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.
Pro tip: The industry is changing all the time. Bookmark this page and check back periodically as we update with more release dates about new and exciting upcoming animated titles.
May 2026
“Devil May Cry” | Action, adventure
Fresh off the success of “Castlevania,” Netflix and Adi Shankar are teaming up with Studio Mir (“The Legend of Korra,” “My Adventures with Superman”) to bring yet another beloved video game to life. This time it’s “Devil May Cry,” the fast-paced, action-heavy game about vanquishing demons.
“Devil May Cry” Season 2 is currently streaming on Netflix. It has been renewed for its third and final season, which is currently in production.
“Gameoverse” | Action, adventure
What happens when video games start disappearing? And by disappearing, I mean “horrifically exploding.” In this new animated series over a decade in the making, characters from different games have to band together to stop video game heroes from beating their villains and destroying their worlds.
The “Gameoverse” pilot is currently streaming for free on YouTube.
June 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 is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
“Among Us” | Comedy, horror, sci-fi
Animated video game adaptations are a great way to deep-dive into lore, exploring character journeys from beloved classic franchises.
And then there’s “Among Us,” a silly little show about silly little guys experiencing the horrors. I’m just surprised it took us so long to get here after the hidden-role game dominated the cultural conversation during Covid.
“Among Us” is currently streaming, after all 10 episodes surprise-dropped to Paramount+ during the Summer Games Fest.
“My Adventures with Superman” | Action, comedy
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” Season 3 is currently streaming on HBO Max.
“The Amazing Digital Circus” | Horror, comedy
This indie animated series became a global phenomenon from just a single YouTube pilot. It’s about a group of people who find themselves trapped in a brightly colored digital hellscape, bound to weird cartoon bodies, and forced to act out weird video game quests. If they refuse? They run the risk of going insane and “abstracting” into a giant monster.
Episode 9 of “The Amazing Digital Circus” is currently streaming on YouTube and Netflix, and had a limited run in theaters earlier this year.
“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 currently streaming on Disney+.
September 2026
“Pretty Pretty Please I Don’t Want to Be a Magical Girl” | Fantasy, comedy
Lots of good things are coming out of the indie animation scene on YouTube, and the next title you should be excited about it called “Pretty Pretty Please I Don’t Want to Be a Magical Girl.” You might recognize its creator, Kiana Khansmith, from her Pokémon fanart or from her appearances on Dropout’s “Game Changer.”
But if you’re unfamiliar with “PPPIDWTBAMG,” it’s her new show about a girl who very much does not want the magic powers she’s been given.
The show’s fully animated pilot will air on Kiana Khansmith’s YouTube channel on September 4, 2026.
“Golden Axe” | Comedy, fantasy
“Golden Axe” is the latest video game adaptation to grace our screens. Rather than going the serious route of “Devil May Cry” and “Castlevania,” this arcade-inspired show is establishing a more comedic tone right from the get-go. I’m always wary of animated projects that lean too far into “adult comedy” tropes, but I’m feeling unusually optimistic about this one. Time will tell if it strikes the right balance between characters, plot, and humor.
“Golden Axe” will premiere on Paramount+ on September 16, 2026.
“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.
“Tales from ’85” is now streaming on Netflix. Season 2 will premiere on Netflix on September 17, 2026.
October 2026
“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.
“Helluva Boss” Season 3 will release on Prime Video on October 14, 2026.
January 2027
“Blue Eye Samurai” | Action, adventure
This gorgeously animated story from the writer of “Logan” and “Blade Runner” follows Mizu (Maya Erskine), a mixed-race swordfighter seeking revenge in 17th-century Japan. It’s got a star-studded voice cast, including Brenda Song, Stephanie Hsu, Ming-Na Wen, Randall Park, and George Takei.
“Blue Eye Samurai” is currently streaming on Netflix and Season 2 will premiere sometime in January 2027.
Other exciting renewals
“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.
“Knights of Guinevere” | Sci-fi, horror
Filled with lots of mechanical gore, “Knights of Guinevere” follows two mechanics who save a broken animatronic from Park Planet, a super high-tech theme park just distinct enough from the one you’re thinking of.
The “Knights of Guinevere” pilot is available to watch for free on YouTube. The full show has been greenlit and is currently in production.
“Marvel Zombies” | Action, horror
If you liked the Disney+ animated series “What If…?,” you’ll probably love “Marvel Zombies”. It continues the “What If…?” zombie apocalypse storyline, featuring alternate versions of popular characters like Kamala Khan, Yelena Belova, Kate Bishop, and Jimmy Woo.
“Marvel Zombies” is currently streaming on Disney+. It has been renewed for Season 2, which is currently in production.
“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.
“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.
