’t expect to hear any familiar voices—since the original cast has grown up in real life, Netflix hired younger actors to fill in for the kids’ voices. Also, Jeremy Jordan is playing Steve Harrington, because that man is inescapable.

“Tales from ’85” is coming to Netflix on April 23, 2026. You can also watch it early in theaters on April 18.

Helluva Boss | Action, comedy

You don’t need to know anything about “Hazbin Hotel” to enjoy its spinoff, “Helluva Boss.” Both shows are musical comedies set in hell, but “Helluva Boss” isn’t about demons seeking redemption. The imps of the Immediate Murder Professionals aren’t trying to get to heaven, they’re just trying to run their struggling small business. Their struggling, small, assassin business.

The first two seasons of “Helluva Boss” are available to stream both on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. Season 3 is currently in development, and while we wait, Spindlehorse has been releasing about one animated short a month. The last animated short released on April 1, and the next one is scheduled to premiere at LVLUP Expo on April 24, 2026.

“The Legend of Vox Machina” | Fantasy, action

“Critical Role” is probably the most high-profile upcoming animated show and actual play show out there (that’s a show that chronicles people playing a tabletop role-playing game, or TTRPG), and a massive Kickstarter campaign brought it to an even larger audience through its animated adaptation, “The Legend of Vox Machina.”

The series really feels like a “Dungeons & Dragons” game come to life (well, because it is).

“The Legend of Vox Machina” Season 4 will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 3, 2026.

“X-Men ‘97” | Superhero, adventure

Disney’s Marvel Studios used to only have the rights to certain characters from the comics. But now they’ve finally got their hands on the X-Men, and they’re getting their money’s worth. Starting with beloved ’90s cartoons.

Like “Castlevania: Nocturne”, “X-Men ‘97” is a sequel show. It takes place after the events of the 1992 “X-Men” animated series (hence the name).

“X-Men ‘97” Season 2 is coming to Disney+ in Summer 2026, although it does not yet have a more specific release date.

“Creature Commandos” | Horror, mystery

Remember the DC Cinematic Universe? We try not to. But rest easy, because it doesn’t actually exist anymore, and in its place is a new canon of TV shows and movies run by James Gunn. Will it be good? Who knows!

The first installment was an adult animated series called “Creature Commandos”, which is like a more Halloween-y version of the Suicide Squad.

“Creature Commandos” is currently streaming on HBO Max and has been renewed for Season 2, which will premiere sometime in 2027.

“Hazbin Hotel” | Musical comedy

“Hazbin Hotel” is about Charlie, a princess of Hell, opens a hotel for wayward demons in the hopes of reforming them and sending them off to heaven, thus solving Hell’s overpopulation. Like the independent spinoff series “Helluva Boss,” it’s a musical with elaborate character designs and humor that lean heavily into the dark and edgy.

“Hazbin Hotel” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Season 3 is currently in production.

“The Mighty Nein” | Adventure, fantasy

Ever wanted to watch the cast of “Vox Machina” voice an entirely different set of characters, in a different part of the world of Exandria? Have I got the show for you.

Jester, Nott, Mollymauk, Yasha, Caleb, Beau, Fjord; Critical Role’s second campaign introduced a ton of fan-favorite PCs. And now you get to meet them in their own animated series, straight from Titmouse Animation (“Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld,” “Haunted Hotel”).

“The Mighty Nein” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Season 2 is currently in production.

“My Adventures with Superman” | Action, comedy

We’ve seen a lot of TV shows explore stages in Clark Kent’s life as Superman. In “Smallville”, we followed his teenage years. In “Superman & Lois,” we fast-forwarded to his life as a father of two teenage sons. We’ve even followed Clark’s canine best friend in “Krypto the Superdog.”

But in this new animated series from Adult Swim, we get to see twenty-somethings Clark and Lois build their careers in journalism while falling in love. Did we need this? No. But that doesn’t stop me from watching.

“My Adventures with Superman” is currently streaming on HBO Max, and Season 3 is currently in production.

“Secret Level” | Anthology

Ever watched the opening cinematic of a game and wished you could watch an entire show in that animation style? “Secret Level” is that show.

Unlike Netflix’s “Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix,” which mashed a group of characters from different games together in the same world, “Secret Level” is an anthology show. Each episode will focus on a different game, including “PAC-MAN,” “Armored Core,” “Spelunky,” “The Outer Worlds,” and “Dungeons & Dragons.”

“Secret Level” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Season 2 is currently in production.