14 anticipated TV shows still to come in 2026, from Blade Runner 2099 to a new Harry Potter

Streaming platforms stack year-end lineup with adaptations, documentaries, and star-studded dramas

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Read Time3 min

With the end of 2026 approaching, streaming platforms are unveiling a slate of high-profile series spanning blockbuster adaptations, true-crime documentaries, and original dramas. Among the most anticipated are the Harry Potter TV series, the Blade Runner 2099 sequel, and a dramatisation of the FTX collapse titled The Altruists.

In the era of streaming, television releases no longer pause as the year winds down. A report by The Age has identified 14 shows debuting over the next two months that are worth watching.

Among the biggest draws is the Harry Potter TV series, an eight-episode adaptation of J.K. Rowling's fantasy novels with a new trio of 11-year-old actors, set for Christmas Day release on HBO Max. Another major franchise entry is Blade Runner 2099, a sequel series set in a future Los Angeles where Replicants are the ruling class, starring Michelle Yeoh as a Replicant police officer and Hunter Schafer as her human partner. It premieres on Amazon Prime Video on November 25.

Netflix will release The Altruists on November 18, a limited series dramatising the FTX collapse through the relationship of founders Sam Bankman-Fried (Anthony Boyle) and Caroline Ellison (Julia Garner). The same platform also brings Pride and Prejudice, a progressive take on Jane Austen's novel from screenwriter Dolly Alderton, starring Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, with Olivia Colman as Mrs Bennet. Premiering December 3.

Australian audiences have local offerings as well. The documentary series 2.6 Seconds: Death in the Outback examines the 2019 fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker by Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe, airing on NITV/SBS from November 10. The four-part drama Shakedown, about the robodebt scandal, premieres on ABC on November 22. Also on ABC, the comedy Separated at Birth stars Nazeem Hussain as a paramedic navigating single parenthood, starting November 11.

Apple TV's 12 12 12 is a heist thriller about a Swiss bank robbery told across three timelines, starring Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie, hitting the platform on November 13. Stan's The Good Daughter pairs Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy as estranged sisters forced to reunite to care for their criminal lawyer father, also debuting November 13.

Other notable entries include The Greatest, a biographical series on Muhammad Ali from the creator of Cross, streaming on Amazon Prime Video from November 4; the horror thriller The Body on Netflix from November 11; and The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey, a true-crime drama starring Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen as the victim's parents, premiering on Netflix December 10.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Streaming services are concentrating major releases in the final months of the year to capture holiday viewing and subscriber growth.
Several shows tackle recent scandals (FTX, robodebt, the JonBenet Ramsey case), reflecting a sustained appetite for true-crime and financial-drama content.
Franchise extensions like Blade Runner 2099 and the Harry Potter series test whether beloved IP can sustain long-form storytelling.

Background

The shift from broadcast to streaming has erased the traditional seasonal break in television premieres. Where networks once wound down in November and December, platforms now treat the period as a critical window for attracting and retaining subscribers. The 2026 lineup illustrates this trend, with a mix of big-budget adaptations and locally relevant documentaries.

Key Perspectives

Viewers: A wide range of genres and budgets offers something for nearly every taste, from fantasy to true crime to comedy. The concentration of prestige titles in a short window may overwhelm casual viewers. Streaming platforms: Heavy investment in proven IP and star talent is a strategy to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, but it carries high costs and risks if shows fail to connect. Critics/Skeptics: The reliance on reboots, sequels, and adaptations raises questions about originality. Several projects (Harry Potter, Blade Runner) face scrutiny over whether they can justify their expansion beyond the original films.

What to Watch

Viewership numbers and critical reception for Blade Runner 2099, which must satisfy both sci-fi purists and new audiences.
Audience response to the Harry Potter series: if it underperforms, it may signal franchise fatigue.
The Altruists could reignite public interest in the FTX story, but may also face legal scrutiny from figures depicted.

Sources

The 14 most anticipated TV shows still to come this year · The Age - Latest News

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe headline says 14 anticipated TV shows are still to come in 2026.The Age - Latest News: “The 14 most anticipated TV shows still to come this year.”
Partly supportedThe report identified 14 shows debuting over the next two months.The Age - Latest News: “Here are 14 to watch out for.”
Partly supportedStreaming platforms are unveiling a slate of high-profile series.The Age - Latest News: “The close of 2026 may be in sight, but there are still numerous shows – from blockbuster adaptations to crucial documentaries – lined up to debut.”
SupportedThe Harry Potter series is an eight-episode adaptation.The Age - Latest News: “Eight episodes is an expansive canvas versus a two-hour movie”
Partly supportedThe Harry Potter series has a new trio of 11-year-old actors.The Age - Latest News: “With a new trio of child actors as the 11-year-old heroes, the wizarding school of Hogwarts returns to the screen.”
Partly supportedThe Harry Potter series is set for release on Christmas Day.The Age - Latest News: “HBO Max, December 25 or 26.”
Partly supportedPride and Prejudice is a progressive take on Jane Austen’s novel.The Age - Latest News: “whose take on Jane Austen’s 1813 novel of romantic manners is reportedly “progressive”.”
SupportedBlade Runner 2099 is set in a future Los Angeles where Replicants are the ruling class, with Michelle Yeoh as a Replicant police officer and Hunter Schafer as her human partner.The Age - Latest News: “The latest is a sequel series, set further forward in a future Los Angeles where the Replicant cyborgs are now the ruling class above humanity’s second-class citizens. The trailer looks amazing, but the story – with Michelle Yeoh ( Everything Everywhere All at Once ) as a Replicant police officer and Hunter Schafer ( Euphoria ) as her desperate human partner – has to deliver.”
SupportedThe Altruists dramatises the FTX saga through the relationship of founders Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison.The Age - Latest News: “The headline-making financial saga of FTX is dramatised through the relationship of its founders, Sam Bankman-Fried (Anthony Boyle, Say Nothing ) and Caroline Ellison (Julia Garner, Ozark ).”
Supported2.6 Seconds: Death in the Outback examines the 2019 fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker by Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe and airs November 10.The Age - Latest News: “this true-crime docuseries examines the fateful moment in 2019 when 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot in his grandmother’s home by 28-year-old Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe .”
SupportedShakedown is a four-part drama about the robodebt scandal, premiering on ABC on November 22.The Age - Latest News: “this four-part drama about those who empowered the scheme and those who suffered from their actions. ABC, November 22.”
SupportedThe Murder of JonBenet Ramsey is a true-crime drama starring Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen as the victim’s parents, premiering on Netflix December 10.The Age - Latest News: “With Melissa McCarthy ( Nine Perfect Strangers ) and Clive Owen ( Impeachment: American Crime Story ) as JonBenet’s parents (and suspects) Patsy and John, this true crime drama faces numerous crucial choices in how it unfolds the tragic events. Netflix, December 10.”